Raceway
Shield
Hello, everyone! I’m trying to do more blogs on Rev’It stuff and I’ve found a jacket I’m really interested in that I’d like to talk with you about. Well, technically its a two for one and I need your help, guys and girls. As you can probably tell just by the images, these two jackets are remarkably similar. They’re the Rev’It Raceway and Rev’It Shield Jackets. They’re so similar that I can’t even choose which one I want but all I know is that I want one of them. Aside from minor differences in colour placement, looking at them from the outside- there’s very little that’s different between these two jackets. So perhaps you can help me come to a decision.
Before I talk about what is different about them [except for price, anyway] allow me to talk about what is the same. And I don’t just mean the colours. They’re both made from the same Polyester, a couple of different kinds on each jacket but the shell composition is 100% Polyester all the same. Its a pretty common material used in the construction of textile motorcycle gear for it’s light weight, abrasion resistance and meets that EN471 European Standard for protective gear, so you know you can trust this stuff. Which is something you want just in case you end up getting separated from your bike at speed and find yourself still travelling down the road without it.
Raceway
Shield
For added protection- both jackets have the Knox Flexiform CE rated protection in the shoulders and elbows, which is actually pretty good stuff. They’re made of a light weight and flexible Polyurathane, using a hinge so that the armour doesn’t hinder the rider’s movement and are made smooth with holes in to keep them comfy and breathable. While both jackets don’t have any back protection to speak of already installed- they are both prepared for a Seesoft CE-Level 2 Type RV Back Protector Insert. That is to say it has a back protector pocket specifically tailored to the Seesoft RV protector. But if you already have other back protection- you can try your luck and see if it fits. The Seesoft RV Back Protectors are just shy of 24mm wide at their widest point so if your current armour is wider than that- there’s a good chance it won’t fit.
Both jackets share some other features too, aside from the shell material and armour. Both have ventilation in the form of zippers on the front of the arms and back so you can keep cool while you ride and both jackets are also prepared for a Challenger Cooling Vest that can be zipped directly into the jacket. They both have the pockets on the outside and inner pockets, belt loops and also short connection zippers for your trousers. They both more or less have all of the same basics.
So what’s different? Why is the Raceway jacket priced at £179.99 and the Shield jacket priced at £199.99? Looking at it from the outside, I would think that the Raceway would be more expensive as Rev’It went that little bit further by including accordion stretch panels on the elbows which provide a little bit more comfort and keep the arms of the jacket from riding up the arms a bit more. But the main difference with the Rev’It Shield is it’s inclusion of waterproofing with a Hydratex G-liner. That’s right- the Raceway isn’t waterproof and I know for some that could be the deciding factor. It usually would be for me as well but since I already own a jacket for the wet weather, I wouldn’t mind having a jacket specifically for the dry. I’m even considering a much more expensive leather jacket that would definitely not be suitable for wet rides, so I can’t really say it bothers me.
What do you guys think? Is there one look you prefer over the other? Does the waterproof vs. non-waterproof tilt the scales for you? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading, everybody, until next time!
-MattW at Ghostbikes.com
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