Riding gear that earns its keep

Armoured jackets, pants, gloves and base layers for every season.

Gear only protects you if you actually wear it, which is why fit and ventilation matter as much as the abrasion rating on the label. Everything here is picked for riders who ride in real weather, not showroom weather.

We list the armour level explicitly, because a jacket with a foam back pad and a jacket with CE Level 2 inserts are not the same purchase even when they cost the same.

Want the shortlist instead of the whole collection? Best riding gear for bikers — our ranked guide.

Wet-weather protection for riders

Riding gear handles abrasion and armour; when the sky opens you still need waterproof rain gear that goes on over the kit you already own.

Best motorcycle rain gear and rain suits

Showing 16 of 16 products

Leatt ADV 7.5 Helmet — product photo

Leatt

ADV 7.5 Helmet

A versatile modular adventure helmet featuring 360-degree Turbine Technology and a removable peak, bundled with Leatt 2.5 goggles.

Gear Rider R7 Carbon Full Face Helmet — product photo

Gear Rider

R7 Carbon Full Face Helmet

An ultra-light carbon fiber full-face helmet featuring an advanced ventilation system and Bluetooth intercom readiness.

REV'IT REV'IT Eclipse 2 Jacket — product photo

REV'IT

REV'IT Eclipse 2 Jacket

Mesh everywhere, priced like a beginner jacket, armoured like a serious one.

Scorpion EXO Scorpion EXO Yosemite Jacket — product photo

Scorpion EXO

Scorpion EXO Yosemite Jacket

Adventure-style shell with a removable liner and huge vent panels.

REV'IT REV'IT Monster 3 Gloves — product photo

REV'IT

REV'IT Monster 3 Gloves

Simple leather short gloves that break in fast and last for years.

Alpinestars Alpinestars T-SP5 Rideknit Jacket — product photo

Alpinestars

Alpinestars T-SP5 Rideknit Jacket

A ventilated sport-touring shell with CE Level 2 armour at the shoulders and elbows.

Bilt

Bilt Iron Workers Riding Jeans

Aramid-lined riding jeans under a hundred dollars.

Alpinestars Alpinestars SMX-1 Air V2 Gloves — product photo

Alpinestars

Alpinestars SMX-1 Air V2 Gloves

Short-cuff summer gloves with knuckle protection and touchscreen fingertips.

Gerbing Gerbing 12V Heated Jacket Liner — product photo

Gerbing

Gerbing 12V Heated Jacket Liner

Bike-powered heated liner that turns a three-season jacket into a winter one.

Klim Klim Badlands Pro A3 Jacket — product photo

Klim

Klim Badlands Pro A3 Jacket

The reference adventure jacket: Gore-Tex Pro, D3O armour, built to outlast the bike.

Held Held Air n Dry Gore-Tex Gloves — product photo

Held

Held Air n Dry Gore-Tex Gloves

Two gloves in one: a vented chamber for dry days, a waterproof one for rain.

Klim Klim Induction Pro Pant — product photo

Klim

Klim Induction Pro Pant

Hot-weather mesh riding pants with D3O armour where it matters.

Alpinestars Alpinestars Nucleon KR-Cell Back Protector — product photo

Alpinestars

Alpinestars Nucleon KR-Cell Back Protector

A CE Level 2 back insert that fits most jacket back pockets.

Oxford Oxford Chillout Windproof Base Layer — product photo

Oxford

Oxford Chillout Windproof Base Layer

A thin windproof layer that adds a season to any jacket.

Joe Rocket Joe Rocket Atomic 5.0 Jacket — product photo

Joe Rocket

Joe Rocket Atomic 5.0 Jacket

The value all-season textile: liner in for winter, mesh panels open for summer.

REV'IT REV'IT Lombard 3 Riding Jeans — product photo

REV'IT

REV'IT Lombard 3 Riding Jeans

Single-layer PWR|Denim jeans that look like Levi's and slide like armour.

How to choose

Check the armour, not the badge

CE Level 1 passes a lower impact threshold than Level 2. Many mid-priced jackets ship Level 1 at the shoulders and a foam pad in the back pocket — budget for a certified back insert on day one.

Ventilation beats a liner

A mesh jacket with a waterproof over-layer is more usable across a year than a heavy laminate you sweat in from May. If you only buy one, buy for your hottest month and layer up for the cold.

Single-layer denim has grown up

Modern PWR|Denim and Cordura-blend jeans hit AA abrasion ratings without an aramid liner, so they wear like normal jeans and still slide. Look for adjustable knee armour pockets — armour that sits on your shin does nothing.

Gloves are the first thing you land on

Hard knuckle, palm slider or double palm layer, and a cuff that closes over or under the sleeve. Short cuffs are cooler; gauntlets seal out rain and cold.

What your budget buys

Under $100

Entry gloves, base layers and aramid-lined jeans — the cheapest real upgrade over street clothes.

$100 – $300

Mesh and three-season jackets with CE armour, quality riding jeans, waterproof gloves.

$300+

Laminated Gore-Tex adventure suits and D3O-equipped kit built to last a decade.

Frequently asked questions

What CE armour level do I need?

EN 1621 sets two levels for limb and back armour. Level 1 is the lower threshold and Level 2 the stricter one: Level 2 pads must keep the force transmitted in the standard's test below a lower limit, so they are the tougher rating, usually at the cost of a little bulk. Both are laboratory tests under set conditions, not a prediction of any particular crash, and armour only works where it stays over the joint.

Are riding jeans safe enough?

EN 17092 grades finished garments from C up to AAA, with AAA the highest abrasion class and AA a common road-riding grade in single-layer jeans. The classes come from standardised abrasion, tear and seam tests, so they rank garments against each other rather than guarantee an outcome in a given crash. Ordinary denim carries no such rating and is not designed for sliding; if protection matters to you, buy a rated garment and check the armour pockets.

Mesh or laminate for summer touring?

Mesh plus a packable waterproof shell keeps you cooler and dries faster. A laminate is simpler in changeable weather but always runs hotter in traffic.

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