As the Excalibur Grey Vespa moves through central Pennsylvania its rider is now clad in Hi-Viz yellow. I feared it would be the yellow green color, and it is, but I was surprised how cool it looks. I may be quiet in person but my jacket is loud and obnoxious!
The new First Gear Kilimanjaro jacket is great. Compared to my old one it’s better built, better fitting, warmer, and more functional. So far it seems a near perfect solution for my cold weather riding. I’ll share more as time and cold marches on.
The first ride with the jacket was to work on Thursday morning with the temperature hovering at 35F. I was toasty with a t-shirt, sweater, old pile liner, and the new jacket with thermal liner. I suspect that combination will get me to 20F. Below that point I’ll replace the t-shirty with polypropylene long underwear, a warmer sweater, and perhaps another layer of some sort. All those layers really mess with a company’s sizing scheme. When I was looking at sizes based on my body measurements I fell squarely between LARGE and X-LARGE. But you always need to remember they are thinking you’ll be wearing a shirt under the jacket and nothing more. Experience has guided me to bigger sizes.
In this case, considering the temperatures I would be riding in, I chose XX-LARGE TALL, or 2XT. Good thing I did. The coat has plenty of room to layer and with no layers the cinching systems allow a person to snug it up nicely so it doesn’t look like you’re wearing a tent.
The best feature so far is the collar. Much more comfortable and better fitting at the neck and high enough to cut out more of the cold air that normally would knife into tender flesh and blood.
The polar vortex is hear I suppose. The ride home was as cold as the ride to work and autumn seems like nothing more than a doormat to winter. Like the squirrels in our garden madly preparing for winter I’m doing the same with the Vespa. Yesterday a pair of Tucano Urbano handlebar muffs arrived — spacious neoprene covers to keep the cold winter from my hands. After years of electric gloves I’m surrendering and moving to the next level of warmth with the muffs. To complete the upgrade I’ll be installing Koso heated grips. Protection from the wind and head beneath fingers and thumb equals contentment in the cold. At least that’s my hope.
The difference in outlook and well-being between cold and warm is striking when I ride. If I’m just a bit chilled, or worse, a ride is something to endure and wish to end. But warm, well, it can go on forever. I’ve complained for years of cold, numb, painful hands. With great hope I feel they will soon be vanquished. The jury is out on whether I have the proper electrical skills to make grips hot or whether I’ll be posting a picture of the GTS in flames.
For a closer look at the First Gear jacket check out this Revzilla.com review:
Well done on a successful selection of a jacket for the cold weather. Nothing more frustrating than putting down a lot of money on some gear and finding you ended up with something that does not suit you. I had that happen with a helmet but was lucky at least that I have a Buell riding stepson I could gift it to. Today I bought a Bell Bulitt full face and have done enough riding today to be sure that I nailed it this time. I am very glad that my adopted home does not get as cold as Pennsylvania. A few weeks ago I encountered a comment you made on a review of the Vespa Sprint 150 in one of the motorcycle magazines. I recently bought one for around town and as a companion to my GTV 300 Vie Della Moda. You mentioned in your comment that the GTV is the only Vespa model you do not like. What’s with that? I replaced the goofy short windscreen a with an aftermarket Biondi sport screen and had it cut down to the size and curve of the Vespa sport screen that fits the GTS. Looks good and is effective in deflecting the cold winds of winter and the vicious heat off the bitumen during our savage summers. Cheers and safe riding.
I have to admit that I’ve not warmed to the GTV. My first experience on one found me sliding about on the two-piece leather seat that seems extremely slippery and uncomfortable. The owner agreed and replaced that seat with one from a GTS. But I suppose it seemed a little “fussy” to me — too nice and shiny to be an everyday rider. I’ve not really looked at them again since and maybe I would feel differently now.
Winter is approaching here. I was cold all day and didn’t feel like going out of the house let alone going for a ride. Maybe I’ll feel different tomorrow!
Oh yes, I forgot that. The seat on the GTV is total rubbish and makes you sit too far forward. And I am only 5’8″. I also replaced my seat with one from the GTS that I had reshaped and recovered.
Wishing you mild days and sunshine.
See, you thought I was crazy! *grin*
So far, no mild days or sunshine in sight. But I’m gearing up for the opposite anyway.
It does look brighter than the older yellow/black. And the sizing charts definitely don’t take layers into account. I refrained from ordering a Roadcrafter until I was able to go to their shop in Duluth with all of my winter layers with me. It turns out that they had to do quite a few mods for a good fit.
Bring on winter!
Anyone who is a cold weather rider knows how difficult it is to get a right-sized jacket. The layers add bulk and it’s just hard to choose the right size.
Winter could wait awhile in my book…
Perfect! Let me know how the jacket is with a little more riding time behind it and what your impressions are of it in wet weather. I have been mulling this jacket over and tossing it back & forth between a Klim which is really expensive coming in at about $600 CDN, as well as the Alpinestars and Olympia. But I think the FirstGear is a good middle ground, vert decent price, lots of features and appears to be a good quality jacket, which I am hoping will last a little longer than the TourMaster Transition which fell apart at the 3 year mark and pants at 1 year.
I am also thinking hi viz yellow as well, but the silver was pretty nice too. Would love your feedback after a few miles on it Steve.
The Klim gear looks nice but the price! I have an Olympia one-piece winter riding suit. It is super protection from all the elements but so ponderous to put on that I only use it for long cold rides. But it’s solidly built with heavy materials. I have tried on some Olympia AST jackets but they didn’t feel right. I’ve been really lucky with the Kilimanjaro. I hate shopping.
I’ll post more on the jacket after some rain, snow and time on the road.
I hope you have nothing but warm days Steve. That is one illuminating purchase.
I don’t see any warm days in the forecast!
Glad to see you found another jacket that you like! The expense of gear like that always makes activities you love engaging in much more enjoyable. I look forward to seeing you get a Christmas Tree in the new jacket!
I haven’t gotten a tree in awhile. Maybe it’s time!
Now that’s a visible jacket….you’re still invisible to the run of the mill unwary/uncaring/distracted cager but it can’t hurt.
as to the grip covers and heated grips combination, you’re going to love it.
The jacket definitely glows and will be visible to anyone who’s paying attention. I was going to put the heated grips and covers on today but it was too cold!
Can just see the Vespa coming out of a snowy foggy day approaching the forest glen, and the colourof the new jacket and the speeding machine will scare all the animals into hibernation.
Bright as bright should be…
The bright jacket will help brand me around here as the crazy guy riding in the winter.
Good looking jacket – I’m quite partial to the colour. It never hurts to be an ‘extrovert’ on the outside!
My thoughts exactly.
That photograph of you in your new bright yellow First Gear Kilimanjaro jacket made me take a second look at my black 17 year old Tour Master 3/4 length jacket. It still works OK and has a thermal zip-in liner, but it’s BLACK and I’ve lately become a fan of brighter colors. So, I’m going to see if I can afford your jacket. Maybe give the Tour Master to a young lady in town who recently moved here with a Vespa and rides around in a padded nylon windbreaker.
I ride a SYM HD200 EVO
Ted White: Seventeen years is a lot of use out of a riding jacket. I hope this one goes so long. I got mine from Revzilla.com for a great price. Keep watching some of the big sites — maybe it will go on sale.
The SYM you’re riding looks nice. I’ve had my eye wandering on a SYMBA 100.
Every peace of first gear clothing I ve had has failed and been RMA to first gear. 5 time in 4 years. Sadly the last 2 times were summer /spring 2015 . TPG Pants 2012 Zipper failed and start pulling out. Leg seem open up. 8 month of ownership. 2011 Version of TPG water proofing failed after 1.2 years . Yes first gear always give no bs with warranty but 2014 Version of there gear are not safe I feel. 400 denier nylon down from the 600 Denier it use to be. This refers to the length of sliding it will do before holes happen. The list goes one . First gear just cheaped out compared to 2011-2013 line of clothing. At this price point you can find Rev it etc on close out . I sold both 2014 TPG jacket and pants rather then put my body on the line.
Sorry to hear you’ve had bad luck with your First Gear stuff. Either I’ve been really lucky or you’ve been really unlucky. As far as waterproofing goes I don’t expect much with treated fabric. A year seems good to me and then I usually re-treat. I’m anxious to see how the breathable waterproof fabric works on my new jacket.
The 400 vs. 600 denier fabric is never an easy call. I have an Olympia riding suit that has very heavy fabric leaving the suit stiff and work to wear. But I know it has more abrasion resistance than my First Gear jacket. May not matter though considering I have many layers underneath.
I’ve looked at a lot of Rev-It gear locally, and have a Rev-It rainsuit, but never really found anything that suited me. Thankfully for both of us there are a lot of choices! Good luck with your gear search.
Steve
What are you thoughts on your new jacket since you gave been riding in it a bit. Mine comes next week, I opted for silver as I have a hi viz vest.
Cheers
Dar