After eight years or so my First Gear Kilimanjaro jacket which serves through most winter riding has reached the end of it’s life. The main zipper has been replaced twice and is broken again, the seams are coming apart, and the fabric is thread bare and retains no water resistance. Have adequate winter riding protection is critical to being able to comfortable endure cold weather on a scooter or motorcycle. Finding a replacement jacket exposed so many choices that I found myself going down a variety of choice roads. 
The Aerostich Falstaff jacket was a long time favorite, at least in terms of look. It has the classic 60s appearance I always associated with Steve McQueen and the Isle of Man race and Triumph motorcycles. This is where my brain took me in assessing a new winter riding jacket.
Aside from the fact that I’m not Steve McQueen, I don’t race at Isle of Man, and the Falstaff is a waxed cotton jacket providing far less abrasion protection than a textile jacket, it seemed a perfect fit. Had there not been a delay in Aerostich providing their sizing solution to me I probably would have put the $527 jacket on my credit card.
Fast foward several days.
After a bit more sober thinking (thinking driven by facts not vanity) I purchased a First Gear Kilimanjaro jacket from Revzilla.com. Why? There are a few considerations I factored into the decision:
Visibilty
I ride a lot in bad weather and at night. A bright yellow HiViz jacket makes more sense than the dull green Falstaff. I know some people think it doesn’t matter but it can’t hurt.
Abrasion and Impact Protection
The Kilimanjaro seems the clear winner in abrasion protection should I find myself sliding along the pavement. The 640 and 400 denier nylon fabric will provide more protection than cotton. The First Gear has D3O T5 CE Armor in the shoulders and elbows and a thick foam pad on the back. The Falstaff has similar protection except a back pad is an extra $100.
Weather Protection — rain and cold
Not sure which is better and the reviews I’ve read say they’re both great in rain and cold. My own experience with the Kilimajaro bears out that judgement.
Fit
Buying a jacket online is frustrating when it comes to fit and I hate sending things back. Last time it took three attempts to get to the right size with the Kilimanjaro because they size them assuming you wear a shirt under the jacket, or at least that’s what it seemed like. Riding below zero means I have lots of layers. A large would fit me with a T shirt, but I need an XXL to accommodate cold weather layering. I know what size I wear in the First Gear line. Or at least I hope they haven’t changed a lot in the past eight years.
So on Tuesday or Wednesday a package should arrive with a new jacket. I’m hoping the HiViz is more yellow than green, the water resistance is good, and the thing fits. If those come to pass I’ll be a happy camper and can forget about which jacket to choose for another eight years.
I am a creature of habit.
Nice jacket. I hope it serves you well. I was trying to remember who it was that did Waxed Cotton jackets first and this rang my bell.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mens-Barbour-Saxony-Waxed-Cotton-Jacket-L-Nice-Black-Motorcycle-Style-425-/261654304509?pt=US_CSA_MC_Outerwear&hash=item3cebcfd6fd
Peter Eagan, a rugged traditionalist bike journalist described the material in it as “Pre-dirtied roofing paper when he bought his. I’m glad to see fiber jackets have evolved.
“Pre-dirtied roofing paper”. I like that and I can attest to the fact that my outback coat smells like roofing paper. I’ll report on the new jacket when it arrives.
Firstgear makes good gear, the Kilimanjaro Air was my first jacket and I liked it a lot. It was black with red panels for visibility, the red faded to pink after a while but it was still good. You wore it the first time you stayed at my place, I had tinted it all black by then.
I am riding into my seventh year with my Motoport Air Mesh Kevlar riding jacket and pants. Have replaced the main zipper once, zipper pulls on the sleeves as well. Velcro strips here and there but the Kevlar remains as protective as ever, seams are fine .
I hope the new jacket works as you expect Steve….looking forward to your Winter riding photography.
Winter riding — I can’t believe it’s almost time to put the snow tires on again. And get the Battery Tender hooked up.
I sure hope the new jacket fits. I’m in no mood to exchange jackets…
The Kilimanjaro is on my wishlist, but it’s not saying buy me just yet.
I have a thing for style (i.e. I like what I like, others be damned), and I hate doing the same thing twice. Believe it or not, with the exception of the Civic I drive, Susan and I have never, ever, bought the same model car twice. Unlike my Dad who got hooked on Camrys at one point and bought one after another, after another.
I love the idea of a versatile absolutely waterproof top layer.
Style is what drove me towards the Falstaff jacket but utility and function back to the First Gear Kilimanjaro. I’ll let you know how it’s changed from my old one.
Enjoy your blog. I, too, prefer bright colors when riding my scooters or motorcycles. For years, I wore the traditional black leather and helmet and wondered why so many riders got hit by cars whose drivers didn’t see them. Now, I wear hi-viz outer wear with adequate reflective material and a white or yellow helmet and feel much more proactive about my safety.
Bill, I’m with you about being proactive on safety and the HiViz color just makes sense for what I do. Be safe!
I like the Kilimanjaro. Mine is now seven years old and is still being used regularly. I have to carefully start the zipper to get it to zip but that’s easy to resolve. It’s still pretty waterproof and the liner that it came with is my favorite fleece jacket. The lined sleeves are hard to find.
Even after getting the Roadcrafter Light, the Kilimanjaro get’s regular use for trips around town when I don’t want to deal with the bulk of the Roadcrafter at my destination.
I could have repaired my old jacket some more but didn’t want to deal with the lack of rain protection anymore. Looking forward to riding in moisture without getting soaked.
In the cold, are you adding lots of layers or do you use an electric vest?
When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping…in your case you have had of late, the doldrums, go shopping. Just ask your wife.
I do not shop at big box stores. Last week a big (enormously rotund) friend took me to Walmart as he thought their clothes would fit me. Not. There was a very nice pull over, 36 inch sleeves which was cheap in price, tried it on, my arms stuck out of the end of the sleeves by maybe seven inches? Which is one reason that lovely jacket you’ve purchased would never fit me; neither would anything from Aerostich regardless of possible modifications.
May the purchase be perfect, for you. You’ll have to adjust the white balance on your cameras if you’re in a photograph.
I hope the jacket looks good in photos. That would be terrible if it looks like something from a circus. Neither Kim or I are shoppers — I go to the store because I have to. I have other diversions to distract myself.
I’ll probably have some pictures before the end of the week unless the jacket doesn’t fit.
I’ve eyed the Kilimanjaro, but I still have life in my Cyclegear purchased Sedici . It was a surprise when I tried it on and continues to surprise me. Alas, it is all black. That said, my almost always present backpack is hi-vis yellow and so is my helmet. I’m coming to think the helmet is the most important to visibility.
Good luck on the jacket.
~Keith
Thanks for the wishes on the jacket. It should arrive just in time for the temperatures to drop towards the freezing mark. An opportunity to test out it’s cold performance.
Hi Steve,
Hope your new Kilimajaro fits well for you. I, too, own and wear the Kilimajaro jacket in the black version. Mine is a few years old now but as near to perfect as I had hoped it would be. I have several other winter weight riding jackets but there is no doubt that the Kili is my cold weather go-to jacket! If it failed or got lost I would buy it again, in a heartbeat. If fact, my most only problem is how much my hubby has taken to liking it. He now calls it share-wear! I guess Santa-Baby will put one under the tree for him…so I can have mine back full-time 😉 Sure enough, on my Flickr page he has it on…poor boy left his own jacket’s liner at home. I think he had a plan…
Rode to work this morning with the new jacket and if fits perfectly accommodating the layering I do. The high-viz color is great and I look forward to riding as the weather chills.
Sounds like your husband is dropping hints to Santa!
It fits…Trumpets blaze with delight! I hoped it would. I take it the color is more yellow to your liking and not the green-yellow. Hubby has a summer weight mesh high res yellow that I took a fancy to. I have no high-res in my line-up. I should revisit that and maybe do a his-n-hers duo if Santa does bring hubby a Kili of his own. Say, you have those heated gloves from last Christmas, don’t you? Still liking them? I only take short rides in the winter but even then my hands take such a beating from the cold. Well Steve, glad you are happy with the new jacket 🙂 Ride safe dear friend.
Hi Steve,
Did you (or anyone else) upgrade the Kilimanjaro’s stock foam back pad? I just got the same jacket but cannot find a CE rated back protector that fits well in the pocket. Thanks.
I’ve not done anything to my current or previous Kilimanjaro jackets. I tend to use things as I get them. Didn’t even know the backpad wasn’t CE rated.
Let me know if you find a source!