By Ken Lee
The Tempest D-Dry riding jacket comes from Dainese, a brand that sponsors MotoGP riders Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden, among others. Dainese classifies this textile jacket as a short-range winter touring jacket. The Tempest is made from Duratex fabric and incorporates a waterproof, windproof and breathable D-Dry membrane. It’s a 3/4-length design, longer than a sport-style jacket, but it’s straight-cut at the bottom in back, whereas some jackets add a bit more length for additional jacket/pant overlap when you’re set in a forward-leaning riding crouch. A jacket/pant zipper attachment is included.
Adjustments for comfort include a zip-out full inner liner, plus twin air vents on the chest and in the back. The front vents are well-positioned and easy to open or close with the left hand while riding. Shoulder and elbow/forearm protectors are included, certified to European EN1621.1 standards. An inner pocket will accept a back protector, which is not included. Reflective inserts on the back, chest and forearms enhance nighttime conspicuity.
Like many things Italian, the Dainese Tempest fits well, feels comfortable and offers clean, sleek lines. However, some of the details are a bit disappointing. For wrist closures, the zippers plus dual snaps do not tighten enough to block out wind completely. The waist adjustment belts, one on each side, place the pulls in the back and that makes them difficult to adjust while riding.
A Euro-style left-handed main zipper is used up front, plus a snap-shut wind flap. Two snaps cinch down the neck area and thankfully they’re offset to the right side, not directly over the throat. There are also two hook-and-loop straps for neck closure adjustment, one on each side of the collar, but the strap ends are in back—an awkward reach.
The Tempest offers two big outside cargo pockets with snap closures on the upper corners; you can slide your hands in-between the snaps to use them as handwarmer pockets, after a fashion. A third waterproof pocket is placed on the left side by the main zipper, but it cannot be accessed when the wind flap is snapped shut. After that, there’s only one pocket inside on the removable thermal liner; remove the liner and no more inner pocket. And that liner is not very heavy; it’s maybe more of a three-seasons setup rather than heavy-duty winter wear.
Priced at $399.95, the Tempest D-Dry sits on the higher end of the spectrum. For that kind of money we’d like it to be a bit more feature-rich.
For more information: See your dealer or visit dainese.com
