Fieldsheer Adventure Touring Motorcycle Jacket and Pants Review

[This Fieldsheer Adventure Touring Motorcycle Jacket and Pants Review was originally published in the June 2009 issue of Rider magazine]

Ah, to be warm and dry, the dream of any motorcyclist when riding through cold rain. Or, conversely, to be cool and protected on a hot day. That is the aim of any sensible motorcycle touring apparel, and Fieldsheer offers its own solution, the Adventure jacket and pants.

The Fieldsheer company, with the initials FS being the hip contemporary logo, was created some 30 years ago, selling clothing and soft luggage. It was popular in the ’80s, then seemed to disappear from my personal line of sight for a while, recently returning to the motorcycling public as part of the Western Power Sports distribution network. For 2009 a slick 124-page catalog is available, with some tempting products.

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We’ve become familiar with trademarked names like Cordura and GoreTex, but in the ever-evolving world of textile products, Fieldsheer says the Adventure’s outer shell is made of “super abrasion-resistant 1000 denier DuPont Teflon coated Maxtena.” Teflon, that nonstick stuff we see in frying pans, is also good for keeping material from getting stained. A little research turned up the fact that Maxtena is the same as Hitena, a fabric popular in hunting gear; we presume it is good tough stuff, although my job description does not include personally testing the abrasion-resistance factor. FS Rainguard, a “100 percent waterproof/breathable membrane,” keeps one dry, and I did find myself in a light rain (sorry, Southern California is in its third year of a drought), and nothing leaked.

The jacket has removable CE-approved armor at the elbows, shoulders and back, and additional SP Memory Foam built into the elbows and shoulders. I could not find any info on the trademarked SP material, but to my thinking, and to my well-being, more protection is better than less. Added protection comes from some very reflective Phoslite panels, and the big swatches on the back will definitely be seen by any driver coming up behind you.

Fieldsheer Adventure Touring Jacket and Pants
Fieldsheer Adventure Touring Jacket and Pants

The Adventure has lots of pockets, and up at the neck a collar extender zips into place to keep the drafts from entering. Two hook-and-loop waist cinchers keep the jacket snug, but I wish they had been about 4 inches lower—they work fine when standing up, but hunched over on the bike they rode up on my rib cage. I’ve found that flaw in several motorcycle jackets. A very nice and warm liner is included, which I found myself wearing around the house. Conversely, five vents on the shoulders, upper arms and across the back allow ventilation on a hot day.

The pants have the same abrasion resistance and waterproofness as the jacket, and the two join with an 8-inch zip at the back. They come with CE armor at the knees, and the positioning can be adjusted to three heights, which is a very good idea since our legs are not all the same. The hips also have protection. A 15-inch zip opens up the bottoms of the legs, but not really wide enough, as my size 10.5 boots could only fit through with a struggle. An elasticized panel on the right waist, and two hook-and-loop cinchers keep the pants in place. There is also a quilted liner for those very cold days, but I tended just to wear the pants over jeans.

Good suit, comes in many sizes that are carefully defined in the FS sizing chart. You can have the pants ($194.95) in any color you want as long as it’s black, while the jacket ($299.95) is offered in six colors.

For more information: See www.fieldsheer.com or call (888) 245-3432

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