Olympia Moto Sports Horizon Rain Jacket and Pants Review

Riding in the rain is either one of the great joys of motorcycling or one of its biggest hassles. Either way you look at it, you need a good rainproof outer layer to keep the rain out. Some riders choose riding gear made of waterproof material, but many others, especially those who don’t ride in rain often, prefer to carry a rainsuit for those times when the skies open up. If you’re a fan of the second method, the Horizon rainsuit from Olympia Moto Sports is worth carving out space for in your saddlebag.

The Horizon jacket has more features than a lot of waterproof rider jackets. The shell is waterproof and breathable rispstop nylon with a back overhang and a mesh panel insert for interior breathability. There’s a stretch knit hood with a rubberized neck gaiter under the snap-down collar, and adjustable hook-and-loop straps at the elbows and wrists, side buckles at the waist, and a drawcord hem. There are two outside waterproof pockets and an inner storage pocket in which you can store the entire jacket by turning it inside out.

The Horizon rain pants are made of the same materials as the jacket and have the same self-storage pocket. The bottoms of the legs are secured by hook-and-loop and open up for better boot entry. Other niceties include side waist buckles, a stretch waist, and Nomex heat shields on the inside of the lower legs.

Unlike my colleagues in SoCal who are often forced to resort to the hose test, I had an abundance of wet weather on hand in which to give the suit a proper workout. Both the Horizon jacket and pants worked as advertised, keeping the rain out (once I got the hang of battening down all the hatches correctly) and not stifling me when the sun came out. The jacket fit comfortably over my riding jacket without binding, and the outer pocket was handy for my wallet and phone, neither of which got wet after an hour-long deluge.

The lone drawback I found was with the pants, which were difficult bordering on impossible to put on over my boots. My riding buddy almost hurt himself laughing at the sight of me standing in a parking lot struggling into them while hopping on one leg. Later, after EIC Tuttle wised me up to the trick of slipping a plastic shopping bag over my boot first, putting the pants on roadside was a lot easier and quicker; the bags also kept the mud on my boots from smearing the inside of the pant legs as they slid through.

The Horizon rain jacket has a suggested retail of $89.99; the pants, $79.99. Both come in sizes S/XS, M/L, XL/2XL, and 3XL/4XL; if you plan to wear them over your riding gear, size up accordingly. The jacket and pants are available in black/neon orange, black/neon yellow, and black/pewter.

For more information: Call (866) 473-4327 or visit olympiamotosports.com

(This Gearlab review was published in the June 2015 issue of Rider magazine.)

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here