Fly Racing Strata Jacket | Gear Review

Fly Strata men's jacket.
Fly Strata men’s jacket.

One of the major trade-offs we make for the pleasures of motorcycling is exposure to the elements. Fly’s Strata Jacket is an affordable, versatile way to deal with variable weather out on the road.

It has three parts: an outer jacket made from windproof, water-resistant 600-denier polyester with ballistic panels at the elbows; a mesh jacket that combines abrasion-resistant mesh panels on the chest, inner arms and back with 600-denier polyester everywhere else; and a thermal vest with medium-warmth, 120g insulation.

Included with the Strata is removable, CE Level 1 shoulder and elbow armor and a foam back pad (you can upgrade to a CE Level 1 back pad for $24.95).

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Even though the Strata has three parts, they’re not designed to be worn all together at the same time. You can wear the outer jacket with or without the thermal vest or you can wear the mesh jacket with or without the thermal vest, but the outer jacket isn’t large enough to be worn over the mesh jacket—I tried that once and the arms were way too tight (I had trouble bending my elbows to fasten my helmet’s chin strap).

Fly Strata thermal vest
The thermal vest can be worn with either the mesh jacket or outer jacket.

Instead, it’s one set of gear that can be adapted to different seasons: wear the outer jacket in the spring and fall, adding the thermal vest as needed, and wear the mesh jacket in the summer. Since the outer jacket is listed as “water-resistant,” it’s a good idea to bring a rain suit for unexpected downpours in any season.

And to avoid the hassle of swapping armor back and forth between the outer and mesh jackets, you can buy a second set ($24.95 for CE Level 1 shoulder/elbow armor, plus another back pad).

The sport-length Strata has a form-fitting cut and a longer tail for coverage in a tucked position. Both jackets have a microfiber-lined collar, reflective trim, fit adjustment tabs at the waist, wrists, forearms and collar, an athletic mesh lining and four pockets (two external handwarmers and two internal). The thermal vest, which can be worn as a standalone garment, also has two handwarmer pockets and an internal pocket.

For $259.95, Fly’s Strata gets you two jackets for the price of one, providing solid weather and crash protection as well as a good dose of style and comfort. In addition to the Black/White/Red colorway, it’s also available in Black and Hi-Viz/Black in men’s sizes S-4XL. 

For more information, see your dealer or visit flyracing.com.

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