Adventure riding equipment necessitates versatility, combining the comfort required to manage long rides on a variety of terrains with a heavy motorcycle around which the rider must be able to move freely in order to maintain control; with the protection required to keep the rider safe in the event of a crash at potentially quite high speeds while out in the wilderness.
For the Italian adventure clothing specialist T.UR, born from the experience and technological understanding of the Tucano Urbano brand, developing and producing such equipment is a challenge worth tackling, and for 2023 it has a new jacket added to its range of adventure equipment.
T.UR’s new Roadbook jacket (above) is the headline of the Italian brand’s 2023 adventure range, and its newest product. Designed to take a step up in the company’s adventure clothing offering, the Roadbook contains a number of features to keep the adventurous enjoyer of two wheels both comfortable on the bike, and safe in the event of an unplanned dismount.
Like many of T.UR’s top-level jackets, such as the Ushuaia touring jacket, the Roadbook is triple-layered, with Drop Safe-treated Polystrong 600 D Pro comprising the jacket’s main fabric. It also features a number of Profiber stretch panels, an Xtr-M mesh inserts for additional mobility and breathability, while leather inserts are used from the elbow area to that of the wrist in order to provide friction protection in the event of a high speed fall.
If we move from the external layers of the jacket to those on the inside, we find a breathable, waterproof Hydroscud membrane, which can also be removed to be worn over the jacket. Of course, the membrane’s removability also enhances its ability to be washed.
There is also a fixed internal layer, made of perforated polyester, while the under-jacket can be removed and worn independently of the external jacket.
For ventilation, the Roadbook uses three air intakes at the front, and two Airflow System exhaust outlets at the back of the jacket in order to maintain a strong flow of fresh air through the main body of the jacket. An additional pair of vents on the sleeves, and an Air Stripe Construction (ASC) zip as part of the jacket’s frontal double fastening system also adds to its ventilation capabilities.
Additional comfort comes from the jacket’s collar, which has an attachment to the jacket to stop it flapping, and an elasticated connection between the jacket and a pair of riding trousers, which itself features a universal zip.
There are also three front pockets, of which two are waterproof, and the presence of a back pocket adds further to the jacket’s utility. On the inside, there are eight more pockets, with one of those dedicated to the wearer’s mobile phone.
Easyflex Level 2 is used in the shoulder and elbow areas for impact protection in these places, and there are reflective panels on the external shell of the jacket to increase the jacket’s - and therefore the wearer’s - visibility in low-light conditions.
Additional protection is also available via the optional back protector, which comes at the cost of €49.90 (£42.72 at time of writing, 4 July 2023) adding to the €499.99 (£438.43 at time of writing) cost of the jacket itself, which is available in two colour options (blue, green), and in sizes S-4XL.
If that is slightly beyond your budget, T.UR also offers the Waypoint jacket (pictured below), which features many of the same specifications as the Roadbook, but misses the ability to use the thermal layer and the Hydroscud membrane as stand-alone garments. The Waypoint is available in two colour options (Ice/Light Grey, Sand/Dark Grey), sizes from S-4XL and is priced slightly lower than the Roadbook at €349.99 (£299.66 at time of writing). The Waypoint jacket is also available for women.
There is also T.UR’s two-layer adventure jacket, the Transfer, also available for women and designed for summer rides, which you can pick up for €269.99 (£ 231.17 at time of writing)
If you would like to pair your T.ur adventure jacket with a pair of trousers from the same brand, there are no adventure-specific options to choose from, but a variety of touring trousers made with the same materials as the Roadbook and Waypoint jackets, for example.
Both the Niagara (€269.99, or £231.17 at time of writing) and Gibraltar (€249.99, or £214.04 at time of writing) trousers are two-layered, and feature many of the same materials as the Roadbook jacket, including Polystrong 600D fabric (the Pro version only on the Niagara) and Profiber stretch panels. Both trousers also feature a fixed, perforated polyester inner lining, and a Hydroscud membrane, which on the Niagara is paired with a thermal padding. Both the Niagara and Gibraltar trousers are also available for women.
The Niagara trousers have good ventilation thanks to the four zipped air intakes, but the Gibraltar pair offer much better ventilation thanks to their two very large Airflow On Demand modular panels on the thigh, and two zipped air intakes on the shin.
Protection is identical across both trousers, with Easyflex Level 2 on the knees, and Easyflex Level 1 on the hips; while the comfort elements on both trousers are also identical, with waist and hem adjustability, and elasticated panels on the knees included.
Visit the T.UR website to browse their whole range, and to put together your own adventure riding kit.
