LS2 X-Master jacket promises four-season safety
China’s LS2 rolls out a uniquely styled motorcycle jacket that promises four-season usability.
We’re not really sure what it is, but there’s something about this jacket that’s giving us Luke Skywalker on Endor vibes, and we are all-in.
The jacket in question is the new X-Master from Chinese brand LS2. Boasting “three-layer, four-season adaptability,” the uniquely designed jacket is pitched as the one bit of kit you need for year-round riding.
The stand-out feature of the jacket is the enormous chest vent – the zips for which make the jacket look like a smock. Look closely, though, and you’ll see there’s a full zip to allow you to get in and out of the jacket as you would with any other.
As we’ve talked about before, the best way to dress for the weather is in layers and LS2 carries that thinking forward with the use of three layers: a removable thermal liner; a “Sheltex Plus” waterproof layer that can be worn either inside or outside the main shell; and the protective outer shell.
We’re a fan of the idea of having a waterproof layer that can be worn either inside or outside the jacket. We’ve seen this thinking coming from a few companies lately, and it offers a greater level of versatility.
Boasting an AA safety rating, the X-Master comes with Level 2 armour in the shoulders and elbows, with space for chest and back protectors (sold separately). Gotta admit: we’re a little down on that one. We thought the days of brands skimping on back protectors had passed.
In addition to the huge chest vents, you can also get air into the jacket via dual sleeve vents and a massive back exhaust panel. This is why the versatile waterproof layer is such a good idea. All that venting creates a lot of area for water to creep in – no matter how good the zips claim to be.
You also get a Neoprene-trimmed collar for comfort, with adjustability at the waist, cuffs and arm.
We’re counting at least four external pockets – maybe as many as seven if that bit at the chest is a pocket – and the two “hand warmer” pockets that LS2 mentions in its media release are different from the snap pockets that we can see on either side of the jacket. LS2 doesn’t mention any internal pockets, but we’d expect to find at least one in there.
The jacket is also compatible with LS2’s X-Master trousers.
Available in men’s sizes S–XXXXXL, the LS2 X-Master Jacket comes with a suggested price tag of £329.99.
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Chris Cope is a fourth-generation journalist, originally from Texas. He has lived in the UK for roughly two decades and has been writing about motorcycles for most of that time. He has written for dozens of publications and websites in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia.
