Motorcycle jackets with large vented panels or entirely mesh fronts can be a godsend when riding in hot weather, as they let in far more cool air than traditional zipped vents.
Our guide to five of the best has been chosen by the people who know best – you, our customers.
Oxford Ladies Iota 1.0 Air Textile Jacket
Customer rating:
The first 10 customer reviews of this vented jacket all came with a perfect five-star rating, earning it first spot in our list. It’s a ladies jacket, but the Oxford Delta 1.0 Air is the mens equivalent and is identical in all except the fit, and that has a very respectable 4.8 rating from the first 12 reviews. Both womens and mens versions have large mesh panels that are rated well by owners, with shoulder and elbow armour that meets the basic Level 1 of the CE standard.
Klim Induction Textile Jacket
Customer rating:
It’s towards the top end of the price scale for a lightweight jacket with a limited window of usefulness, but this classy offering from Klim strikes the right note with those who’ve bought one. The first six reviewers all left a perfect five-star rating, praising the quality. It’s made from a combination of high-airflow mesh and Cordura, with reinforcements at shoulders and elbows. There’s CE armour at the shoulders, elbows and back as well and overall CE rating of AA, the middle of three available grades.
RST Tractech Evo 4 Mesh Lightweight CE Textile Jacket
Customer rating:
Buyers love their mesh RST textile jacket, with only one of the first 14 reviewers docking a star (saying the body was a little short for him). Construction uses a combination of RST’s Maxtex material for the most vulnerable areas with high-breathing mesh on the front and back. The shoulder and elbow armour meets the basic Level 1 in CE, there are plastic external shoulder cups and buyers also like the provision of an internal pocket alongside the two external ones.
Merlin Shenstone Air Textile Jacket
Customer rating:
Merlin’s mesh jacket doesn’t just cover heatwaves as it comes with a removable waterproof membrane, giving you coverage if the weather turns chilly and/or damp. The Reissa membrane comes out to allow strong airflow through the mesh panels, which are surrounded by classy wax cotton, making this the summer choice of riders wanting the heritage aesthetic. It rates highly with buyers, scoring nine perfect five-star ratings from the first 10 reviews. It comes with D3O armour for shoulders, elbows and back and has an overall CE rating to the middle AA level.
Rukka Forsair Pro Textile Jacket
Customer rating:
It takes commitment to the breezy rider cause to go for a jacket costing £400, but customers who’ve done so are happy with their lot, earning a 4.9 score from the first 17 reviews. The only grumble is that it comes without a back protector and a Rukka insert costs an extra £80. The Forsair Pro uses Rukka’s AFT (Air Flow Technology) to let cooling wind come through, and even the armour is high-breathing D3O XTR, which meets the higher Level 2 of the CE impact protection standard. Handily, it comes with a waterproof pocket to save your phone from a soaking if you are caught out when the rain falls.