Richa Armada Gore-Tex Pro Jacket - Black / Fluo Yellow

BLUF - This is an excellent quality laminated jacket with loads of features and good protection which is currently being offered at a good price point by SBS, making it an extremely attractive package when compared to the competition at similar a price (especially with the free inner, which itself is pretty decent in its own right).
I spent significant time reading / watching all the reviews I could find. It was a useful exercise, and I would recommend doing the same before you finally 'pull the pin' and buy, as there are some detailed reviews out there which highlight many strong points, but also highlight potential foibles to be aware of. I have ridden about 600 miles so far and these are my findings below;
Things I really like;
1. Quality. This is a very high-quality garment, which is immediately obvious when you see it and wear it. The stitching and construction are excellent everywhere. The use of high-end materials is obvious, and the garment has a quality feel and weight that gives me confidence that it will do its job if needed.
2. Fit. I am a 43 inch chest with a 41 inch belly and a 36 inch waist, with slightly longer limbs and this jacket in XL fits me perfectly. If I had bought a size L it would have been to tight. If your of 'stout' construction, you might want to try one on first as the garment is based on a 'European' fit, so the cut is a little 'lean'. That said I'm not skinny and I have enough room for one or two layers without the jacket feeling too tight.
3. Adjustability. This is the first jacket where the armour has sat perfectly for me, which is probably linked to it fitting so well on my body shape. The amount of adjustment to the fit, at waist, arms, side flare, cinching - its all there and works well.
4. Kidney Belt. Didn't think Id use this, but ive ridden with and without and decided I like it. It supports my lower back and keeps the back protector snug which is comforting on a long run. When you remove it (which is very easy, 30 secs) it stows neatly in the back pocket of the jacket and then the jacket takes on a very different feel of freedom suitable for when its hot and you want more air flow.
5. Venting. This jacket has more vents than a very 'venty thing'! For UK riding I cannot imagine a situation where you would need more. Note; the jacket runs very cool I wear a base layer as a minimum.
6. Good Looks. I got the one with hi-viz yellow in it, mainly as I wanted the get the free inner jacket as for me value trumps looks every time. That said, it looks really nice in the flesh, better than the photos suggest.
7. Waterproof. The jacket has proven to be completely waterproof in medium to heavy showers in N Wales, in fact the water just beads off at the moment so it doesn't seem to absorb any water into the fabric at all so far.
Things that might be improved;
1. The chest vents. Lovely, really well made very snazzy and clearly a feature that has become more popular in recent times. However, while they do work, they become less effective once you put the chest armour in as it sits directly behind the vents. Its not that I don't appreciate them, its just that I'm not sure if they were needed as there are so many other vents available.
2. A bigger or another Napoleon pocket. You only get one and its too small for an OS Map. However it is fine for a large smart phone of any size or large wallet. Probably being picky there, but……
Summary: I really like this jacket, it fits really well, has good protection and is very high quality. It has loads of features, most of them work really well and I can forgive the ones that don't as the rest of the jacket is so good. For awareness I chose this jacket above the Klim Carlsbad and Latitude, which were strong runners but couldn't compete when all things were considered. Had SBS priced this jacket at its original £1100 price I just wouldn't have given it a second look! The pricing team have been smart with their reduction and offer, as Richa are still yet to make their mark in the higher end of the market - all things considered when you look at what you're getting for your money this almost feels like a good deal…almost! Buy one you will not regret it, and you can relax knowing it was the smarter purchase.
Hope this helps or informs - Kind Regards, JC.