A true 4 seasons jacket? Teknic Sprint Labyrinth

[Strika]

With the amount of kilometres I have covered on a bike this year, (Over 55,000 to be more accurate) I have been looking around for a true all year round jacket. Over the years, I have always been a believer in Goretex and still am, however, even Goretex is overcome by 30 plus degree days causing the wearer to enjoy a good sauna. Even the ventialted Goretex does it and the Goretex is 100% better than any other breathable membrane I have sampled. So with all that in mind, I started looking around for something which had the waterproofing in the liner, rather than the jacket. That way, when it's warm and you don't need the liner, it can be removed creating a completely breathing jacket rather than a partially breathing jacket. Then if it rains in goes the liner.

Now, attempting to find a selection with this set-up proved a little difficult!! I ended up finding two here in Oz who sell them like that. Dianese is one and BMW is the other. Neither appealed to me price wise. It wasn't an affordability thing either, just A ''I fucking object to paying over $1000 for a textile jacket kinda thing!!!"

Anyhoo, I was in the city today picking up some brake pads when I ran into a mate who used to work at another shop and now works for one in the city. We got talking and the subject ended up moving to said jackets. He also shared the belief that only Dianese and BMW would have what I want. Bugger I thought.....I'll just have to bite the bullet and spend the cash! However, just as we were saying goodbye, he thought of an alternative. He said he wasn't quite sure if it would suit me, but to come up and have a look to see.

It turns out the jacket is a Teknic Sprint jacket ( http://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/teknic/sprint/ ), using the "Labyrinth Modular Waterproofing System". Sounds pretty Funky right? Well, I sorta turned my nose up at him when he explained that the waterproofing part was in the outer jacket! I almost throttled him, telling him that was exactly what I told him I didn't want! Till he explained how it works! In the end, it is probably a better system in the end than what I originally wanted.



It is constructed of five parts .....
A. A Quilted liner (10Gms-which is more than most by about 4gms), which is thermal only..not waterproof-It has it's own waterproof bumbag pouch which it folds itself into if you want to remove it on the run.

B. A Mesh and Cordura, ventilated and armoured middle jacket.

C. An outer waterproof/Breathable cordura outer jacket.

D. A removalbe winter collar.

E. Attachable back pack.



Here's how it works.......

Stage 1.
Everything the jacket comes with is fitted into it. It is thermally lined waterproof and breathable. Essentially full winter mode.

Stage 2.
Remove thermal collar and stow in backpack.

Stage 3.
Insulated thermal liner is removed and stowed in it's waterproof bum bag-placed either around waist, or in the backpack.

Stage 4.
Outer waterproof jacket is removed and stowed in attached backpack. Jacket is now in full vented summer mode with all armour intact!

I read the winter test on the Webbike world site, and it gave great cold weather reviews and today, I rode in it in 30+ degrees through city traffic and it was cooler than a denim jacket is.

So far, from the look it is well finished and the stitching is neat with no loose ends or frays or missed stitching. Everything is easy to operate and works smoothly with little effort without feeling flimsy. Plenty of pockets and no bits which scratch or itch, such as velcro hook patches.

I will of course reserve final judgement for when I have had an opportunity to do a looooong day in it, and also see some colder weather. However, as a summer jacket thus far...it rates!

Price was $499 RRP and I paid a lot less than that naturally! (FWIW I paid close to $400 for it)

[Slow and wobbly]

Hey Strika wanna try another all rounder? I got it shortly before you know what and never got a chance to trial it more than thrice. It would go with the " Other bike "

As seen on "The long way round"
Cant find a pic on the web and can't be facked going and taking one. I'm sure you know the type.

[z900/zx9]

Well marti i hope it does it all for ya i on the other hand have gone a different way 3 jackets one leather with liner and armour 2 total mesh no liner and armour 3 leather perforated with removable liner and armour.The third option i tried out today with out the liner and with rj back protector.The result grate i thin kit will be good up to low-mid 30s in the country and 30 in the city Kazz bought it for me from bikers gear at PI and at $179.00 pretty good investment for those warm days .Now all i have to do is get the weather forcast right

[Neka79]

Well marti i hope it does it all for ya i on the other hand have gone a different way 3 jackets one leather with liner and armour 2 total mesh no liner and armour 3 leather perforated with removable liner and armour.The third option i tried out today with out the liner and with rj back protector.The result grate i thin kit will be good up to low-mid 30s in the country and 30 in the city Kazz bought it for me from bikers gear at PI and at $179.00 pretty good investment for those warm days .Now all i have to do is get the weather forcast right

i wish u would speak english Mal

yep..i have a leather jacket, a partial leather/canvas jacket and a summer mesh jacket... predicting the weather is the hard part...

[Strika]

Well marti i hope it does it all for ya i on the other hand have gone a different way 3 jackets one leather with liner and armour 2 total mesh no liner and armour 3 leather perforated with removable liner and armour.The third option i tried out today with out the liner and with rj back protector.The result grate i thin kit will be good up to low-mid 30s in the country and 30 in the city Kazz bought it for me from bikers gear at PI and at $179.00 pretty good investment for those warm days .Now all i have to do is get the weather forcast right

i wish u would speak english Mal

yep..i have a leather jacket, a partial leather/canvas jacket and a summer mesh jacket... predicting the weather is the hard part...

Hey Neka, can you imagine Mal lugging all that on his ZX9, with two weeks worth of clothes and gear at the same time? The other jackets would fill the gearsack!!!

To add further to my comments above, I slipped into the hospital again tonight to see the bride and took the bike as it was a nice cool night. I thought, which bits do I wear? I figured if a wore the outer waterproof jacket It would be warm enough, rather than put the thermal liner in! Well, bugger me is this gunna be a warm jacket in winter!! The waterproof part of the outer jacket had me roasting before I had pulled my lid on! So I ripped that off, seperated it again and just wore the mesh jacket, which was fine. I think if it got cooler, the idea would be to stick the thermal liner inside the mesh jacket first and then once cold enough, slip the outer jacket on!

[hoffy]

Gee they saw you coming, I paid $69 for almost the same jacket at ActionMC clearance.......

oops, did I say that outloud..

[Strika]

Gee they saw you coming, I paid $69 for almost the same jacket at ActionMC clearance.......

oops, did I say that outloud..

Not the same jacket mate! They don't make the one I bought in a SM!!!!!!!

[hoffy]

Gee they saw you coming, I paid $69 for almost the same jacket at ActionMC clearance.......

oops, did I say that outloud..

Not the same jacket mate! They don't make the one I bought in a SM!!!!!!!

AAHHHHH......you got the version with the nipple tassles.....

[SoundGuy]

Im doing a bit of a ride around the european alps in June next year
and i've been looking for a jacket that will handle all sorts of weather.

I've been looking at the Joe Rocket Alter Ego 2
http://www.newenough.com/protective_app ... acket.html

The teknic one is a definite alternative

[hoffy]

Im doing a bit of a ride around the european alps in June next year
and i've been looking for a jacket that will handle all sorts of weather.

I've been looking at the Joe Rocket Alter Ego 2
http://www.newenough.com/protective_app ... acket.html" target="_blank

The teknic one is a definite alternative

Yep, I got the alter ego, go to actions parra, they have them for $69, if they have any left.

[Strika]

Im doing a bit of a ride around the european alps in June next year
and i've been looking for a jacket that will handle all sorts of weather.

I've been looking at the Joe Rocket Alter Ego 2
http://www.newenough.com/protective_app ... acket.html" target="_blank

The teknic one is a definite alternative

I also own an Alter Ego jacket. It is a great jacket, but it has a few limitations I have discovered. 1.The arm vent zippers leak cold air in winter and eventually leak water. 2. The wrist cuffs are not long or strong enough to go over the winter gloves in wet weather. 3. It does not retain the heat that well and during winter this year I switched to a warmer jacket. 4. On hot days, because the waterproofing is in the jacket, it sticks to your skin and you sweat like a dog shitting razor blades!

This is the reason I have been looking for an alternative, and the reason I went for a seperate waterproof liner, or in this case an outer jacket!

[MickLC]

Considering how much my DriRider Summit 2 totally pisses me off with it's complete lack of waterproofness (in fact it's designed to funnel water into your gloves, never mind leaking at the front ) I'm very interested to see how this design copes with a really good long ride in steady rain....keep us posted mate

[Strika]

Considering how much my DriRider Summit 2 totally pisses me off with it's complete lack of waterproofness (in fact it's designed to funnel water into your gloves, never mind leaking at the front ) I'm very interested to see how this design copes with a really good long ride in steady rain....keep us posted mate

Which way do you put your gloves in the rain Mick?? Inside our outside the jacket?

[MickLC]

Inside, but with the Summit 2 I have to make sure they are a long way up under the sleeve because the liner ends about an inch or two short of the start of the cuff. If I wear it with the thermal liner in it will still soak up the arm and still make your sleeve wet...did I mention how much I hate this jacket?

[SoundGuy]

[/quote]

I also own an Alter Ego jacket. It is a great jacket, but it has a few limitations I have discovered. 1.The arm vent zippers leak cold air in winter and eventually leak water. 2. The wrist cuffs are not long or strong enough to go over the winter gloves in wet weather. 3. It does not retain the heat that well and during winter this year I switched to a warmer jacket. 4. On hot days, because the waterproofing is in the jacket, it sticks to your skin and you sweat like a dog shitting razor blades!

This is the reason I have been looking for an alternative, and the reason I went for a seperate waterproof liner, or in this case an outer jacket![/quote]

Thanks for the tip Hoffy..

I wonder if the Alter Ego 2 is any better, or if it has the same limitations.
I was thinking of getting that and the matching pants for my trip