Badlands Pro Jacket

A word of caution: as a retired USAF Pararescuman and a Paramedic Firefighter, I've seen all kinds of trauma. Your emergency beacon should not be carried on your shoulder. If you injure your opposite arm, shoulder or ribs you can't get to it. This is why we military folks carry tourniquets near the middle of our chest. Also, the shoulder pocket is right below the shoulder pad and very exposed to impact. Please - carry it in one of the outer chest pockets instead.

Just got my Badlands today and was blown away. Got the new sage with high biz and it really is a work of art. The colors are really fantastic. I spent some time really going through every feature and I’m truly impressed. Every seam is perfect, every stitch exact. The features and materials are extraordinary. I put it on and went for a ride on a cold day and it felt great. It’s heavy to pick up but when you put it on the weight vanishes. I’m planning a two month ride through all sorts of weather and this will by my second skin and shelter for the whole journey so I wanted something I could live in through every kind of condition from burning deserts to rainy and cold mountain passes. I looked at every kind of jacket I could find, watched and read every review I could find and all roads lead back to the Badlands. I honestly think it’s the best motorcycle jacket in production anywhere.

Rode this weekend and it was 40 degrees when I left and dipped down into the 30's several times along the ride. I had a tshirt and a light sweater under the Badlands jacket and I was pretty good. The front of my arms were chilled eventually and a bit on my chest. What I learned is that the jacket keeps out the cold, but the surface of the jacket will be very cold. The key is to wear something under the jacket that creates some space between you and the wind. I'm thinking I'll buy a packable down vest or jacket to keep in the panniers for cold snaps. My last jacket had a zip in liner and after having both (zip in liner as in most jackets and the Badlands without the liner), I think I have to agree with Klim. The liner, while warm, means you're packing another garment that can ONLY be worn with the outer jacket. I'm planning a two month ride and every garment counts.