Oympia AST jacket review

twowheels · #1 10-17-2009, 12:37 PM

I bought this in July 2009 to replace an old jacket and I have to say this is the best, and most versatile jacket I've owned. I originally bought the Joe Rocket Ballistic 7 jacket after reading the review of it on www.webbikeworld.com. While it was not bad, the shoulder armor was a bit loose on me and the next size down was too small. I ended up exchanging it for the Olympia AST after checking out the Scorpion Commander, Tourmaster Epic and FirstGear Kilimanjaro. The Olympia jacket seemed to be of a better overall quality and design than the others and had a more precise fit (i'm 6ft/170lb). The Olympia had the best abrasion protection by a large margin. It uses 2000D Cordura on the wear spots and 500D Cordura in rest of the body, so it should be as protective as leather. Has CE armor in the back, shoulders and elbows which doesn't move around. The jacket has a built in breathable waterproof membrane on the underside of the shell and 6 vents with waterproof zippers. I've ridden in heavy rain for several hours with it with no leaks although the top of the sleeve vent zippers seem to be damp to the touch after a half hour in the heavy rain, you don't notice it with the insulation liner in, not really an issue to me. In some reviews of this jacket I've read about complaints with the adjustably of the neoprene collar but I've not had any issues, it keeps out the rain and can be adjusted for a neck wind blocker.

In summer, the ventilation on this jacket is so good I can be comfortable up to 80-90F - as long as I'm moving to generate the necessary airflow through the vents. Mesh is still more comfortable for hot weather stop and go riding in traffic, albeit with a lot less protection than the AST. There are two vertical exhaust vents in the back, two chest vents with straps, and two full length sleeve vents. Lately I've been comfortable, with the insulated liner, with just a T shirt down to 40F and with a sweater underneath down to 28F. The extra length of a 3/4 length jacket is handy in the rain and cold to eliminate drafts up the back and water down the waist of pants. Highly recommend this jacket for anyone looking for a touring, commuting or all around jacket.

cuff · #2 10-17-2009, 05:14 PM

I love mine, can't say enough good about it. I've had the High Vis green for a couple of years now and it's still water tight.

Red Herring · #3 10-17-2009, 11:02 PM

Thanks fellas. I have been thinking of picking up the hi-vis AST this fall, and I think you have just helped with the decision.

contractor · #4 10-19-2009, 08:39 PM

Hey 2wheels, showed my wife the pic you attached, so's I could maybe have her get me one for Christmas and all she says is " Ooooo, those V guys are soooo Handsome"...

Hope she remembers the jacket

twowheels · #5 10-29-2009, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by contractor

Hey 2wheels, showed my wife the pic you attached, so's I could maybe have her get me one for Christmas and all she says is " Ooooo, those V guys are soooo Handsome"...

Hope she remembers the jacket

Thats not me, its the, most likely gay, model/hair stylist they hired for the photoshoot.

Give her the links below...
http://www.olympiamotosports.com/ast_mens/ast_mens.htm
http://www.revzilla.com/product/olympia-ast-jacket

drsaunders4837 · #6 10-29-2009, 10:10 AM

Twowheels--

You shouldn't have burst Contractor's wife's dream bubble about V riders.

At you least you gave her a few more views of the model. I hope Contractor gets the jacket!

BlackHammer · #7 11-07-2009, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drsaunders4837

Twowheels--

You shouldn't have burst Contractor's wife's dream bubble about V riders.

At you least you gave her a few more views of the model. I hope Contractor gets the jacket!

"Honey , come to bed ........no, no , leave the jacket on ....."

contractor · #8 11-07-2009, 09:04 PM

Yeah, really guys, I need all the help i can get these

VeeWNC · #9 12-26-2009, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twowheels

Thats not me, its the, most likely gay, model/hair stylist they hired for the photoshoot.

Give her the links below...
http://www.olympiamotosports.com/ast_mens/ast_mens.htm
http://www.revzilla.com/product/olympia-ast-jacket

Way too much 'top hair' for us suave Versys types...

Red Herring · #10 12-27-2009, 10:55 AM

I've had an AST in Hi-Vis for 2 months now, and i really like it!

So far it's totally water proof and warm.

Looks like I will be able to wear it well into spring/summer as it has so much ventilation.

Fit is great... of course results will vary, but it cinches up much more nicely than my Joe Rocket.

The Hi-Vis is awesome. I now notice cagers looking AT ME, not just down the road as they are contemplating a turn.

Two thumbs up from this daily PNW (PSW in Canada

) commuter.

njd · #11 10-04-2010, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cuff

I love mine, can't say enough good about it. I've had the High Vis green for a couple of years now and it's still water tight.

Looks yellow to me

rumbo75 · #12 10-04-2010, 08:07 PM

Seems like a really nice jacket. How heavy is it? Does it have a lot of freedom of movement?

I was at my local bmw dealer last saturday and checked out the olimpia x moto jacket. Really nice jacket but very expensive and very very heavy. I could hardly move in it. In fact, several of the jackets I tried on I had a hard time moving in them. Difficult to put on and zipper up. My favorite was the tourmaster rincon that they have. Very comfortable and pretty light. Although, I want to check out the tourmaster transition before deciding.

cuff · #13 10-04-2010, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by njd

Looks yellow to me

Everything is Kawi green to me.

twowheels · #14 10-28-2012, 05:32 PM

Wanted to update this old review with a recent unplanned crash test of this jacket. This product is now in version 2, the reviewed version is version 1. Slide was ~30-50ft (from 40mph/65kph) with my left arm tucked under me against my chest, sliding on it. No real wear to the jacket except the 2000D Cordura patch on the back of the left elbow and forearm. Guess this is where most of my body weight and friction was. This wore through however the armor underneath held fast. Pavement did not touch skin.

Tigerpawed · #15 10-28-2012, 08:31 PM

Awesome! I like the Toxic color, really gets the cager's attention. $199 now at Revzilla: http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/o...glide-3-jacket

dmason · #16 10-29-2012, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twowheels

Wanted to update this old review with a recent unplanned crash test of this jacket. This product is now in version 2, the reviewed version is version 1. Slide was ~30-50ft (from 40mph/65kph) with my left arm tucked under me against my chest, sliding on it. No real wear to the jacket except the 2000D Cordura patch on the back of the left elbow and forearm. Guess this is where most of my body weight and friction was. This wore through however the armor underneath held fast. Pavement did not touch skin.

Sorry to hear about your get off, glad you're ok. As you should now know, and others also need to realize, NO textile is the equivalent of leather. There is a reason EVERY racing organization and racer demands real leather for the construction of their suits.

alba · #17 10-30-2012, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmason

Sorry to hear about your get off, glad you're ok. As you should now know, and others also need to realize, NO textile is the equivalent of leather. There is a reason EVERY racing organization and racer demands real leather for the construction of their suits.

And most racers spend significantly more than $300 on their leathers. I'm not as sure a $300 leather jacket will get you better protection than a $300 textile jacket, but then I'm surprised and disappointed the Olympia wore through at 40mph/30ft. I hope my $400 RevIt stuff holds up better than that. Maybe it's time to get those leathers I've been wanting....

dmason · #18 10-30-2012, 08:22 PM

It's certainly difficult to compare $300 in textile to $300 in leather unless we know exactly which products we're talking about. My concern with most products is not the ballistic material itself but the SEAMS. I've seen seam failure on $230 high quality race gloves for no reason! Even so, quality products generally have quality seam design, and the price usually reflects it.

That said, if I had to choose between 2000 denier Cordura and 1.3mm Brazilian cowhide (the standard in 90% of the race suits out there, one can easily find better as well as worse alternatives) I am going to put my money on the cowhide 100% of the time for better wear-through resistance.

Now with THAT said, I wear an Olympia AST jacket and Ranger 3 pants for the street and an RS Taichi GP-X S207 race suit of 1.3mm Brazilian cowhide for the track!

We obviously make some sacrifices on safety for convenience and comfort, we just need to be AWARE that we are making some sacrifices and therefore make informed decisions.

dmason · #19 10-30-2012, 08:27 PM

This statement by the OP is what prompted my remarks: "The Olympia had the best abrasion protection by a large margin. It uses 2000D Cordura on the wear spots and 500D Cordura in rest of the body, so it should be as protective as leather."

twowheels · #20 11-03-2012, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmason

This statement by the OP is what prompted my remarks: "The Olympia had the best abrasion protection by a large margin. It uses 2000D Cordura on the wear spots and 500D Cordura in rest of the body, so it should be as protective as leather."

I was referring to the abrasion resistance chart here - http://www.motoport.com/index.php?op...our-hide-guide

I see your point though. As I understand, a lot has to do with the leather and how it is tanned. Even the best textile gear will never be able to approach leather track gear for abrasion resistance. If it is a track suit though, you can bet it uses leather thicker than 1.3mm on the common strike points.