Rev’It Sand 2 rain suit

If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes. While somewhat of an exaggeration, riding in the Northeast requires being prepared for rapid changes in weather and temperature. Since it’s awkward packing several jackets and pants for each trip, I’ve been on a quest to discover the ultimate riding suit.

New materials have allowed an evolution in riding gear and the construction of the Sand 2 shell is more complex than most. Rev’It uses six different, carefully chosen materials to create the outer shell of the jacket and seven for the pants. The most important are the 500- and 1200-denier PWR material—made with polyamide yarn for superior abrasion/tear resistance and its high melting point—in strategic areas. The PWR material also allows air to flow through the fabric and makes the jacket and pants—sans liners—almost as comfortable as those made of nylon mesh. All elements are thoughtfully designed; the materials are strictly top-shelf and workmanship is of excellent quality. Both the jacket and the pants are comfortable and, with the liners, suitable for all but the most extreme temperatures.

The Sand 2 is more adaptable to personal preferences than most of the suits on the market. It features two specialized liners: one for rain and wind protection, and one for warmth. The jacket is prepped for an optional cooling vest, back protector, high-visibility vest, and both the Leatt and Moveo neck-brace systems. Numerous cinch straps and snaps allow for a semi-custom fit of the body, sleeves, and cuffs. Six zippered and one Velcro-secured mesh-covered vents provide airflow. The jacket has two hand-warmer pockets, two cargo pockets, two inside breast pockets and one large fanny pocket. The waterproof membrane and the thermal liner have zippered pockets and each is securely positioned in the shell by the use of retaining zippers and metal snaps on fabric loops. There is removable CE armor at elbows and shoulders with a perforated-foam EVA back pad.

The pants have two zippered side pockets and two cargo pockets with fold-over Velcro flaps to hold essentials. An 11″ zipper on the cuff makes fitting them over boots easy, and 9″-long cinch flaps with Velcro ensure a tight fit. Two 5″ zippered mesh-covered vents next to each cargo pocket provide airflow. The two liners are of the same type as the jacket and fasten in a similar manner. There is removable CE armor in the knees and perforated EVA foam at hips. A dual-zipper system allows the pants to be secured to the jacket for security (8″) and to the jacket’s waterproof membrane (26″) for a dry seal.

The flexibility of three-layer systems does come with a couple of downsides. Intermittent rain showers require stops to insert, and remove, the Hydratex liners. The same occurs with the thermal liners for temperature fluctuations. Three of these four liners require storage on the bike—I use the jacket fanny pocket for the removable Hydratex liner.

For the vast majority of riders in most of the country, the Rev’It Sand 2 offers every feature needed for riding comfort and safety. I appreciate the quality of the materials and craftsmanship used to construct it. The jacket’s style and customizing options are big pluses, but having to store four liners is something I could do without. It’s not the ultimate riding suit (for me), but after testing it for an entire season I must admit that I like it.

Rev’It Sand 2
Colors: black, black w/orange; silver w/red, silver w/blue, silver w/black.
Jacket sizes: S-XZL; $489.99
Pants sizes: S-XZL waist/std. length, M-XYL/short, M-XXL/long; $329.99
www.revit.eu, revzilla.com and numerous other catalog houses
Reviewed by Kenzo