Joe Rocket Riding Jacket Big Bang

If you aren't familiar with the Joe Rocket line of products then the name of this riding jacket might not make sense to you but if you are familiar with Joe Rocket then you know that Big Bang is pretty appropriate. Joe Rocket is a company that doesn't pretend to be anything that its not and they offer some kickass gear for motorcycle riders.

Considering that most people correlate Big Bang with the creation of the Universe it might be a bit strong to name this jacket the Joe Rocket Big Bang but that's the kind of company Joe Rocket is. Brash and bold. The jacket might not be quite as good as the universe but they have succeeded in making a heck of a motorcycle riding jacket.

The Joe Rocket Big Bang is a textile jacket and it fit very well. I am personally more of a leather guy but living in Georgia that just isn't a reality in the dog days of summer so a good textile jacket is a necessity in the hot weather climates. Once we cinched ourselves into the jacket and snapped down the sleeve adjusters we were ready to hit the road. The jacket has a very lightweight feel to it and was pretty comfortable.

Some textile jackets can be a bit breezy on a cool summer night but that isn't the case with this jacket, once you zip it tight and close the built in vents, it provides a pretty solid barrier to that chilling night air. Open the vents back up and you can get a nice flow of cooling air to keep you cool when the mercury turns hot.

I was a bit skeptical of the included body armor at first because it feels so light but the CE rated shoulder and elbow armor will be strong enough to protect you adequately in a the event that you should need it. I wish I had the ability to actually "crash" test these kinds of products but that simply isn't feasible. For now we need to have faith in the CE rating of the armor and try not to crash.

I was pretty impressed with the Joe Rocket Big Bang Jacket as a whole but I will say that the black design and the brutal summer temperatures here in Georgia made the jacket a bit hotter than what I would prefer but that isn't really the jacket's fault. I haven't had a jacket yet that could compete with an Air Conditioner and in Georgia the "cooling" air only gets so cool. 100 plus degree temps can be the norm in the summer time. I have had the opportunity to ride with the Joe Rocket Big Bang on chilly spring night and once you zip up the vents and cinch the jacket down it provides a comfortable ride and it looks great too. Bonus.

I like the dark coloring of the jacket but rest assured that the white lettering and the Joe Rocket patches and stripes will stand out for visibility and the stripe is a reflective design as is the Rocket lettering so you will stand out in the glare of oncoming headlights. A comforting safety feature as you can never have too much visibility and let's not kid ourselves, it looks cool at night too.

The fit and finish of the Joe Rocket Big Bang jacket was very good. I always judge the quality of a jacket by the way it zips open and closed. A quality jacket will use a quality zipper that doesn't snag and feels very solid and strong. The Big Bang jacket is equipped with a rear zipper as well so you can pair it up with the matching pants if you see fit.

The Joe Rocket Big Bang retails in the 180-200 dollar range so it isn't one of the cheapest jackets on the market but the quality is there so I would consider the Joe Rocket jacket to be a solid pick if you are looking for a textile riding jacket and you fit in a S to a 3XL. I would recommend a Joe Rocket riding jacket to anyone looking for a quality piece for a reasonable amount of money for what you are paying for. Find yourself a great deal today.