Rukka Explore-R 2.0 jacket in black

The Rukka Explore-R 2.0 is an updated version of a suit that went by the same name. Rukka had to update it because Gore has replaced the laminated fabric with a new one that is more environmentally friendly. And so Rukka too the opportunity to give both the jacket and the pant a bit of a facelift.

 

The Explore-R 2.0, in truth, is more of a touring and commuting suit than an adventure one. It's like Rukka's Hybrid-R, but with better venting and a more colourful look. Despite its excellent venting, the Explore-R 2.0 is still better suited, however, to the cold and the wet than to the hot and the dry.

 

It will, I suspect, appeal to riders of big, adventure bikes like the BMW GS. The suit shouts 'adventure' in exactly the same way that bikes like the GS do. And, as you could with a GS, you could cross a desert wearing an Explore-R; but neither would necessarily be the best tool for the job!

 

The chassis of the jacket is what used to be called a Pro Shell laminated one; I believe this is now known simply as Pro laminated material. It's a 3-layer construction. That's the most robust of Gore’s construction. It makes for a garment that is more durable than a two-layer one. It is a bit heavier and stiffer than a two-layer one. And for reasons too complicated for me to understand a 3-layer membrane is also more breathable than a two-layer one.

 

But the essentials are the same. A laminated garment will never 'wet out'. It will not absorb the rain, because the membrane is bonded onto the back of the outer fabric. Because a laminated jacket will not wet out, in heavy rain the rider will stay a bit warmer. And after many hours in the rain, a laminated jacket will dry out much faster than a drop-liner one, where the membrane hangs independently behind the protective outer shell.

 

That membrane in the Explore-R 2.0 is a Gore-Tex one; and that means a couple of things. 

 

First, it means the highest level of waterproofing (28,000 mm) and the highest level of breathability (25,000 g/m2 per hr). And that's pretty much as good as it gets.

 

More importantly, perhaps, Gore guarantees its membranes for life. If the membrane on a Gore-Tex product leaks, Gore will replace the product. And they will do that in 15 months' time or in 15 years. And it's a warranty that stands up. 

 

And this is a particularly important consideration with garments with laminated membranes, and that's because laminated membranes are prone to failure. Or rather the taping on the seams is. Even a Gore-Tex laminated membrane can fail but, if it does, it's no big deal because Gore will simply replace the garment.

 

When it comes to protection, Rukka in many ways is in a league of its own. The jacket is AA rated under EN17092. Now some people think that the CE rating, (A, AA or AAA),  is an indicator of a garment's protective qualities, but actually it's no more than a simple abrasion and tear resistance test. But whilst not irrelevant, the abrasion resistance of a garment's outer shell forms a minor part of the protection equation. Far more important in the majority of accidents is the armour. 

 

And here Rukka comes to the fore. Its bespoke, Level 2, D3O armour is larger than anybody else's. It is huge. The jacket  comes with a super-long, Level 2 back protector and a two-part chest protector that, likewise, is Level 2. Let me assure you; if after coming off the bike you come to an abrupt halt, for whatever reason, it's a Rukka jacket you want to be wearing.

 

Now, having suggested that a 3-layer, laminated fabric doesn't make for the most comfortable of jackets, to counter this Rukka has incorporated lots of stretch material into the Explore-R 2.0's chassis. It's in the shoulders, across the chest, underneath and down the arms and in the waist. This doesn't imbue the suit with Klim Marrakesh levels of comfort, especially as one has to take into consideration the seven pieces of Level 2 D3O, but a bit of extra stretch can never do any harm.

 

Venting is one of the Explore-R's strong suits. You get two large vents on the chest with flaps that can be pinned back even when you're on the moving, using Fidlock magnetic clasps. You get Rukka's standard vents up the flanks, vents in the shoulders, incoming and outgoing vents on the arms and a long, zipped vent across the shoulders.

 

That makes for a fair amount of venting, but it doesn't matter how many vents you get on a laminated jacket, it's still going to fall well short of a jacket with no membrane. Some people will suggest that the vents on a laminated jacket are more effective than the vents on a drop-liner one because they offer what is known as direct-to-body venting, with no membrane to impede the flow of air. But direct-to-body venting is a bit of a myth in that it ignores the fact that a laminated membrane stops any air passing through the rest of the jacket's outer fabric, as it can do on a drop-liner jacket. And that air passing through the jacket provides a cooling effect you don’t get on a laminated jacket.

 

As you might expect of a so-called adventure jacket, the Explore-R is replete with pockets. There are two on the outside; there's another one inside the jacket. Consider none of them to be more than water resistant. There's a pocket on the lower part of the back of the jacket. It's a mesh pocket for drying stuff out. There's another small one at the bottom of the left sleeve for a credit or identity card.

 

Adjustability is another big thing on the Explore-R. In styling terms, obviously, the Explore-R is very much in the mould of a classic, adventure jacket. And so it sits a little longer in the body. With longer jackets it's important to be able to cinch the jacket in at the waist. And so, thankfully, you get robust, adjuster straps on both sides. They will do the job very effectively; but they would be even more effective, and much more comfortable, if they were elasticated! You get volume adjusters on the biceps. Velcro flaps on the hem. And zips and Velcro flaps at the ends of the sleeves. 

 

Talking of the sleeves, the Explore-R comes with Gore-Tex cuffs. Now these are really useful in heavy rain, but the fact that the Explore-r is equipped with them is another sure indicator that this is no adventure jacket, GTX cuffs make it impossible for cool air to flow up the sleeves!

 

The rest is really just detail. So we're talking about a removable, Gore-Tex, storm collar. Neoprene lining the collar. A two-way zip to allow the jacket to splay a little when sat on the bike. A full-length, connecting zip. A crotch strap. 3M reflective highlighting that includes the large 'R' on the back of the jacket. And loops that are designed to house the tube from a 1.5 litre, drinking bladder.

 

But in the case of the latter what you have to understand is that this is a design detail that is incorporated to create the impression that this is a jacket you could wear when you're crossing the Sahara. One might even suggest that it's a little cynical, although lots of brands perpetrate the same kind of little deceits!