Spidi Standard jacket in green

The starting point for the Spidi Standard jacket is the chassis, which Spidi tells us is a 3-layer 'Softcell' fabric. Now we’re not totally sure what those three layers are, but none of them is a laminated membrane. This is a drop-liner, or Z-liner, jacket; that's a jacket where the membrane sits independently but permanently inside the jacket 's outer shell.

 

But whatever the three layers are they don’t serve to cause the jacket to feel stiff. The outer fabric is super-stretchy, and makes for a motorcycle jacket that’s as comfortable as any you’ll ever wear. Additional stretch inserts add to the jacket’s somewhat cosseting nature.

 

But even though Spidi calls the fabric Softcell it's much lighter than any softshell material we’ve ever come across. Softshell jackets can be heavy, feel a touch spongy and are not always the best choice in warmer weather. Well the Standard jacket doesn’t have any of those qualities. Yes the outer is elasticated like a softshell jacket's, but it’s lightweight and feels as though it would still be nice to wear on a warm day.

 

The waterproof membrane is Spidi’s ultra reliable H2Out membrane. Spidi talk about it being the only membrane produced specifically for motorcycling. And that may well be the case; all we can say is that in working with Spidi for over 10 years, we have had next to no leaking issues on any of the waterproof Spidi jackets we have offered.

 

The jacket’s main zip is a high-quality YKK Aquaguard one. This is highly water resistant but, as ever, what stops rain getting through to the body is an internal storm flap with an integrated rain gutter.

 

You get an 80g. removable thermal liner. And this will do a job. It will insulate body heat, and help you to stay a bit warmer on a colder day. But we are not fans of the kind of cheap, removable thermal liners that most manufacturers equip their jackets with, especially when they cannot be worn off the bike as a standalone item.

 

The jacket is reasonably well equipped with pockets. You get two external water resistant pockets and one internal mesh one.

 

You get zips at the ends of the sleeves, but don’t expect to be able to open the sleeve up wide enough to take a winter glove. But most summer-waterproof gloves won’t be a problem.

 

You also get some Scotchlite reflective inserts for better nighttime visibility.

 

The jacket is A-rated for abrasion resistance. Now that might put some people off, but it shouldn’t. Remember, Rukka’s top jacket, the superlative £1400 Nivala jacket is also A-rated; and that doesn’t seem to put off a lot of professional riders, including the Police.

 

For the kind of riding that anyone is going to undertake in a jacket like this, which after all is very much urban oriented, the single-A abrasion resistance rating is more than up to the job. Especially given that abrasion resistance is far less important than the energy absorbing qualities of a jacket or pant’s armour. Sliding down the road only very rarely creates serious injuries. 

 

What can cause serious injuries is coming to an abrupt stop. And when that happens a garment’s abrasion resistance rating is virtually meaningless. What helps when you hit something is your armour; and in this regard it’s good to know that The Standard comes equipped with Level 2 armour in the elbows and shoulders. The Standard doesn’t come with a back protector, but we would recommend a Velcro-equipped Level 2 D3O one.

 

Spidi themselves describe The Standard as a technical jacket with a clean, contemporary look. And that’s not a bad description. 

 

The fact that it comes in three rather nice colours, none of which is black, supports the notion that this is a motorcycle jacket that’s not meant to look like a motorcycle jacket. Those colours, by the way, being  Olive Green, Gentian Blue and Burgundy Red.

 

In terms of who the Standard is best suited to, the net can be cast reasonably wide.

 

Bear in mind, of course, that we’re not talking high-end technicality here. At just £230, this is an entry-level jacket in anybody's book. Not that, if it meets your needs, the Standard lacks for anything.

 

If you're looking for a jacket for the occasional weekend ride out, the Spidi Standard would be more than up to the job.

 

If you had a short commute into work; say 15 to 30 minutes, again, the Standard could work fine.

 

If you are looking for an inexpensive way to get started, it would also be great.

 

We get a lot of kids from the local college who have bought a small bike to get into school ever day. For us the Standard will become our ‘go to’ for such youngsters.

 

And if you want an easy-to-wear jacket to hang in the hallway for those occasions when you want a properly protective jacket that you can just throw on when you're nipping out, then again the Standard would probably be perfect.

 

There are, I'm sure, lots of other uses for a jacket like the Standard. But if you think urban, local and casual you won’t go far wrong. Well done Spidi, we think you have given us a jacket that is both eminently wearable and practical.