The New Super Shirt From Adventure Spec

Photo: Adventure Spec

Unless you happened to find the perfect jacket your first time riding, you’re probably always low-key gear shopping. I know I am. I have a closet full of gear, but still don’t own the perfect jacket for all-weather riding. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t exist.

The Super Shirt from Adventure Spec might help us all get a little closer, though. This thin, armored, abrasion-resistant base layer looks like it might be a great addition to a rider’s wardrobe. For all those times you don’t want to look like you’ve just stepped off a motorcycle, or maybe you’re taking your first step into wearing armored riding gear?

While the marketing for the shirt smacks a bit disingenuous, it looks like a useful piece of kit. The video shows an Adventure Spec spokesperson (Greg Villalobos) discussing the current state of riding gear. He says you have two choices: wear all the heavy, hot gear and be restricted from the “freedom” of a motorcycle ride, or wear a t-shirt and jeans to feel that “freedom” but be totally unprotected.

Uh—armored mesh motorcycle gear exists. So, too, does good high-count denier textile gear with great venting. I wear gear when I ride but never once thought the gear was restricting my “freedom.” Most of the time (and I’ll admit it takes practice), I’m geared up correctly for the weather and I’m perfectly comfortable, not feeling “severely restricted.”

That all said, there is a place for every innovation in protective gear for motorcyclists. This Super Shirt is one more in an ever-expanding array of options for the modern motorcyclist. Yes, designs like this already exist (see the Icon Field Armor for example). Competition and variety are to our advantage.

The shirt itself is made from Ultra High Density Polyethylene (UHDPE) outer-facing threads, woven together with nylon 6.6, elastane and silver ion yarns. The elastane makes everything stretchy, and the silver ion keeps you from stinking.

The Adventure Spec Super Shirt Features (Photo Courtesy Adventure Spec website)

The shirt features Forcefield Isolator Level 2 armor in the back, shoulders and elbows. The chest armor is Level 1. All of the armored “impact areas” also feature a double layer of the UHDPE fabric. Because it’s a knitted shirt, it’s breathable and washable (take the armor out first). All the seams are double-sewn. The shirts have been tested and certified to meet CE AA (that’s the second-highest) protection ranking.

The shirts are available in sizes Small through 2XL, and no bigger. From their website: “We can’t produce larger sizes due to restrictions on the width of UHDPE fabric rolls and the patterns required for constructing the shirt.” Note, they are not available in women’s sizes at all.

The shirts currently retail for $349 USD, which is about on par with what you’d expect to spend on a mid-range motorcycle jacket. Is its functionality worth it? Only you can do that math.