Firstgear Timbuktu Jacket

FIRSTGEAR TIMBUKTU JACKET

CW EVALUATION

Double-duty dual-purpose gear

ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS FACING dual-purpose riders is how to maintain a comfortable body temperature throughout a ride. A typical dual-purpose adventure could see a rider enduring climatic extremes as the route runs from cities to mountains to deserts.

The layers of clothing that are necessary to keep a rider warm on an early-morning blast down a stretch of highway will quickly cause him to overheat on a dirt trail. On the other hand, dressing lightly enough for the off-road sections could result in a very cold highway ride.

Intersport Fashions West (333 S. Anita Dr., Suite 1025, Orange, CA 92668; 714/978-7718) has addressed this dilemma with its Firstgear Timbuktu Adventure Jacket. Primarily designed for dual-purpose riders, certain features of the Timbuktu-a removable thermal liner, zippered vents, removable body armor and high-visibility reflective stripesmake it a suitable jacket for the street-only rider, too.

When maximum warmth is desired, the Timbuktu’s snap-in, aluminized mylar thermal liner, velcro-adjustable cuffs, padded collar and snap-down front storm flap keep the rider’s body

heat in and the cold wind out. Additional protection from wind intrusion is handled by a dropped tail, an elastic waist and a novel crotch strap.

When the riding heats up, the Timbuktu’s liner can be quickly removed and stored in the jacket’s tail pouch. Additional cooling is available by opening a large zippered sleeve vent on the front of each arm, as well as a zippered vent at the shoulder.

Another aid to body cooling is the consumption of water. When wearing the Timbuktu, you won’t need to break stride to wet your whistle. The Timbuktu is equipped

with a Bota-Bladder drinking system that lets you drink while riding. A vinyl bladder located in an interior chest pocket holds 20 ounces of liquid. A vinyl drinking tube, fitted with a plastic plunger valve, exits the jacket through a steel-grommeted hole just below the jacket’s neck. Biting the plastic plunger valve lets the rider suck water from the bladder.

The Timbuktu has lots of pockets, too-seven of them in all. So carrying a light snack, trail maps and survival essentials is no problem.

In the event of a fall, the Timbuktu has you covered with removable, dual-density plasti-foam armor in the shoulders, elbows and forearms. The jacket’s urethane-coated nylon shell, while offering sufficient protection for dirt riding, offers less protection against pavement rash than would a leather jacket. Encountering heavy rain while wearing the Timbuktu could be a problem, too. The jacket is

water repellent, not waterproof, which means you could get wet if it is raining hard.

The Timbuktu is available in sizes S-XL in four color combinations: gray/black, red/gray, red/white/black and gray/white/blue. Firstgear doesn’t set retail prices, but we’re told that most dealers are asking approximately $300 for a Timbuktu.

That’s quite a chunk of change for a nylon motorcycle jacket, but the Timbuktu’s host of features, quality construction, versatility and durability would be hard to duplicate for less money. Our Timbuktu has been used on the street and in the dirt for over six months without showing signs of color fading or wear, so we predict its life, discounting a disastrous fall, will be long. That, and the fact that there’s no other jacket that matches the Timbuktu’s clever design, makes its steep asking price sound a lot more reasonable. □