Tested: Berik 2.0 Protect Jacket

With summer one us and if you are like me, your leather jacket will probably be making its way to the back of the cupboard, to be replaced by a more lightweight textile jacket. So when Berik’s new 2.0 Protect Jacket arrived for a review at the start of December I assumed it was going to be a very hot review or one I would hold off until the weather cooled.

My first impression of the jacket is that it’s not a typical full leather jacket, instead the whole front body is a two-way stretch nylon fabric that runs from the base of the jacket all the way up to the top of the shoulders – the material also runs down the inside of each arm and lower back. 

Coupled with perforated leather vents under the armpits, top of the shoulder blades and around your kidneys, all I can say is this jacket breathes like no other leather jacket I have worn before and flexes well with your body as you move.

My first week with the jacket saw every day peak with a temperature over 30 degrees and a traffic-laden jaunt into the city on a day that reached 35 degrees. Once moving, it was like I was wearing a textile jacket, there was an abundance of airflow onto my chest and also down my back. It did heat up once stationary, but what jacket doesn’t?

To also aid in cooling, the jacket comes with a 100 per cent polyester breathable internal fixed mesh lining that is soft and does not produce any scratching or irritation. It’s fitted with two internal pockets and a velcro compartment for a small back protector.

Lucky, I didn’t get to test out the crash protection, but the jacket is fitted with CE approved internal shoulder and elbow protectors. There is also hard-plastic external protectors on the shoulders and double layer leather on the elbows and shoulders. 

The sizing is true and I am the same size in this jacket as I am across such brands as Alpinestars and Dainese. There is a zipper along the forearm for ease of access and also a wrist cuff to hold the sleeves down and in place. 

There are two velcro tightening belts at the base of the jacket to facilitate a snug fit around your core. The jacket will connect to pants as there is an around-waist connection zipper, that when not in use has a piece of fabric zipped to it to ensure the zipper doesn’t bug you.  

There are two colours to choose from, black and yellow (test jacket) or black and white. Sizing ranges from extra-small all the way to four-times extra-large and is priced at $599.95 recommended retail price. 

If you are looking for a summer jacket, but are sold on leather, then the Berik 2.0 Protect Jacket is well worth a look. It breathes and moves as if it is a textile jacket, but gives you the protection and confidence of a full leather jacket.

Go to www.ficeda.com.au for more information.