Joe Rocket: love or hate it

I've watched Joe Rocket products since they arrived on the American
scene c. 1999. Some clever person or consortium found the financial
backing, identified a market need (low-cost, medium quality, catchy
styles), found a manufacturer, and filled the bill. I'd like to read
the business case-study.

Anyway, I own two pieces. Both are decent: one a summer jacket, the
other semi-waterproof pants. Both were relatively inexpensive. On
inspection, neither use the highest-quality components or stitching,
but there's that "low cost" thing again.

The "waterproof" pants really aren't, but hold up well enough about
20-30 minutes in moderate rain. That's almost to be expected, though
one would hope for better. In pants, I tolerate a little leaking.
Jacket, no way: bought an Aerostich instead which does not leak, as in
"ever."

I've witnessed a couple guys drill in wearing JR gear, plus heard
anecdotes. Every crash scenario is different, making direct
comparisons difficult and subjective. The ones I witnessed flew off,
slid a short distance, and exited the road into ditches or dirt. Both
guys did well: the light armor and synthetic abrasion resistance held
up quite well indeed.

On the other hand, guys who crashed on pavement and slid sometimes
suffered garment failure. Chalk it up to either the brand or textile
jackets in general: all things being equal, they won't abrade as well
as leather. That's the trade-off we sometimes make to ride in hot or
rainy weather, neither condition conducive to leathers.

My inexpensive JR pants date from early Y2K. Today I wore them on my
first rainy commute day in roughly four months. Not much to write
home to mom about, but oddly enough they just keep going and going:
reasonably comfortable, well-tailored, and moderately robust. I've
not lost a zipper or major seam, with roughly 40 riding days per year
wearing them. As mentioned, they hold up awhile under driving rain,
then soak through in a few spots. For serious distance, that'd be a
problem but for my commute I'm not particularly perturbed: I keep dry
clothes at work or in a garment carrier in the hard bag.

Not a bad $100 for textile pants.

Guess you pays your money and takes your chances. They ain't
Aerostich, but then again no one claimed they were.

'-----------------------------------------------------
' Daniel Bannon
' NW WA State, U.S.A.
' 2003 ZX636B Hercusaki, 1999 CBR1100XX
'-----------------------------------------------------

Agreed.

I have the ballistic 2.0 pant, which I only wear in the winter, but that's
2-3 (short) rides per weekday for 5-6 months, so I've taken them on and off
hundreds of times. (I wear them every day because it's cold, even though
only rainy occasionally.) Held up well so far, but they came with a funny
defect, which is the webbed belt is far too short (hardly makes it to the
nylon loop it's supposed to fold around). No leaks so far, but then again
my rides are short. Can't stand to wear them in the summer, no
breatheability and padded (insulated) hips.

The Phoenix jacket I unfortunately crashed in this summer. A lowside on
blacktop, at only maybe 20. It did a good job with little damage, whereas
my Dockers were rather shredded, so I feel the mesh jobbies are definitely
better than nothing.

My FirstGear Kilimanjaro has also served well for almost 3 years now, 2 of
them daily year-round use from high 20s to low 100s (not comfortable at
either end of the temperature spectrum though!) And I bought it used.

I just don't think leather is a good material for daily, all-season,
around-town motorcycling. I plan to stick with nylon.