Adaptiv Technologies Glow Rider Jacket

[LittleJon]

Sacramento Mike offered up certificates for half off of the Glow Rider jacket from Adaptiv Technologies. I was looking for a Hi-Viz jacket so I jumped at the opportunity to pick one up for $150 instead of $300.

I tried to do my research. I read reviews. I read through the Adaptiv Technologies website. $150 isn't a lot of money to spend on gear, but it is enough to think twice about dropping.

The claim to fame on this jacket is that it lights up. There is a strip on each shoulder, and one across the back that light up a soft blue when you turn it on, in an effort to improve visibility.

I ordered my jacket over the phone. The gentleman that took my order was very helpful. He double checked my size choice, informing me that the jackets do tend to run small. I had read that in the reviews, and had sized accordingly. I am 6'1", 175 lbs. I typically fall somewhere on the high side of medium, the low side of large, and the sleeves usually fall a little short. I decided to go with Large.

I believe I ordered my jacket on Thursday afternoon. I paid a little extra for shipping, $26 instead of $14 with the hopes I would receive it in time to leave for NERDS the following Wednesday. I received it Tuesday.

The purchase process was very smooth. Great company to deal with.

Out of the box... the jacket is heavy. Not a huge deal, but definitely the heaviest jacket I've ever worn. It claims to be waterproof, and it felt very well made.

The lights lit up. Good reflective striping. The liner is a little thin, but I was taking it out anyway. It was a little snug, but not so much that I should have gone with XL

It has a vent on both arms, both... breasts, and 3 on the back.

Over the next 5 days, I put over 1300 miles on the jacket (and this is the only community that I know that that statistic is not very impressive). Temps ranged from high sixties to mid eighties. The jacket vents very well, especially if you don't zip all the way up to the chin. It has velco closures at the neck and wrists. The neck was a little snug.

Running home Sunday, we rode through 2 hours of rain. It varied from light showers to heavy showers. I got wet. Not soaked, but wet. But I really can't fault the jacket. I was riding with MadMudder, and he stayed dry in his Klim gear, but I wasn't expecting to get the same result from a much less expensive jacket. And after 2 hours in the rain? C'mon. You're gonna get wet.

The lights? I forgot to turn them on.

All in all, I'm satisfied with it. It will be a very nice jacket for running in the fall and spring, and with the liner, probably into winter as well.

Would I buy it again? For $150... probably. For $300... probably not.

If there's any questions, ask them. I'll answer them if I can.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

 

[ionbeam]

The pixs are clickable links to the site.

 

[LittleJon]

Thank you, sir.

 

[SacramentoMike]

Glad to see your review, John. My first question is, how do you like the lighting feature? I see you didn't use it in the rain, but you must have gone into a dark room and looked in the mirror or something. Do you think it increased your visibility by enough to be valuable? Did any other riders behind you offer any input?

Second question, about the rain and "waterproof-ness" of this thing. Did the jacket soak through, or admit water at certain places? Did it keep you dry for the first hour or whatever and then start to get you wet?

And did you get the hi-viz or black one? Would you stay with the same choice now? Thanks.

 

[LittleJon]

I do like the lighting feature, but I'm not 100% sold on it's effectiveness. It is a soft blue. Any added visibility is a plus, but personally, I think the reflective striping would be visible from farther away with headlights coming at you. And if I had to choose, I'd pick the reflective bag stickers from RTI as being a more visible (and relatively cheap) add on.

The jacket didn't soak through. There are fleece cuffs on the wrists and neck, which wicked in water, and there was moisture inside the back of the jacket. I don't know where it came in. It may have wicked through the fabric where it was tightest on my body. The internal layer of the jacket feels almost like a thick tent material. Some tents will keep the water out unless you're in contact with the inside wall, and the water will seep through. I think it was kind of like that.

Also, forgot to mention, I had to wear a long sleeve shirt with this jacket. I rode for a while with a short sleeve, and it was just uncomfortable on my arms. (That part is 100% subjective, I know.)

I went with the Hi-Viz. Personal preference. I would stick with choice.

 

[SacramentoMike]

Thanks, John. One of the reviews I read did say that the lighted strips are most useful in off-line situations, like a car approaching from the side when you're stopped at an intersection, and the headlights aren't directly aimed at the jacket.

Something else you made me think about is that those black reflective RTI bag stickers don't do much of anything in daylight. I like them and I've had them on all 3 FJRs, but when I got the '14 I ordered the red ones, just to match the bike (which they do very nicely). But the bigger benefit, I've decided, is they add daytime conspicuity. When you see a bike with the rider wearing a black jacket, black helmet, black bags (with or without black stickers), maybe a black top case, there's not much to visually jump out from behind. I'd put them on any color FJR.

Back on topic, one thing I liked about these jackets is that the lighting--and the reflective strip--is high enough to show from behind over a tail bag.