Tour Master - Saber Series Jacket

[Scab]

I am looking at a Tour Master Saber Series Jacket for the cooler weather. The jacket can be seen HERE. The price is a consideration. Anyone have any experiences with this jacket?

 

[steelhead]

It looks similar to this one I found on ebay and researched a bit.

https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Teknic-Siro...emZ190144680745

The Teknic got real good reviews also. May be another option at that price.

 

[Bob Hughes]

I am looking at a Tour Master Saber Series Jacket for the cooler weather. The jacket can be seen HERE. The price is a consideration. Anyone have any experiences with this jacket?

I wear this jacket and absolutely love it. I will never go back to a waist cut in the winter. It's warm with the liner in too.

 

[Scab]

Thanks, Bob. I'm gonna order one.

 

[jwilly]

Thanks, Bob. I'm gonna order one.

Don't do it man!! Unless you spend $1300 on a "stitch" your not a real man and your taking you life in your own hands.

JW

 

[Scab]

Yeah, but...but... It's gotta be better than what I was wearing at the last crash!

 

[jwilly]

That looks like a very nice jacket for just over $100. Got me thinking....

JW

 

[TruWrecks]

I have a Tour Master Transition jacket and Flex pants. I have now worn them in mild to heavy rain, hot and cold temps, and I love them. The Saber is similar to the Transition. The protection seems to be pretty good, although I haven't crash tested them yet (nor do I want to anytime soon).

I think you'll be happy with either one. You may want to get a good rain jacket to cover the Tour Master. In really heavy rain it will begin to leak at the zippers in the arms. The flex pants have a rain liner that zips in and out.

 

[Niehart]

I agree with TruWrecks. And until today, we have had lots of rain to test our coats.I agree with TruWrecks. And until today, we have had lots of rain to test our coats.

 

[EffBee]

Yeah, but...but... It's gotta be better than what I was wearing at the last crash!

It's a jacket. It has armor. But it may not be a good jacket to have in a crash, although that can often depend on what kind of crash you have, i.e impact, slide, how long, etc.). Simply, the material is not as good as what is commonly available elsewhere for a bit more money.

Carbolex is a polyester made to look like DuPont Cordura. This is not as abrasion resistant, nor does it have as high a friction melting point as DuPont Cordura. Cordura is much more expensive and, while it was at one time available in jackets in the $200 range, it no longer is (with one exception). Carbolex has become the common material used in low-end jackets. Cordura is now used only in mid-priced jackets, the most affordable of these being the Olympia AST (All-Season Touring) which uses 500-denier Cordura with 2000-denier in the impact areas. 2000-denier is suitcase-grade Cordura. This jacket has an MSRP of $289.

Above that are materials such as Dynatek, made by Schoeller in Switzerland and used primarily by BMW in some of its gear. This has a friction melting point much higher than Cordura, breathes very well, and has excellent fade resistance. Above Dynatek is Armacor, which is essentially 1000-denier Cordura interwoven with DuPont Kevlar. High abrasion resistance with the incredible shear strength of Kevlar. Armacor is used almost exclusively by BMW in their Streetguard line and by Harley-Davidson in one of their top-of-the-line textile jackets.

The Sabre is a functional jacket. It will keep you warm, positions the armor where it needs to be, and should keep you dry. That's a lot for $100. But I wouldn't want to go down in one at the speeds I ride. Just remember that in the .04 seconds between "Oh Shit" and impact, you can't call time out and say, "I'm going home to get my good gear on before I continue." You survive, or you don't, with what you put on that morning. A couple hundred bucks looks damned cheap when viewed from the hospital bed, knowing you're going to be picking at scabs for the next 6 months.

Some jackets are better than others. Any jacket is better than none. YMMV. [/$.02]

 

[Scab]

Got the jacket in yesterday. Very nice. It seems well made. I've never had any of the more expensive jackets, so I really don't have anything to compare it to except my sale-priced Alpine Star and my Joe Rocket. Both of those are different kinds of jackets, so still no real comparison.

However, I am still impressed with the jacket. It is comfortable, sized correctly, has a comfortable collar (some don't), plenty of storage pockets, CE rated armour, and my wife thinks I look good in it.

It's a lot of jacket for one bill. A nice jacket for the fiscally challenged.

Note: If you don't mind last year's model, New Enough has those on clearance for a mere $69. Jim found this and brought it to my attention but my order had already shipped. Last years model is not quite as "sexy" as mine, but is still a couple steps above "homeless man."

 

[TheAxeman]

Note: If you don't mind last year's model, New Enough has those on clearance for a mere $69. Jim found this and brought it to my attention but my order had already shipped. Last years model is not quite as "sexy" as mine, but is still a couple steps above "homeless man."

Coincidentally my less sexy version arrived this morning from New Enough. Generally I don't need clothing to enhance my appearance the way some others do.... Pretty nice jacket for very little cash. I bought the red and black one to match the KLR. Whenever purchasing anything for that bike I have to keep in mind that it is a given that all KLR owners are cheap....not frugal.

 

[Scab]

Generally I don't need clothing to enhance my appearance the way some others do....

I definately need clothing to enhance my appearance. Nekkid tends to send women screaming.

Thank heaven my wife is visually impaired and I'm real good at hiding her glasses.

 

[leedavis]

Great find that appeals to my cheap-bastardness, WTG! I have Tour Master's mesh stuff, Intake jacket/Venture pants, and love 'em. Adding last years unsexy, but warm Sabre to the mix for 69 bucks is a no brainer so I ordered one. With all the liners attached I've ridden the Intake at 35 degrees and was comfortable but messing with the liners is a chore (great system for longer tours though). It'll be nice having a dedicated cold temp jacket at the ready.