This is the Merlin Mahala D3O Raid Jacket, it was developed by the Britsh company for people who plan to ride their motorcycles in some of the world’s hotter regions – be it the Sahara or Death Valley or somewhere tropical, like the Darien Gap.
It’s long been a challenge for motorcyclists to find jackets suitable for use when the mercury climbs.
Good protection typically involves covering as much skin as possible with abrasion and puncture resistant materials like leather, Kevlar, or Cordura – but this can result in feeling like you’re being slow roasted from the inside out.
The two commonly accepted solutions to this is to either add airflow pockets front and back that can be zipped open or closed for air as your cooling needs change, or the more thorough solution which is to add large mesh panels front and back for maximum flow.
The jacket comes in Black, Black/Olive, and Black/Sand colorways, the front and rear mesh panels are black on all three designs, allowing you to see how large they are.
The design of the Merlin Mahala D3O Raid Jacket uses that second option, it has large mesh panels on the upper and lower chest, on the arms, and at the rear for cooling combined with a Cordura cotton outer shell with a DWR water-repellent treatment.
Inside you’ll find a breathable and moisture wicking mesh lining, D3O Level 1 shoulder and elbow protectors, a D3O Viper stealth back protector, and a jacket-to-pants connecting zipper for added safety.
For storage there are two large front cargo waterproof pockets and a large rear cargo pocket, coupled with internal storage pockets. The jacket uses YKK zippers throughout and it has bicep, forearm, cuff, waist, and hem adjustment points to ensure a neatly tailored fit.
Sizing ranges from SM up to 4XL, there’s a sizing chart on the store page to help you get the right fit, and you can choose from either the Black, Black/Olive, or Black/Sand colorways – we’ve shown the Black option here.
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