This is the Merlin Shenstone jacket, it was designed by the British motorcycle gear manufacture for warm weather and summer use, and it has styling influenced by the classic waxed canvas motorcycle jackets from the early to mid-20th century.
Riding motorcycles in the summer can be a challenge, largely due to the fact that full protective gear can tend to be exceedingly hot – particularly when you’re stuck in stationary or slow moving traffic.
The Merlin Shenstone jacket has large vent panels on the chest, back, and sleeves which allow excellent airflow, to keep riders cool even when the mercury rises.
One solution to this issue is the use of venting panels on jackets and jeans, these mesh areas still provide excellent abrasion resistance in an accident, but they also allow plenty of airflow which helps keep you cool.
The Merlin Shenstone jacket is constructed from abrasion resistant Halley Stevensons 8oz Cotec Waxed Cotton, it also has large panels of mesh on the chest, back, and sleeves. Each Shenstone comes with perforated D3O LP1 armor in the shoulders and elbows, and it has an additional level 1 D3O Viper back protector.
Despite all the technology integrated into the jacket it looks like a classic waxed cotton jacket that you might have found on a motorcyclist back in the 1930s.
For those times when you get caught out by an unexpected storm the jacket also comes with a removable Reissa Active waterproof and breathable membrane, and it uses high quality YKK zips throughout.
Merlin offer the jacket in sizes ranging from S to XXL and there’s a sizing chart on the store front to ensure you get the right fit first time. The jacket retails for £229.99 which works out to approximately $276 USD.
Images courtesy of Merlin + Urban Rider
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
