Category: Fieldsheer

Fieldsheer Cadence Women’s Textile Jacket Review

Post author By Cameron Martel
Post date October 15, 2018

With the Albertan riding season now coming to a close, it’s time for the review of this Cadence to go live. We’ve had the Cadence in our possession since May but decided to wait until cooler weather before publishing this review. That time came and, I have to say, I’m impressed with how the Cadence has handled lower temperatures.

The Cadence is a sub-$300 textile ladies jacket, with touring style and comfort. The jacket features plenty of ventilation, considerable storage, and a removable Thermo-Guard liner that helps it weather the cool… weather… in stride.

My wife Melissa – shown here – provided her thoughts while I penned this review. The Cadence is available from a number of online outlets as well as from Fieldsheer directly.

Features

From Fieldsheer:

Rugged and Durable 600D Carbolex-HD Construction
Pre-Formed Riding Position Fit
Phoslite® Reflective Logo for Nighttime Visibility
Rainguard® Waterproof Membrane
Thermo-Guard™ Removable Full Sleeved Quilted Liner
Integrated Armadillo® CE Level 1 Armor in Shoulders and Elbows
Contoured EVA Back Pad
Micro-Fleece Padded Mandarin Collar
Two-Stage Lower Sleeve Adjusters
Adjustable Wrist Closure
Adjustable Waist Belt Straps
Zippered Hip Expanders
Heavy-Duty ESO Zippers
Two Hand Pockets
Two Chest Storage Pockets
8in Zipper Attachment for Fieldsheer Pant Integration
Belt Loop for Attachment to Pants

Aesthetics & Style

The Cadence comes in an always-exciting Khaki Green, with tan, grey, and black accents. I wouldn’t say that the Cadence is particularly exciting in terms of style, but I would say that it’s almost nondescript enough to pass as something other than a motorcycle jacket. Almost.

The front of the jacket showcases four large pockets – one at each breast, and two at the waist – and a raised collar that snaps shut, providing a decent amount of neck protection against wind and small road debris. Most of the jacket is the same flat khaki color and texture; the exception is the forearms, which are ridged and feel as though they are filled with foam.

A strap and buckle sits midway up either side of the jacket- with them, you can adjust the Cadence quite significantly, adjusting the fit by several inches (each side has 3 notches in the strap) if you want.

Each arm is accented by tan inserts and two snap-straps: one to adjust forearm width, and the other for adjusting the sleeve opening width. Just above the elbow is an arm vent, which opens and closes in a snap (pun intended).

I would have really liked to have seen some high-viz accents on the arms or shoulders, as the good heat-management properties and touring styling of the jacket make it likely that riders will wear it once the sun sets. A little bit of safety goes a long way, and the lone high-viz accent – the Fieldsheer logo stitched at the base of the neck at the rear of the jacket – doesn’t do a great job in keeping you nighttime visible.

The rear of the jacket is also quite spartan, with the Fieldsheer logo and the two vents on either side of the waist serving to break up the glorious khaki green. Branding on the Cadence is kept to a minimum.

Overall, the Cadence is a fine looking, if somewhat muted, touring jacket that most riders will find fits their styling sensibilities.

Roder Protection & Safety

The Cadence is decidedly average in terms of protection, coming equipped with CE level 1 armor in the elbows and shoulders. A foam back pad is also included, though I wouldn’t count on it to provide much more than a token amount of protection in the event of a crash or fall.

CE level 1 is a decent level of protection, but CE level 2 would’ve upped impact resistance by a fair degree and bolstered the Cadence’s safety credentials. Of course, considering the jacket is priced under $275, the use of CE level 1 makes sense. You can replace most of the level 1 armor with level 2 if you feel so inclined.

The back pad and shoulder armor can be removed easily enough, but the elbow armor is a bit trickier due to its location. You can’t pull the sleeve through the jacket easily to turn it inside out (because of the armor), so you have to access it via the openings at the wrist. It isn’t laborious to remove the armor, just a bit tricky due to limited accessibility and visibility.

Comfort

According to Melissa, the Cadence is comfortable and flows a decent amount of air through it when you’re at speed. Vents on the arms, sides, and rear of the jacket help keep you cool and all can be opened/closed via snaps. The Thermo-Guard liner is quite good at keeping you warm, reducing interior airflow to a minimum. Melissa removed it for most of the summer, only putting it back in the Cadence in September.

Ergonomics are good, as is mobility. Assuming a proper fit, you shouldn’t have any problems with mobility/flexibility. The jacket does have a slight pre-formed riding position fit, but it isn’t nearly as aggressive as the fit on the Suzuka racing jacket is- it’s just enough to keep it from crimping too much when you’re behind the bars.

Ventilation

There are three vented areas on the Cadence: just above the elbow on each arm, the upper back, and lower back (near the waist). The arm and waist vents open/close via snaps, while the back vent is always “open”. Since the back vent is tucked underneath overlapping material, it generally isn’t a concern regarding water penetration.

Waterproofing

A ventilated textile jacket is not waterproof, and the Cadence is no exception. Water resistance is good overall, but if you want something waterproof, you’ll want to consider other jackets. The Cadence will be sufficient for most riding situations, but you’ll get wet if you find yourself caught in the rain.

Closing the vents does a decent job keeping you dry, but remember these are snaps vs. zippers and don’t completely seal. Don’t go play with a hose or decide that riding in a downpour is the way to go and you’ll make it out just fine.

Other Comfort Items

You can connect the Cadence to your belt or riding pants via the rear loop. The loop is only single-stitched, though, which is surprising given the force that would be placed on this area in a fall or slide.

A few nice touches:

The collar is lined with fleece, helping keep it comfortable for periods of long riding. The fleece is soft and doesn’t irritate the skin.
You can zip/unzip sections on either side of the jacket near your hips, allowing the Cadence to adjust as needed for a more comfortable fit. This is in addition to the waist belt/buckles.
With the interior liner removed, the Cadence weighs approximately 3.5lbs- heavy enough to feel reassuring but light enough to remain comfortable on long rides.

Storage

Good news: the Cadence has pockets everywhere! Six on the front (four sealable pockets and two hand pockets), an interior zip-up pocket on the right breast, and a Velcro-sealed pocket on the interior left. They are all a decent size and each can hold keys, a wallet, and a phone.

Build Quality

Most connecting sections, as well as high-impact areas, are double-stiched. The stitching is also very cleanly done, which not only helps contribute to the feeling of polish and quality on the Cadence, but also plays a part in the overall clean-cut presentation of the jacket. The Cadence looks as good as it feels, and it’s reassuring to see that it’s made as well as it looks it like it ought to be.

The outer shell is made of Carbolex-HD, a water-resistant synthetic fabric that is made from polyester fibers. Fieldsheer claims that Carbolex-HD has been tested using ASTM standards and found to be four times stronger than other nylon fabrics and twice as strong as standard Carbolex. Fortunately, neither Melissa nor myself have had an opportunity to test this hands-on, so we’re going to take Fieldsheer’s word for it on this one.

After four solid months of use, we have found a few stray stitches, mostly around the external left breast pocket. The rest of the jacket looks relatively new despite the miles it’s seen. I have no reason to believe the jacket wouldn’t survive for the next few years of regular wear and riding.

Affordable, Comfortable, & Storage-Friendly

The Cadence is a good jacket that’s priced right. We like the ample storage available, and we like that all of these pockets – aside from two of the front pockets – can be snapped or zipped closed.

In most respects, the Cadence plays in the playground it’s competing in. Comparably priced jackets from brands like Icon, REV’IT, Tourmaster, and the like offer similar features/functionality. The main difference is that some jackets that are closer to the $300 mark include CE level 2 armor in the shoulders and elbows, whereas you’ll have to pony up some extra cash to have level 2 integrated into the Cadence. As of the time of this writing, Fieldsheer sells Armadillo CE level 2 shoulder armor of $15 and a level 2 back pad for $25. No level 2 elbow armor is offered for sale on Fieldsheer’s website.

Assuming you’re not into racing, most riders will find the Cadence properly equipped as is. Aside from lacking high-visibility sections, there’s not much to fault in the Cadence.

Disclosure: Fieldsheer provided the Cadence at no-charge to webBikeWorld for the purposes of this review.

Pros

Pockets, pockets everywhere!
Comfortable fit that is adjustable at the waist, hips, and forearms.
Interior Thermo-Guard liner does its job.
Arm and back vents flow air nicely through them.
Two-year warranty

Cons

No level 2 elbow armor available from Fieldsheer
Needs more high-visibility strips

Specs

Manufacturer: Fieldsheet
Price (When Tested): $269
Made In: Bangladesh
Alternative models/colors: None
Sizes: XS – XL, size chart here
Review Date: October 2018

The post Fieldsheer Cadence Women’s Textile Jacket Review appeared first on Web Bike World.

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Fieldsheer Suzuka Leather Jacket Review

Post author By Cameron Martel
Post date July 21, 2018

I take safety seriously and encourage ATGATT riding. From that perspective, the jacket is second only to a helmet in terms of safety and impact resistance. Having the right jacket can be the difference between bumps/bruises and skin grafts. When choosing, one should always prioritize the jacket’s ability to protect you over other factors.

This is especially true when performance riding comes into play. If you venture out on the track or windy roads and have performance on your mind, your jacket needs to keep up. This needs for type of riding prioritize abrasion resistance, but also airflow and comfort. Getting hot, sweaty, and sticky under your gear is more than just a little uncomfortable.

The Fieldsheer Suzuka I have here is an example of a sport jacket that doesn’t require many compromises. The Monaco leather is perforated in all the major areas (more on that below), and it comes with a removable Thermo-guard liner. Level 2 armor is present on the shoulders and elbows, and there is a foam backplate. The Suzuka is designed to seamlessly integrate with the matching Fieldsheer Rider pants.

Words/Photography: Cameron / Model: Bryce

Features

1.2 – 1.4mm partially-perforated Monaco cowhide leather
Phoslite® reflective panels in the arms and rear speed hump
Removable Thermo-guard liner
Integrated CE Level 2 armor in the shoulders and elbows
Thermoplastic armor on the elbows/shoulder (to complement CE L2)
Leather stretch panels underneath the arm, sides of torso, and back.
Plenty of pockets
Zipper integration with matching pants
EVA Rear aerodynamic speed hump and back protector

Looks

There’s no mistaking the Suzuka for anything other than a race jacket. Armored shoulders and a tapered waist, combined with its close overall fit, give the Suzuka an aggressive and racey look.

The back features an aerodynamic speed hump, solidifying the Suzuka’s aggressive and athletic posture. The top of the hump has perforated material, and when you’re moving along, it does a good job sucking in air and sending it down your back.

The white/black/yellow scheme is quite aggressive and badass looking; high-visibility strips are found on both arms and the sides of the front/back sections. It very much looks the part and stands right next to popular jackets in this segment, such as the Alpinestars Atem, Dainese Racing 3, and Scorpion Clutch.

Protection

When it comes to protection, my preference is leather over textiles. I prefer leather, in part because of its superior abrasion resistance, but also because of how it feels to wear. Often, textile jackets are stiff and take a long time to break in. By the third wear, the Suzuka had noticeably relaxed in the arms and felt more natural to wear.

The Suzuka is all leather – even the stretch panels on the torso, arms, and back. Integrated into the leather is CE level 2 armor in the shoulders/elbows, with reinforcing plastic armor surrounding them to supplement their protection and impact resistance.

Back protection is provided via the protective hump and removable foam backpad. Both the hump and the backpad are made of an anti shock foam material.

The thickness of the leather varies from 1. 2mm – 1.4mm, which is a good balance between weight and protection.

Comfort

The Suzuka is a comfortable jacket, though it’s more comfortable on the bike than it is off of it. The pre-formed shape of the jacket makes it a little awkward to walk around in. I find I have to leave it undone when I’m not on the bike or else my mobility is noticeably hindered.

Out riding is where the Suzuka feels at home.

Airflow

The Suzuka breathes extremely well. Hot weather riding in leather can be sweaty, but the Suzuka does a good job in keeping you cool due to the extensive use of perforated leather. Perforations run up the front sides, actual sides, shoulders, back, and arms. All sections enjoy strong airflow, especially once you’re doing 30 mph or more.

The rear speed hump is a surprisingly good air dam, drawing a strong flow that travels down your back. This effect is amplified when you’re tucked forward a bit, with air flowing over and behind the helmet.

If you live somewhere hot but want the protection and style of a leather race jacket, the Suzuka is a well-ventilated choice.

Heat Management Via the Thermo-Guard Liner

The Thermo-Guard liner is removable. It lines the entire jacket, and zips into place in the torso and snaps at the wrists. When in place, the jacket is noticably tighter. The Suzuka is much warmer with the liner in place; airflow from the perforations no longer hits the skin directly. This is great for Alberta’s arid climate, where the temperature falls a fair bit in the evening once the sun’s set.

You don’t want to wear the liner on its own, though. Some jackets come with liners that look like light rain shells, and are made to be seen. The Suzuka’s liner doesn’t look bad, but it’s definitely not something you’d wear without the rest of the jacket.

Fit

I’m 6’2” and 195lbs, with a 43” chest and 36” waist. The Suzuka size 44 fits well in the chest and shoulders; the 35” sleeve stops just shy of my hand. The fit is somewhat restrictive (the Suzuka has a “riding” shape pre-formed in it already), but when in the riding position it’s quite comfortable.

I find the jacket a little shorter than I prefer. An extra 0.5 or 0.75” would have been excellent. As-is, my shirts tend to poke out the bottom.

Straps on both sides allow you to relax or tighten the waist. Like most race jackets, it’s a tight fit. The tight fit is most noticeable in the arms and shoulders, although you’ll also notice it in the chest and back when stretching your arms. You can open the wrist area via the zipper, which improves airflow and relaxes the fit a bit.

You’d think that a tight-fitting jacket wouldn’t be too great with respect to comfort, but the Suzuka will surprise you there. The numerous stretch areas do their job, and so you can reach most things easily. You won’t be the most successful hugger, but you’ll have no problem operating your machine or navigating the walk to/from.

But it is still a race jacket, after all.

A complaint I have is that the chest zipper would sometimes unzip itself by a few inches after I reached for something. This happened more frequently when I was wearing a backpack.

Pockets a Plenty

If you’ve got stuff to carry, the Suzuka’s got a place to put it. Both the removable liner and the leather jacket proper have pockets, with 6 on the leather and 1 additional on the liner. All pockets can be sealed, most with zippers.

The left chest pocket is large enough to carry a Samsung Galaxy S9, small keyring, and a thin wallet. All the pockets are reasonably sized, affording you a fair amount of storage.

Making Connections

A full-circumference waist zipper connects to the matching Fieldsheer Rider pants, turning the pair into a complete race suit (I did not receive the Rider pants to test). If you would wear a race suit but don’t want to do so all the time, the Suzuka and Rider combination is a good choice that offers you the option to wear each individually.

Quality

Tough single-stitching is the name of the game throughout the majority of the Suzuka, with armored shoulder and elbow areas being double-stitched.

The quality of the jacket is really good. There aren’t any cut corners in terms of how it’s put together. The leather itself is soft and supple, which helps in both the feel and in actually putting it on/taking it off.

All this leather and good-manufacturing comes with a cost, though, and that’s in the weight. The Suzuka isn’t a lightweight, though it’s no Sumo either. If you’re looking for a lightweight jacket, though, I’d look elsewhere.

This Jacket’s Worth Your Interest

Fieldsheer isn’t as well known as the bigger players, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t a strong competitor. As the Suzuka demonstrates, Fieldsheer makes some pretty good stuff. In fact, we called the last Fieldsheer jacket we reviewed (the Adventure Tour) the best all-season ¾ length jacket you can buy for under $400.

Someone looking for a quality leather race jacket that has good protection, lots storage, and is suitable for three-season (or four-season if you live in the south) riding will find a lot to like in the Suzuka. I won’t go so far as to say the Suzuka is the best race jacket you can buy for $500, but it definitely plays with the big boys and is worthy of your consideration. Recommended.

Pros

Lots of storage and quality-of-life touches
Lots of armor
Well ventilated and comfortable
Made well
Leather feels soft
Two year warranty

Cons

Backpad armor could be tougher

Specs

Manufacturer: Fieldsheer
Price (When Tested): $499
Made In: Bangladesh
Alternative models & colors: Black/White/Blue, Black/White/Red, Black/White/White
Sizes: 40 – 52
Review Date: July 2018

Fieldsheer Suzuka Image Gallery

The post Fieldsheer Suzuka Leather Jacket Review appeared first on Web Bike World.

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Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Hands On Review: Sheer Joy In The Field

Post author By Rick K.
Post date June 8, 2018

Built For Northern Motorcyclists

As a born and raised Canadian whose day job consists of pulling wrenches at a diamond mine up in the sub-Arctic half the year, it’s safe to say that I’m an expert on the subject of cold weather and how to deal with it.

This Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile jacket is a fantastic tool to include in your cold weather toolbox.

When WBW was approached by a Fieldsheer representative named Ray Cruz about doing a review of their Hydro Heat Textile Jacket I took one look at it online and suspected I would love it. I was right.

I’ve been impatiently waiting in vain during our unusually cold Spring weather for a heated vest to show up from Tourmaster to review, so this was perfect timing on Ray’s part. He must have heard my teeth chattering all the way down in California while I’ve been riding around in below freezing temps, eh?

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Free shipping (with Amazon Prime)
30-day return policy
Excellent selection
Competitive pricing

Buy This Helmet on Amazon

First Impressions

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Side View On Model

When you pick it up the jacket feels heavy but not too heavy and the D600 Heavy Duty textile outer shell is smooth, soft and cool to the touch. The stitching is tight and sealed everywhere on the exterior and interior.

All the buttons and exterior zippers are rubber coated and feel very positive when you undo them or close them up. There’s a general air of classy yet rugged construction to this jacket.

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Back View On Model

The jacket also has a badass look to it being all black with tastefully placed, minimalist striping and branding of reflective Phoslite material on the arms, lower back and chest. I immediately opined that this is missing some brighter hi-viz coloring, but couldn’t deny I liked it as it was.

Johnny Cash would have loved this jacket.

The Fieldsheer logos on either shoulder jump out at me and remind me of something you’d see on a futuristic sci-fi series military uniform. If Han Solo were riding a motorcycle on planet Hoth I’m positive he’d wear one of these. I’m going to check carefully to see if it’s so in the upcoming Solo movie…

Fit and Finish

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Closeup Jacket Sleeves

After donning it I notice how well the Medium sized jacket fits my 40-inch chest and tapers nicely to my 34-inch waist. The sizing chart is very specific and useful on Fieldsheer website. Incredibly the arms are an agreeable, to me, 26-inch length for my stubby limbs and the velcro closures at the wrist are narrower than most other jackets I’ve worn.

I can still fit the wrist openings overtop the gauntlet portion of my gloves with some effort, but it was easier instead to tuck them inside. If you have really thick wrists (or long arms) you may find this jacket a bit uncomfortable on you.

There’s plenty of adjustment in the waist and arm areas using snaps or velcro to expand or reduce the outer shell to obtain a good fit.

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Closeup Side Waist

The rear of the jacket comes down below the waist by several inches to cover you up nicely even when hunched over in a sport riding position.

ESO Zippers

The ESO zips on this jacket deserve special mention as being my favorite kind, built with large teeth and pull tabs. They don’t snag when you run them up in a hurry and glide faster than most others. I really appreciate that quality in a garment.

The ones on the two front, chest pockets/air vents are more typical small-tooth design but they slide smoothly too. There are flaps on either side of the outer shell zipper that has velcro to seal up tightly for blocking the wind.

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Closing Zipper and Velcro Straps

The design worked flawlessly in keeping cold wind on the outside even during a chilly and windy 42-degree test ride I took wearing it.

Armor

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Armor

I pulled out the Armadillo armor for inspection as always. I noted the ones in the shoulders and arms are an ok quality CE level 1 rubber design that should be effective to a point in a minor crash when it comes to protection. They have CE level 2 padding available for $19 and $14 on the Fieldsheer site that would be worth substituting, in my opinion.

https://fieldsheer.com/armor.html

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Underside of Armor

The “armor” I found in the back area was of underwhelming quality. The Fieldsheer site calls it a “contoured EVA back pad”. I would describe it as a piece of packing foam at best and wondered why the jacket didn’t come equipped with the Armadillo CE level 2 back pad I found on the Fieldsheer site instead. It’s only $25 more and I would happily pay that for a good quality one like it is.

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Armor Laid Flat

The back pad probably does provide some heat insulation, but in a crash, it’s not convincing me that it would serve much purpose.

Inner Heated Liner

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Inner Heated Liner

The outer shell is in itself an above average jacket well worth the $449 price tag without question to me. The really beautiful bonus is the inner heated component that comes free if you look at it in that way.

The inner layer can be quickly removed from the outer shell via four snaps. It has thumb loops on the ends of both sleeves that make those snaps unnecessary. I found myself just slipping the outer shell on top of it and not bothering with the physical connection between the two layers.

It’s A Nice Second Jacket

I like wearing the inner liner as a walking around jacket. It’s got a smart look to it that fits me well like the outer shell does. It keeps me warm even when it gets quite cool thanks to the microfleece interior and nylon exterior that I would call water resistant.

Obviously, the portable power pack combined with the Mobile Warming heating elements makes things even better when it comes to staying warm, but the power pack is bulky, heavy and takes up a whole pocket.

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Inner Liner Pockets and View

“Idiot Mittens”

The only thing I am not really fond of about the inner jacket is that I can feel and notice the wiring running across my shoulders used to connect the heating elements in the arms to the ones in the back and chest.

There are small zippered openings at the end of each sleeve that house a connector for attaching a set of heated gloves you can buy from Fieldsheer separately.

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Wiring Slots Closeup Sleeves

These integrated harnesses pull slightly across the shoulders when I reach in front of me and give the same eerie sensation I remember from my childhood when I was forced to wear “idiot mittens”.

Red Colored Hand Mittens

If you’re unfamiliar with that term it’s one used to describe the string that runs from one glove or mitten up a coat sleeve, across the back, and down the opposite sleeve to connect to the other arm’s mitten or glove. This is a Canadian Mother’s way of ensuring her children never lose their winter hand protection.

It’s also great fun for everyone else. You can run up to someone you know is wearing this contraption and pull hard on the left or right mitten to result in the string connecting the other side retracting the person’s other arm in such a way they hit themselves in the face or chest.

You people living in California and other warm climates will never get to try out this hilarious prank unless you come north for a visit in winter.

Lithium Ion Mobile Warming Battery Pack Heat

Lithium Ion Mobile Battery

I put the inner jacket on my wife (who is always cold even inside the house) to see how long the battery would last while on the highest heat setting. She has never been happier in her life than during the two and a half hours that followed.

When running on the battery pack only the chest and back elements heat up unfortunately but they do get quite hot. I measured them at 110 degrees with my temp gun.

Heat From The Motorcycle Charging System

I installed the wiring harness provided with the jacket to my bike’s battery in about 5 minutes and plugged in the connector on the jacket side of the circuit. I was wearing just a T-shirt at the time and put on the jacket to test out the highest heat setting. In about 10 seconds I immediately noticed my elbows were uncomfortably warm and my chest and back were getting hot too.

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Charging System on Model

I measured a scorching 124.8 degrees using my temp gun on the back element after only a couple of minutes time.

Temperature Measuring Hand-Held Device

It wouldn’t hit the claimed top temperature of 149 degrees while lying across the seat of my bike, but I’m sure it did while I was wearing it on several test rides I took.

Man, oh, man… Mobile Warming is REAL!

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webBikeWorld has worked closely with Amazon over the years to provide our testers with products to review. In addition to being a great site to shop from, they’re also a great partner.

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Free shipping (with Amazon Prime)
30-day return policy
Excellent selection
Competitive pricing

Buy This Helmet on Amazon

How To Use Mobile Warming

I supposed it easy to manage the system without reading the instructions, but I was wrong. Running on the bike’s charging system it was somewhat straightforward:

Plug in the jacket to the bike connector harness
Push and hold the rubber button located on the right chest until it lights up red
Do the opposite to turn it off

If you momentarily push and release the button the color changes to orange, green and purple with subsequent toggles before coming back to red. I don’t know about you but I found this a bit confusing. I figured these were different settings but wasn’t sure what green vs red would be so I had to grudgingly read the instructions that came with the jacket on one of the tags.

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Button RGB closeup.

Here’s a video of it I found explaining it as well:

Red: 100% heat power at 149 degrees
Orange: 75% heat power at 132 degrees
Green: 50% heat power at 118 degrees
Purple/Blue: 25% heat power at 100 degrees

Using The Power Pack was even more perplexing because when I would push the ON button I would get a momentary number appearing between 1 and 4 that would cycle to the letter “H” and then shut off while rendering no heat.

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Closeup and Mobile Battery

After reading the directions, I came to find out you need hold the ON button until the “H” appears solid indicating it’s powering up and then a non-flashing number would appear to tell you the battery pack charge status: 1 low charge up to 4 full charges.

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Unplugged Mobile Battery

Next, you hold down the chest button to turn on the heat and select your desired temperature. Pretty simple once you understand what you’re dealing with, really.

My Biggest Beef

This leads to my biggest complaint about the jacket heating system: using it on the fly.

The control button is located only on the inner jacket and it’s hard to locate with your gloved hand while riding to adjust the temperature or turn on and off. There’s only a little popping sensation when you push the button that is hard to notice with a gloved hand under the outer jacket.

The control button lights up nicely to let you know it’s on, but when it’s covered by the outer jacket you can’t see it.

Dear Fieldsheer jacket designers: in the next generation, please put a clear cover over the button area of the outer jacket so I can see where it is and what’s going on and better control it.

It could alternatively be located on the right forearm with a clear window in the outer jacket to make life easier.

Road Testing In Hot and Cold Weather

This is an all black jacket that has an integral Rainguard waterproof membrane. It screamed out to me that it would be an oven in cold temperatures even without the heated system turn on, I was right about that. I was very comfortable in 42-degree riding even with a stiff crosswind. I love the removable neck gaiter. It was a huge difference maker.

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Closeup of Chest Pockets and Zippers

I tested it in 80-degree weather after removing the inner jacket and opening the vents in the chest, arms and back to see if I could stay cool even in traffic.

To further help keep the rider cool, there’s a small hook on the collar allowing it to be pinned open after removing the neck gaiter.

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Closeup of Neck Clasp - Velcro/Zippers

I was totally blown away by the venting and breathability of the jacket shell. The exterior textile seems to shed heat very easily even in sunlight. Once I got moving the airflow was terrific and at highway speed, I was actually starting to get too cold as the entire surface of the jacket seemed to be conducting the cool wind. The inside material of the outer jacket is a silky smooth, nylon that really gets cold in a hurry and cools the rider.

You can see in the photos below how the rear vents are wide open on the lower back.

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Closeup of Rear Vents

Rainguard Waterproof Testing

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Waterproof Hose Test

I put the Hydro Heat jacket through the same waterproof torture test I always use which involves my wife spraying me with the garden hose on full blast at 5 paces for 5 minutes. I like this test because it sends gallons of cold water everywhere I specifically want to expose leakage problems. Additionally, it tells me how good the inner layer protects against cold rain sapping body heat.

I can report that not only did I stay warmer than I have compared to any other jacket during this test, but I was pleased to find all four exterior pockets are completely waterproof! I put strips of paper in the pockets to see if any amount of moisture bleeds through the rubber coating on zips and the Fieldsheer shrugged it off like… well, water off a duck’s back.

Very impressive to say the least.

Final Verdict?

This Fieldsheer is my new favorite all around jacket. It looks cool, keeps you warm or cool equally well much to my shock and is totally waterproof.

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Side View Shoulder Logo

The fit is flattering and you feel good wearing it. You don’t look like a highway or construction worker with obnoxious neon colors adorning your jacket, but you’ll still be visible in low light thanks to the reflective striping. I know, I know… Hi-Viz is desirable… yadda, yadda, yadda.

The included armor kind of stinks but can easily be improved for about $60 more to all CE Level 2.

The Mobile Warming system is luxurious comfort out on the cold highway or out and about if you get the optional power pack. They just need to address the issues with the temp control button and the size of the bulky power pack for it to be perfect.

Fieldsheer Hydro Heat Textile Jacket Mobile Battery

Perfect? Well, it’s pretty darn close to it as is. I’m keeping this one around, even if just to keep my wife happier.

Pros

Above average weather protection
Excellent fit and finish
D600 Carbolex HD Nylon textile outer shell
All 4 exterior pockets are waterproof
Armadillo armor padding in elbows, shoulders and back included
Outer shell is double thick in impact areas over the armor
Black color is balanced with plenty of reflective material
Mobile Warming Heated liner doubles as a second jacket to wear
Mobile Warming system has four levels of heat to suit rider needs
Optional Lithium-Ion power pack gives over for 2 hours of constant heat when you’re off the motorcycle and has a USB port to charge devices
Wear only the well ventilated outer shell in hot weather to stay cool
Removable microfleece neck wind blocker
Good value for the money with 2 year warranty

Cons

Heat control settings aren’t intuitive (directions have to read to understand)
It’s difficult to control heat settings while riding
Armor is only CE level 1 in arms and shoulders and back armor is sub-par
Black color is the only option with no hi-viz areas
No women’s sizing
Power pack takes a long time to fully charge
Power pack doesn’t heat up the arm area elements
Power pack is quite bulky and heavy to keep in your pocket
Internal wiring for heat elements can slightly restrict arm movement

Specs

Manufacturer: Fieldsheer
Price (When Tested): $449.99
Made In: Bangladesh
Alternative models & colors: Any color as long as it’s Black
Sizes: SM to XXXL
Review Date: May 18, 2018

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