Date reviewed: July 2022 | Tested by: BikeSocial member Graham Mudd | RRP: £199 | halvarssonsmc.com
I work 50 miles away from where I live in the West Midlands ,and come rain or shine I ride my (lately not so) trusty Kawasaki Versys 650 and Zero DSR workhorses. It’s a varied route taking in twisty country roads, single carriageway, dual carriageway and urban sections. These days I find myself pottering around back country lanes with grass growing down the middle more often than hooning around the Staffordshire Moorlands, but all in all it’s a good test of any kit I happen to be riding in.
I’m writing this in the middle of a heatwave in the UK, but before that I managed to slot in a few days in the Halvarssons Edane between times when it was too cold to wear a mesh jacket, or too wet. Or the forecast said it would be an absolute certainty it would rain, but didn’t. We even had nice weather on a bank holiday. It’s been that kind of riding season. In total I’ve ridden around 700 miles in the Edane so far…
Pros & Cons
- Very comfortable in summer
- Only certified to level A
Construction and Fit
The Halvarssons Edane jacket is exceptionally comfortable for summer riding. Being made of a combination of high tenacity polyethylene mesh for abrasion protection, and ‘Powerstretch’ polyamide fabric for fit means it’s light, supremely flexible yet reassuringly snug – important for keeping the armour in place.
Even though there are no adjusters anywhere on the jacket, it fits really well thanks to the stretchy fabric in the sides and underarms conforming it to your body shape. There are no pinch points in the usual places like inside the elbows or under the arms, and in no way does it restrict any movement on the bike. The mesh lining is comfy against the skin and even when sweating buckets, does not stick to you and make the jacket awkward to get off.
Protection and certification
The Edane’s protection is rated as A, which is the lowest level under the current EN17092 certification.
However, Halvarssons has included higher spec Level 2 armour at the shoulders and elbows, which is of a honeycomb design in keeping with the mesh design of the jacket. This is a nice touch as a standard fitment, rather than as an optional extra. The jacket also comes with a full length Level 1 back protector. There’s a pocket for inserting a chest protector – the Furudal – but this costs an extra £24.
For everything you need to know about the safety labels in your motorcycle kit, click here.
Pockets
Being a mesh jacket deigned to optimise airflow, the Edane is light on features that would get in the way of this. For this reason there are only two pockets;one on each side low down, that are also made of mesh. They are fairly small – I could just about fit my wallet in – and are obviously not waterproof, so you’re going to need a bag of some description if you want to carry more than small basic items.
Fastening
The Halvarsson Edane jacket has a simple YKK main zip up the centre of the body. The metal bottom clasp of the zip isn’t covered, so do check if this could touch the bike’s tank and potentially scratch it. It’s not a problem on my Kawasaki, though I do have a tank protector. The cuffs of the sleeve are elasticated and there’s a long YKK zip to attach the jacket to trousers if needed.
Adjustment
There is no adjustment on the jacket, though the elasticated ‘Powerstretch’ fabric on the sides and underarms keeps everything snug.
Ventilation
The key selling point and main purpose of the Halvarssons Edane jacket is its ventilation, and the only way you’ll get more airflow to your body in warm weather is by not wearing any gear at all, which clearly is not recommended! The mesh simply lets every breath of air flow through and around your body, cooling you as you ride. Short of the old trick of putting ice cubes in your inside pockets or soaking your t-shirt in cold water (which eventually wears off), there is no better way of staying cool on a warm ride.
Warmth and thermal liner
The Edane is only intended for warm weather riding, so there’s no thermal liner included.
Waterproofing
If it rains you will be wet instantly, which is quite nice if it’s warm rain. All-weather commuters will need to invest in some other kit, though you could wear a waterproof over-jacket with the Halvarssons Edane.
Three alternatives to the Halvarssons Edane mesh jacket
There are a fair few options when it comes to mesh jackets. Here are three you might be considering…
- At just £129.99, we were impressed at the value offered by the Weise Scout mesh jacket. It’s only got Level 1 armour, but it is certified to the higher AA standard under EN17092.
- The Rukka Forsair Pro is constructed of knitted Cordura, though it’s also only rated to Level A. We’ve used the previous version and got on well with it (and still do after five years).
- The AA-rated Knox Urbane Pro Mk2 is a part-mesh jacket that includes Level 1 armour at the shoulders and elbows, and a Level 2 back protector. We’ve not tried it so can’t comment on its comfort, fit or performance.
These are just three of many alternatives – you can find all the textiles we’ve tested here and be sure to regularly check for the discounts available through Bikesocial membership.
Halvarssons Edane mesh jacket review: Verdict
The Halvarssons Edane jacket is designed to do one thing; get you maximum airflow to keep you cool when it’s hot. And it does this phenomenally well.
Sure, a regular textile jacket may be more versatile and protective (I can’t help but be a bit disappointed with the A-rating under EN17092), but when the mercury starts climbing and you start sweating, it’s a jacket like this you want. I know the Halvarssons Edane will be my jacket of choice for as long as this heat wave lasts.
