Spada Café Air review | Stylish mesh jacket for hot weather

Date reviewed: July 2025 | Tested by: John Milbank | Price: £149.99 | spadaclothing.com

The problem with keeping safe on a motorcycle is that hot summers can be tough to ride in. The answer’s mesh kit, but the problem with that is it often looks like highly-technical gear. The Spada Café Air on review here bucks that trend, seeming at first glance like a classically-styled bike jacket. Look closer though and you’ll find some very clever design touches that make it a great choice for the extremely hot weather we’re seeing now. I’ve been using it on a 2019 BMW R1250GS, Zontes ZT350-T and 1999 Kawasaki ZX-6R to find out how well it really works…

Pros & Cons

Construction and fit

Made of tough, abrasion-resistant mesh with a lightweight twill fabric overlaid on the arms, shoulders and hem, the RRP of £149.99 is even better when you consider that most stores seem to be offering it at around £135 at the time of writing, or if you sign-up to the Spada newsletter and buy direct, you can save 10%.

The Spada Café Air’s unique and effective styling is thanks to the team of in-house designers led by James Kent, who’s designed for SuperDry, Fat Face and Holland Cooper, as well as working on highly technical items like bomb-disposal suits. You can see an interview with him in the video below…

Meet the guy who designs your bike kit

James Kent leads the team of designers at Spada in the UK

The entire jacket is made of mesh, but it’s the soft twill fabric sections – with ribbed detailing (called 'channel baffles') at the shoulders and rear hem – that make it look so much like a traditional piece of bike kit.

The subtle metal Spada badge on the left arm and the flat metal poppers at the neck add to the well-designed and classic look, while concertina panels at the backs of the shoulders help keep movement free.

The twill material on the arms is placed so that it covers the upper-most outer area. This is a definite design choice, but it does mean that the air blows in on the underside of the arms, rather than the top. It feels a little strange at first but does still work well. Would mesh on the top be even more effective? Yes, but it’s only a very thin layer of material and the Café Air is a jacket that’s striking a balance between modern technical performance and traditional styling.

Fit is of course very subjective, but I’ve found sizing to be consistent with my other gear. As I started reviewing the Café Air I was at my heaviest, so just nudged into an XL, but I’d be down to my usual Large now.

My only slight criticism of the Café Air’s construction is that the mesh material can feel a little harsh at the elbows inside. I’d have liked to have seen the twill material or something similarly soft acting as the backing material for the armour. Of course, this would reduce the venting performance slightly, but I’d find it that little bit more comfortable. It’s no deal-breaker though.

Protection & Certification

The Spada Café Air is certified to level AA under EN17092’s abrasion resistance, seam strength and tear testing. There are very few mesh jackets that meet the highest AAA level, and this is fairly typical of good quality mesh kit now.

James and his team have also taken the admirable step of including the highest Level 2 armour at the elbows and shoulders in their kit (which is the larger size B template), along with providing a Level 2 full-coverage back protector as standard (something few brands do, not least at this price-point).

The armour is ventilated, but it will of course restrict airflow – the most effective I’ve used is currently the protectors from Rheon, though this is a very premium product that would increase cost. The armour Spada uses – which is made specifically for it by Keeptech – is still very good, with a high level of protection, if being a little heavier than some.

From April 21 2018, all new motorcycle clothing is deemed to be Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). To meet this legislation, it must be tested to a recognised standard. For more information on the new laws, click here.

Pockets

The Spada Café Air has two vertically-zipped pockets at the waist, a horizontally-zipped pair at the top, and two large interior pockets that are closed with Velcro and are big enough to take gloves when walking about, or a bottle of water.

The genius design feature here is that all of these pockets are made of the same, tough mesh as the rest of it, meaning that airflow is far less restricted than it could be.

The exception to this is the water-resistant Nelson pocket on the left chest, entered under the main zip. This will take my large Google Pixel 7 Pro phone, and offers a good degree of protection if you get caught out in the rain. But, of course, it does stop any air from passing through this area. Air still gets around the body, but as it’s at a point that’s most likely to be in direct wind, I’d perhaps have placed this feature on one of the waist pockets.

The outside pockets are closed with water-resistant YKK zips that don’t add any functionality over normal zips, but do provide a good look. The zips also have tough toggles on, making them even easier to operate.

Fastening

The main zip is another water-resistant YKK, with a toggle making it easier to grab. There’s also a second slider at the bottom, allowing the hem to be opened up when sat on the bike if you wish. This is another neat touch that belies the relatively low price, and really shows the thought that’s going in to Spada’s new range.

My only slight concern with the main zip is that there’s no cover over the bottom slider, so just check that it won’t scratch your bike’s tank.

Two popper-fastened belt-loops are fitted to the inside rear of the jacket, which can be hooked onto your trouser’s belt to reduce the chances of the back of the jacket pulling up in a slide.

Adjustment

The back of the Café Air has two vertical zips that add extra space at the hips, but that’s it. And it’s all that’s needed as the armour sits and stays in the right place as it is, so I’d find bicep and forearm straps to be unnecessary anyway.

The cuffs zip closed, and fit my wrists well, my gloves going over comfortably.

It’ll depend on your body size and shape, but Spada seems to have done a good job of matching the average UK form.

Ventilation

It’s a mesh jacket… you don’t get much more ventilated than this and anything that does manage more will look much more technical than this Café Air.

Warmth

Obviously this isn’t a jacket for cooler weather, though you could add a windproof outer layer to trap air inside, making the Café Air act a little like a string vest. There are better jackets for layering than the Spada, which is a bit too bulky really, but it would be possible.

Liner

The Spada Café Air uses the mesh material throughout, so it’s what’s inside too. It’s okay, but can be a little rough against the skin in areas of high pressure where the armour sits above it. Try it on and you’ll be unlikely to be put off, but it’d be nice to see it a little softer in these areas, maybe even with a lightweight thin mesh lining that still allows air through.

Adding anything seems counter-intuitive, but the type of light mesh found in many bike jackets could add that extra layer of comfort throughout here.

Waterproofing

No, of course a jacket full of holes isn’t waterproof. Though there is a water-resistant pocket that’ll keep its contents safe if you get caught in the rain.

Cleaning

Once you’ve popped the armour out, the Spada Café Air can be machine-washed at 30°C, but shouldn’t be tumble-dried or ironed. Just hang it up in a shaded, ventilated area to dry off.

Four alternatives to the Spada Café Air

Mesh jackets for hot weather have come on incredibly in the last few years, so there’s lots to choose from. There’s not much that looks as subtle, but here are a few you might consider…

• Weise Scout, £139.99 | This jacket set the benchmark for affordable AA-rated mesh when it was released, and remains a good option. Read the full review of the Weise Scout here.

• Adventure Spec Supershirt 2.0, £249 | Very much in the ‘technical’ style, the Supershirt has a wonderfully cool-feeling material that’s extremely comfortable and lightweight to wear. It’s also probably the best piece of kit for layering under other gear in colder weather. Read the full review of the Adventure Spec Supershirt 2.0 here.

• Spada Hooded Air, £149.99 | If you’re looking for a more urban-style, the Spada Hooded Air is similar to the Café Air, but has a more modern look. The hood’s not removable as it’s part of the aesthetic, but it’s a good value piece of kit for summer riding. Read the full review of the Spada Hooded Air here.

• Knox Urbane Pro Mk3, £259.99 | While not as protective as Knox’s own Honister, the Urbane Pro feels the more accomplished design. The jacket’s not without its faults, but the armour is large, comfortable and Level 2. Read the full review of the Knox Rubane Pro here.

These are just four of many alternatives – you can find all the hot weather riding kit we’ve tested here  and be sure to regularly check for the discounts available through Bikesocial membership.

Spada Café Air review: Verdict

With summers getting hotter and hotter, investing in some good mesh kit can make your rides so much more enjoyable – and safer.

The Spada Café Air has some great design touches, yet it’s in the bottom-end of the price range for quality mesh kit… the Weise Scout is perhaps the only real competition. There are potentially better jackets, and some that will be more effective for layering up as the weather turns cold again, but they cost. At this price many riders will be able to justify buying something that they’ll only be wearing on the bike when temperatures reach the mid-twenties and beyond.

If you don’t have any mesh kit yet, I thoroughly recommend you try this on.

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