Touring during the summer season can be quite a challenge, especially given the fact that touring gear tends to be bulky, heavy, and hot. Sure, you can opt to wear street-focused, lightweight mesh gear, but touring often necessitates that you cover miles and miles of terrain, most of the time with weather conditions changing in the blink of an eye.
Sure, checking the weather app on your phone is a nifty tool, but it can only do so much. I’ve been deceived by less than accurate weather forecasts many more times than I would have liked, and being caught in a torrential downpour with nothing more than a mesh jacket and riding jeans is surely less than ideal. Luckily, several gear and equipment makers have optimized their touring options to cater specifically to those who will be covering hot terrain. Such is the case with IXS, and its new Gerona-Air jacket.
The Gerona-Air jacket is designed specifically for touring, and makes use of a lot of mesh panels to ensure adequate airflow. It’s therefore ideal for the summer riding season, but can easily be mixed and matched with a variety of interior thermal and waterproof lining options. It’s made out of an abrasion-resistant polyester fabric, and a fixed polyester mesh lining known for its excellent moisture wicking properties.
Perhaps one of the coolest features of the IXS Gerona-Air jacket is the fact that it’s offered in a wide selection of sizes. By wide, I mean really wide, as it’s offered in sizes ranging from M to 9XL. So if any vikings looking to get a new touring jacket are reading this, then the Gerona-Air is certainly one you should consider. Adding to its usability is a slew of pockets, both inside and outside, which offer a lot of convenience for you to carry your daily essentials on your person.
As for the protective features on the Gerona-Air, IXS has thrown in level 1 CE ImpacTec ETP-02 protectors on the elbows and shoulders. A level 2 back protector can also be fitted thanks to a pocket at the back. All these features, plus the aforementioned abrasion-resistant textile fabric, merit the IXS Gerona-Air a Class AA PPE certification according to the EN 17092-3:2020 standard. All these features and the vast selection of sizes, however, mean that the Gerona-Air is available only in one colorway. It isn’t exactly the cheapest jacket, either, as it retails for 199.95 Euros, which is just about $199 USD, per current exchange rates.
Sources: Le Repaire Des Motards, IXS