TESTEDS: RST Pro Series CE Adventure III Jacket and Trousers

RRP: (J) £289.99 (T) £269.99 // www.moto-direct.com // Tested by: Ross

RST has updated its hugely successful Pro Series Adventure textile motorcycle gear – unveiling its third generation jacket and trousers for 2018. The previous kit was tested to the extreme – from the depths of Scottish Winter to the scorching Australian outback, and as a result of the feedback, RST has made a handful of changes to make its latest generation of gear more capable than ever before. The main changes include the addition of new large external TPU shoulder protectors to the jacket – but that’s not all, RST has also made some subtle improvements to the fit.

RST occupy a unique place in the motorcycle gear market – carefully balancing cost with quality to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. And since its inception, the British based brand has gone from strength to strength, continuing to develop its kit and making subtle improvements to ensure each generation is better than the last. As a result, RST kit is extremely popular in the UK (and beyond). And after wearing the new RST Pro Series CE Adventure III jacket and trousers over the last nine months, covering close to 5,000 miles across the length and breadth of Europe – I can definitely see why. I’ve got nothing but nice things to say.

From a protection perspective, the jacket and trousers are constructed from a ballistic Cordura material, and come fitted with RST contour Plus CE shoulder, elbow, knee and hip protectors, in addition to an Aktiv Impact back protector. Thankfully I haven’t had to properly put it through its paces just yet – having managed to stay upright while wearing my new textiles thus far (aside from a couple of fairly tame, slow speed spills on the dirt). Regardless, it looks and feels solid, and when I’m wrapped up from head to toe, I feel confident it’d look after me should the worst happen and I take a tumble.

It’s versatile too – thanks to its multiple large adjustable vented panels, removable thermal lining, and separate removable waterproof lining. There’s also a 360 degree connector zip, to allow you to join the jacket and trousers together. You can add or remove the linings as you see fit, using a series of zips and popper buttons to stay one step ahead of the weather, no matter whether you’re caught in a biblical rainstorm up in the ice capped mountains of Austria or you’re traversing the sun scorched trails of Spain with the sun beating down on your back. I’ve experienced both – and RST’s third generation Pro Series Adventure textiles looked after me admirably. For comfort there are stretch panels and an adjustable waistband and sleeves to help you get the perfect fit – and there’s also a wide selection of pockets, including a removable map pocket.

In short, if you’re in the market for a new set of textiles that’ll look after you right through the winter, and will be just as capable of keeping you protected when the sun starts shining again – you could do a lot worse than taking a good look at RST’s latest Pro Series Adventure textiles.