Malcolm Smith Isde Professional Jacket
CYCLE WORLD EVALUATION
Malcolm Smith ISDE Professional Jacket
Off-road riders looking for a good all-around enduro jacket are faced with a tough decision. Besides worrying about price and color combinations, they’ve got to take into consideration crash protection, waterproofing, warmth and carrying capacity. That’s why a lot of hardcore riders end up with two jackets: one for warm, dry days and another for the wet and cold.
With the ISDE Professional, Malcolm Smith has attempted to make a single enduro jacket that is suitable for all occasions. The key to the jacket’s all-weather wearability is that it’s fabricated of a material called Gore-Tex. Used for years by hikers, mountain climbers, skiers and sailors, Gore-Tex is completely waterproof yet it breathes, so the wearer isn’t as likely to perspire.
Like most worthwhile products, the ISDE Professional wasn’t designed overnight; Smith claims it took the better part of four years to get things right. And while the original designs may have been less than ideal, the finished product shows that the time invested in redoing the jacket was well-spent. The Pro’s styling is traditional four front pockets and a belted waist and it’s cut to fit a rider when he’s seated on a motorcycle. The sleeves are long and curve in slightly so they don’t bunch up and leave the rider’s wrists exposed to the elements when he reaches for the grips. The jacket’s upperback and shoulder areas are designed for freedom of movement; there’s even room for shoulder pads or extra layers of clothing on those really blustery days.
Considerable attention was given to the front closure, the Achilles’ heel of a lot of enduro jackets. There’s a heavyduty, coarse-toothed nylon zipper with double pulls so the zipper can be opened from the top or bottom for ventilation. To keep out wind and water, a flap folds over the zipper and then a Velcrosecured outer flap seals things off completely.
Equal care was taken with the cuff and neck openings. Each uses closed-cell neoprene the same material used in skin-divers’ wet suits—with an outside cover of Gore-Tex. The cuffs and collar close with Velcro, which can be snugged down for riding in cold or rainy weather or loosened to provide air flow when the going gets warm. Also, the collar is taller than most, which keeps water from running down the rider’s neck in downpours.
The collar easily turns down for mild-weather riding.
Also appreciated in warm weather is the shoulder-toshoulder vent across the back. This zippered closure is located under a flap that keeps water out during muggy, rainy days, but still allows good air circulation.
The pockets weren't left out when it came to features, either. The bottom two have expandable pleats, allowing a surprising amount of trailriding gear to be stuffed inside. Each pocket flap is secured with Velcro, and, like the front zipper, has an inside flap to seal out water.
We have several ISDE Professional jackets around the Cycle World office, including one that came from the very first batch manufactured. It’s been used in rain, heat, dust and mud for several months tmd it’s still going strong. The jacket has been machinewashed numerous times and it's still waterproof and retains its bright colors. The neoprene cuff's are nicked from riding through thickets, hut the jacket’s efficiency hasn’t suffered. In fact, the Smith jackets have proved so popular that some of our street riders have adopted them for summer riding. The flashy red/blue or solid blue colors look nice on the street, and protection from wind and water is a good thing to have regardless of the riding terrain. And just as on the trail, when the mercury starts to drop, the vented nylon lining provides some defense against The cold. A sweater is still needed, though, when the temperatures get really brisk.
Of course, nothing is perfeet. We experienced some problems with the front zippers of the jackets. The zipper was difficult to get started, especially after riding in dusty conditions. The problem was cured by deburring the edges of the zipper’s guide bar with a pocket knife. We’ve also heard that running some Chapstick along the zipper helps this condition.
A few riders, mostly the street guys, were a little disappointed that matching pants aren’t available. The Malcolm Smith people say that pants are in the works, and that they may even bring out a Gore-Tex jacket/pants combination tailored especially for street riders.
Another complaint, one that is common to other enduro jackets, is that when the zipper is fully closed, the plastic teeth rub against the rider’s neck. The problem is that while there are two flaps in front of the zipper, there’s none behind it. Thus, wearing a bandana as a buffer is still necessary. And the jacket isn’t cheap. Any time Gore-Tex is used in the place of regular nylon, the fabric cost triples. But considering the ISDE Professional’s features, durability, ability to shed water, plus its one-year guarantee on workmanship and waterproofing, the $159.95 price tag doesn’t seem so high.
The jacket is available at Malcolm Smith dealers or direct from Malcolm Smith Motorcycles, 7563 Indiana Ave., Riverside, Calif. 92504; (714) 687-1300.
