Hein Gericke Cadet Jacket

HEIN GERICKE CADET JACKET

EVALUATION

BECAUSE SEARS DOESN'T HAVE EVERYTHING

You DON’T PUT WESSON OIL IN YOUR bike’s engine just because it’s cheaper than motor oil; that’s false economy. But so is wearing most anything other than a made-for-motorcyclists riding jacket, because on the first ride it usually bares its heritage—and your anatomy—as the hem hikes up past your waist, the cuffs slide to your elbows and the collar slaps you around like you were the victim of a 1920s-style police grilling. On the other hand, a genuine motorcyclist’s leather jacket can rupture your piggybank.

Instead of leading his piggybank to the slaughter, a budget-minded rider can turn to Hein Gericke’s Cadet jacket, available in sizes XS through XL, distributed by Intersport Fashions West Inc. (201 W. Bastanchury Road, Suite E, Fullerton, CA 92635; [714] 738-6262). The Cadet retails for $104.95, and Hein Gericke achieved that bargain price by making the body of the jacket from urethane-coated Cordura nylon (available in red, blue, gray or black), and using 1.1 -to-1.3mm-thick black leather in the collar, shoulders, elbows and lower back; leather is also

used to trim the jacket’s sleeves, sides and waist. In addition, there’s soft foam padding at the elbows, shoulders, and from neck to waist in back. A nylon taffeta lines the inside of the jacket, and there are two zippered exterior pockets and a button-secured inside pocket.

While the Cadet’s combination of Cordura and leather makes it a long deal for a motorcycling jacket, its price still overshoots many off-therack department store garments. But the payback comes in fit and features a motorcyclist will appreciate the first time he reaches for the handlebars. For instance, the Cadet’s cut makes it well-suited for an upright or semi-crouched riding position (a cruiser bike’s slouch tends to bunch up the jacket above the waist), and the long sleeves keep the cuffs from riding up. The Cadet fits snugly, too, thanks to expansion panels in the sides. That snug fit, together with the tall, mandarin collar, a wind flap over the front zipper, and a waist that’s cut slightly long in back, keeps the rider covered and makes for a remarkably draft-free garment. The ex-

pansion panels also allow good freedom of movement, and permit some layering of clothing for cool rides.

On the debit side, the Cadet is neither as warm nor as cool as some specialized jackets. In fact, at some temperatures, the full-foam-lined back can make the rider’s back sweat, while air flow through the Cordura front chills his chest. And, as is often the case with urethane-coated garments, perspiration gets trapped inside, making the rider feel hot and sticky on humid days. Plus, Hein Gericke has changed the collar from the Velcro-secured mandarin style pictured to a split mandarin, which might not be as draft-free.

Still, those criticisms don’t put the Cadet’s ledger irretrievably in the red; far from it. Rather, they serve to place the Cadet’s purpose in sharper focus. You can buy leather jackets with more luxury and convenience features, but you’ll pay for them, too —dearly, in some cases. With Hein Gericke’s Cadet, you get precisely what you pay for: a functional riding jacket at a reasonable price. And that’s real economy. E3