Fieldsheer Milano Jacket

FIELDSHEER MILANO JACKET

CW EVALUATIONS

Comfortable, stylish, versatile

A GOOD LEATHER JACKET NOT only is one of motorcycling’s essentials, it also can be one of life’s great joys. But sometimes jackets dedicated solely to riding are limited by that dedication, and are less than suitable for casual or street wear. And that’s unfortunate, because good leather is not inexpensive.

That’s where the Milano jacket from Fieldsheer (485 E. 17th St., Suite 400, Costa Mesa, CA 92627; 714/6426877) enters the picture. Styled for touring and cruising, it also is styled to look terrific when worn away from your bike. The jacket is Eurostyled in supple, top-grain cowhide that is cut to fit loose, and it comes with a tall cowl collar that’s lined in pigskin.

It’s built with a wide storm flap covering its heavy zipper, and the flap is kept closed by a quartet of snaps. Two handwarmer pockets, two zip-closed cargo pockets, and two inside breast pockets all are part of the package. Cuffs are leather, and are closed with snaps; lining is striped satin.

We’ve worn our Milano for about six months in all kinds of situations, and find it an admirable piece of gear, but with some limitations. The tall collar provides good wind and weather protection for the rider’s neck, but the top snap closures don’t always stay closed, especially when subjected to the buffeting that sometimes comes from sportbike windscreens.

The snap-closed cuffs work fine, but the slashes that accommodate entry into those cuffs leak air unless they’re covered with long-gauntlet gloves. On the plus side, the jacket-even though it is uninsulated-is warmer than some dedicated riding jackets, is very comfortable, and provides plenty of room for layers of sweatshirts or sweaters.

All in all, the Milano ($330 from motorcycle dealers), available in dark brown only, is a quality piece of gear that we judge to be well suited for most non-sport riding. Here’s a garment you can get a lot of use out of, on or off your bike.