Frank Thomas Legacy Jacket Yellow Black White Black

Frank Thomas Legacy Hi-Vis Jacket – 3-Year Commuting Review I’ve used the Frank Thomas Legacy hi-vis jacket for around three years, primarily for commuting in all seasons. My experience is mixed. There are things it does very well, particularly in summer, but as an all-season jacket I’ve been disappointed by some aspects of the design and durability. Summer performance is its strongest point. With both the waterproof and thermal liners removed, the ventilation is excellent. There are two large Velcro-covered mesh chest vents, long zipped mesh vents running much of the sleeves, and two zipped exhaust vents at the rear. Open everything up and there’s a lot of airflow through the jacket; the rear vents also allow the incoming air to escape rather than simply making the jacket billow. For warm-weather commuting, it works very well. The problem is that the ventilation system is less successful when you want to keep the weather out. The large chest vent covers are secured with Velcro, but the Velcro doesn’t seal completely around their perimeter. In my experience this allows both draughts and rain past the outer vent covers. I suspect the resulting airflow is also why I’ve never found the jacket particularly warm in winter, even with the thermal liner fitted. At riding speeds, windchill becomes noticeable. Waterproofing needs some explanation. The jacket does keep me dry when the removable waterproof liner is fitted, so I wouldn’t call it non-waterproof. However, the outer shell itself isn’t the waterproof barrier. Rain permeates the outer shell and can run down between it and the zipped-in waterproof membrane. The membrane then keeps the water away from the rider. It works, but leaves you with a wet outer jacket and makes the waterproof liner essential in rain. The external pockets aren’t all waterproof either. In particular, the lower flap-and-press-stud cargo pockets have allowed water in, so I wouldn’t put a phone or anything else water-sensitive in them without additional protection. There are some smaller irritations that become more noticeable with long-term use. There’s Velcro everywhere, and it has an annoying habit of attaching itself to parts of the jacket it wasn’t intended to. I’ve also found the zip pullers rather flimsy: mine have bent and broken more easily than I’d expect from motorcycle clothing intended for daily use. On the safety side, my jacket is properly marked Class AA to EN 17092-3:2020. The large sleeve vents retain mesh underneath when opened rather than leaving an unprotected opening, and removing the waterproof and thermal liners is an intended configuration. I haven’t seen evidence that riding with the vents open invalidates the AA certification, although the label obviously doesn’t tell you how the individual mesh panels compare with the solid outer textile in abrasion resistance. Overall: I wouldn’t choose the Legacy again specifically as an all-season commuting jacket. Its waterproof drop-liner arrangement, draughty vent closures, wet outer shell, non-waterproof cargo pockets and mediocre cold-weather performance make winter and wet-weather use less satisfactory than I’d hoped. However, I don’t think it’s a bad jacket. Strip both liners out and use it as a hi-vis summer commuting jacket, and its character changes completely. The extensive ventilation that causes some of my complaints in winter becomes its biggest advantage in hot weather. It’s comfortable, highly visible and moves an impressive amount of air. After three years I’d describe it as a very good ventilated summer commuting jacket with usable wet-weather capability, rather than the genuinely all-season jacket I originally thought I was buying.

The purchase was easy and the delivery was prompt. The coat matched expectations set by the website. Lots of pockets which is always nice. Easy to remove inner linings. The straps make sure that the protection stays in the ideal locations