Teknic Sprint Jacket And Pants, Lightning Glove
For sport riders in many locations throughout the country, it's quite possible to plot a day's ride that will feature temperatures spanning a 40-degree range-if not more. Whether those conditions are at the chilly or hot end of the spectrum, the Teknic Sprint jacket-and-pants combination is a very reasonably priced option, as the gear converts to accommodate practically any temperature extreme.
Both the jacket and pants are made from 600-denier Cordura with Teknic's waterproof/windproof/breathable Powerskin II liner. The jacket's arms are rotated 15 degrees forward for a more comfortable sport-riding position and have Knox CE elbow and shoulder armor. It's the Convert System that makes the Sprint jacket so useful: Included is a removable, insulated, full-sleeve liner and a zip-off collar for cool weather, and in warm conditions much of the jacket's outer shell zips off to reveal a nylon mesh inner shell with Cordura overlays. The system is well thought out with very good execution considering the task's difficulty. The outer shell is quite sturdy, appears to offer plenty of protection and removes with one zipper. The inner liner folds into its own bag for easy storage. Numerous snaps and hook-and-loop straps tailor fit. A small pouch-included with the jacket-attaches to four D-rings on the jacket or can be worn with the included straps as a backpack. We found the pack's clip-on attachments fine for a light load, but more than a couple of pounds pulled the jacket down in the rear, making it uncomfortable-it's easy enough to slip the straps on and switch it to a backpack. Overall, the jacket's many adjustments and pieces are almost too numerous, and even now we are finding additional features.
Like the jacket, Teknic's Sprint pants offer sturdy construction and good protection with a second layer of Cordura in the knee and seat areas, CE armor in the knees and foam hip padding. An 8-inch zipper attaches the pants to the Sprint jacket, and removable shoulder straps can be used to further keep the pants in place. Also as with the jacket, there are numerous adjustments and straps for fit and comfort.
For winter riding we combined the Sprint outfit with a pair of Lightning waterproof gloves, which also feature Teknic's Powerskin liner. The cowhide Lightning gloves have Kevlar-lined palms and little fingers in addition to various nylon protectors on the fingers and wrists. Wrist straps and cuff closures ensure the gloves will stay on, and precurved fingers help with comfort.
In cooler temperatures the Lightning gloves and Sprint jacket and pants offer plenty of insulation and warmth. Fit and comfort from all the gear are above average, although we found the cuff closures on the neck gauntlet and gloves a bit short. Otherwise the setup is easily all-day comfortable. The versatility of the Sprint jacket and pants is welcome when conditions change midride-as temperatures warmed up the liners were slipped into the backpack for the rest of the day. Although we weren't able to test the jacket in hot conditions, the mesh inner jacket appears to be a good combination of protection and venting. That adaptability does add complications when it comes time to add or remove the various jacket components, but it's the best compromise we've sampled to date of a jacket and pants that can adapt to a wide variety of conditions and a great choice for anyone looking for a reasonably priced, all-in-one suit.
The $299.99 Sprint jacket is available in black, red/black and denim blue/black in sizes 40-54. The $179.99 Sprint pants are available in black only in sizes 30-44. The $89.99 Lightning waterproof gloves are available in black only in sizes S-XXXL.
Specialty Sports Limited
(616) 866-3722
www.teknicgear.com