Product evaluations by Sport Rider Magazine's Staff
Around here we tend to be pretty hard on equipment, especially riding gear. Not literally (hopefully), but more analytically. We know what we want from the gear we don and when something doesn't perform as advertised we're quick to point it out. In the past we've been quick to rave about anything we've received from Rev'It!. The company's long line of apparel encompasses the entire gamut of riding, from commuting, to adventure riding, and even racing. It's no secret that Associate Editor Siahaan loved his Typhoon jacket and Mistral pants so much they almost grafted themselves to his skin. So it was with much anticipation that we received the Infinity riding suit ($1299.00).
We first saw it at the Indianapolis Dealer Expo in 2007, but were told that it wasn't ready for production. We saw it again the following year but again were told the same thing. When we finally got our paws on it some features immediately stood out. For starters, unlike most other full riding suits, the full-length zipper begins at the bottom and works its way up, which was annoying as the suit would flare as you bent over to zip it, making it difficult to fully fasten. A relief zipper along the calf makes it easier, but doesn't completely alleviate the problem. Some testers were left wishing for more pockets (especially internal ones), while the existing pockets were too small. A custom fit is easy to achieve, however, as a multitude of fasteners on the arm and a Velcro waist strap allows the suit to form to its user.
It didn't take long to ride with the Infinity to notice that the fabric is extremely stiff-making mobility on the bike a chore. Unfortunately, this didn't remedy itself over time or miles. The suit does feature CE-approved shoulder, elbow and knee armor, but without the aid of a liner the coarse material would chafe the skin if it came in contact for extended periods of time. Rev'It! claims the rubberized waterproof zippers need silicone lubricant (which isn't included) in order to prevent it from cracking and to retain its seal. Fortunately we followed their advice and lubricated the zippers right before a rare rainy day here in southern California, but unfortunately, the Infinity failed the rain test in a dramatic way. While the suit kept the water away from the arms and legs, the suit's biggest weak point is its waterproof zipper, which let in water throughout the stomach and crotch area. And not just a trickle, either-we mean drenched.
Rev'It! claims it is currently working on the next generation Infinity suit that addresses all of these issues, but it's clear now why they waited two years to bring the suit to market. It's unfortunate as we've been big fans of Rev'It! products in the past, but it's clear that the Infinity still could have used another year or two of development. Here's hoping that the next Infinity comes through on these issues.