the armadillo scooter blog

Over the last couple of months, I’ve been priviliged enough to have been able to road test the stylish and chic Macintosh from the latest Armadillo range. Given that the summer just passed in London was one of eccentric weather to say the least, I’m happy to say I’ve managed to put this funky jacket through its paces on numerous rideouts in all sorts of weather.

What amazes me about this jacket when you first see it, is the
detailing. Double breasted with waist buckle strap, buckle strap
sleeves with hidden storm cuffs (perfect for holding out the cold and
wet and keeping the warmth in) and a nice buckle and strap on the
neck, not to mention the epilates and storm flap venting! It would be
easy to mistake this for a high fashion item in your mens boutique!
So, with the style perfect for the classic scooter riding Mod through
to modern twist and go clothes stylist, lets look at the
functionality.

D30 technology is a big selling point here. Subtle padding in the
shoulders and elbows/forearms keep the jacket lightweight while
retaining a high level of mobility for the wearer. There is also a
waterproofing in the weave of the material, which keeps 100% of
moisture OUT which I’ve never come across before either. There are
plenty of pockets in this garment too, perfect for all your ipods
(theres a nifty valve for your headphones), passports and house keys
if you fancy a quick jaunt to the French Riviera on your steed! It’s
also worth noting the mac is lightly lined too, so it keeps out the
chill and wind to low teens if you decide to ride with nothing but a
t-shirt underneath (done many a time!).

I’ve definitely had all sorts of weather thrown at me in the last
couple of months during one of the most tumultuous London summers ive
seen. Still, this has provided me with a great testing ground for the
mac. Daily commutes from one side of London to the other helped me
test the agility of the mac while zipping through traffic at various
speeds and angles; numerous warm lazy Sunday evening rides from Bar
Italia with cotton shirts underneath meant the mac could breathe and
keep me cool while we pitched up at along the river in Richmond; a
ride to the Ace Cafe for their monthly Mods and Minis night in the
hammering rain and freezing cold saw me bone dry from the waist up (I
should invest in some decent waterproofs) as we staggered into the Ace
for a cuppa to the shock of over 100 mini owners; and the mac really
impressed me while riding to the Isle of Wight Scooter Rally for the
August Bank Holiday, when, on the journey to Portsmouth, a severe
weather warning was issued for heavy rain and squalid conditions with
a rather warm temperature. No matter though, after 3 hours in the
rain there wasn’t a drop on my clothes underneath and I was nice and
toasty so you can imagine I was the envy of many a soaked shivering
scooterist on the ferry queuing for their coffee!

My only negative aspects are the longer sleeves but I can see why it has
been made this way to accommodate riders arms fully stretched and
the fairly exposed neck area means that the rider should be wearing a
scarf or similar under the mac to protect that area of their bodies.
But aside from that its bang on!

So here we have an agile, lightweight, protective, warm and above all
stylish mac, all for a more than reasonable price. For me, it ticks
all the boxes so thats the two thumbs up from this El Presidente.

Nicky Bubbles
El Presidente
Bar Italia Scooter Club London