Fly Racing Off Grid Jacket

The Fly Racing Off-Grid jacket is a multifunctional adventure jacket for all seasons. Armor is included so there is nothing else to buy.

Wow, I'm impressed! At first glance, I was ready to describe a pretty mundane jacket, but this new model really packs in a lot of features! I'll have to admit, the overall styling is kind of dull, but let's face it, for the type of touring or adventure riding this jacket is made for, the use of basic colors is really a good idea because you'll be splashing your way through all sorts of mud and muck, right?

Anyway, the climate control setup here is really extensive. On the chest, you'll find a very effective zip-down panel on each chest to admit cooling air that flows directly through to the inside. And on the sleeve ends are two-way zips you can open for zip vents to shoot some air up your arms. There are long zip vents on the underside of the arms and in the back is another single, but huge, zip-down panel for exhaust. Will this work in hot summer? Well, it probably won't be ideal on the hottest days, but for a jacket that will do all the other things... storage, waterproofing, full-body coverage, etc, it really comes very close to being a four-season solution for most people. For cold weather, close all the vents and install the full sleeve insulated liner which feels quite plush BTW.

Fly advertises this jacket as being "waterproof", and as we all know, no jacket (other than perhaps a rain jacket) really is 100% waterproof. This one, I'd bet will spring a few leaks from somewhere given the sheer number of zippers involved in the venting system and also by virtue of the construction whereby airflow directly in when zip venting is open. In jackets with full waterproof liners, the venting isn't "direct" because air doesn't vent through the waterproof liner to your body, but then again, you don't get the great venting effect found here. Anyway, life is a tradeoff and hopefully, all the zips will work better than I expect, and/or you won't melt if you get a little wet.

Other nice surprises: The collar tab thing works great as does the placket over the main zipper. Those are all magnet operated. The collar literally snaps to attention if you even get the tab close to its closure, and it really holds well. The placket magnets seem to work well too. You'll save a second or two of your life every time to put this jacket on, which everybody can appreciate. In the collar is a hidden rain hood to wear under your helmet. This keeps water from getting into your jacket through the collar. I've seen this feature on Tour Master jackets, and often wondered why it wasn't found in more brands, but here it is!

Check out all the storage options in our photo gallery. I won't drag you through all of them here, but let me just say... there is a bunch of storage! It's a small thing, but my favorite storage feature is the breast pocket right behind the main zipper placket on the OUTSIDE of the main zipper, so you can get to it to grab your phone (another reason to appreciate the magnet closure of the placket). There is also a pass-through grommet for a headphone wire from that pocket (wires? so yesterday though).

Armor is included for the shoulders elbow and back. The shoulder and elbow units are a flexible CE 1 rated style which is very flexible. It feels a little skimpy for such a substantial jacket, but you could easily upgrade to any popular CE2 armor if you feel a bit underwhelmed, but try it first and see what you think. The back protector feels substantial and you probably won't think it needs upgrading.

The overall fit is very "American" so those who have average or stout builds will appreciate the overall cut of it. Many European brands offer a full-featured style like this for a similar price, but many of those are tailored for a more trim build. Certainly, the Klim brand offers a full cut like this, but the cost will outstrip this one in a hurry. The fit/feature/price combination is what makes this jacket rare.