The Torque D30 is the second Merlin jacket to grace our testing program, having put the Chester Cafe through its paces previously. Once again, we have been impressed with the quality and comfort of this offering.
In this case, it came in a dark camo finish that looks stylish, even for a plodder like yours truly, and is super comfortable. With a modern hoodie/casual appearance, it can be worn both on and off the bike, and it still looks the part, regardless.
Having arrived at the beginning of Spring, last year, we weren’t sure how it would breath or handle rising temperatures with the impending arrival of Summer. That because especially concerning when we couldn’t find any ventilation zips either.
Thankfully, it was a false alarm as the brushed polyester material that the Torque D30 jacket is constructed from has been treated with a high performance 8k/5k waterproof and breathable rating.
What this essentially means is that the jacket breathes well, especially with the removable inner liner taken out. That’s something we did straight away to allow access to a breeze as your scooting along.
We haven’t been caught in a heavy enough downpour to test the waterproofing out though, so we’ll reserve judgement on that side of things. That said, the Merlin Torque D30 features shock absorbing LP1 armour, which is pre-fitted to the shoulders and elbows.
There’s space in the back for the D3O Viper protection, which is sold as an additional extra, although it would be nice to have included. The hoodie itself can be zipped off, which is a nice feature and there are two points at which you can fasten the jacket to your jeans.
The Merlin Torque D30 jacket offers plenty of storage for your keys, wallet and mobile phone. There are two large pockets at the front and a well-sized internal option. It’s a good bit of kit, and up there with one of our favourites thus far.
It fits well, offers plenty of protection, and looks good both on and off the bike. Pricing starts at $499.95, with sizes from Small to 3XL. It’s available at all good motorcycle accessories stockists you can check it out on the Merlin Bike Gear website.
Pros – super comfortable; stylish; offers plenty of protection; fits well.
Cons – back protection not included in price; hoodie styling won’t be for everyone.
Our test product was provided by Merlin Bike Gear Australia. Exhaust Notes Australia has not been paid to review this product.
