Rev’it Gore-Tex GTX Jackets

Rev’it Everest GTX Jacket Preview

Rev’it Everest GTX Jacket
The top-of-the-line Rev’it jacket for Fall/Winter 2010 is the new Everest GTX (GTX = Gore-Tex). This is the top-of-the-line Rev’it GTX jacket, which includes the very latest Rev’it high-tech feature set and the best Gore-Tex guaranteed waterproof removable membrane.

Jordan Levitt, the U.S. Director of Operations for Rev’it, said that the Everest GTX is designed to provide maximum flexibility (in terms of comfort and usage) for the rider with 100% waterproofing. The Everest is a “no expenses spared” jacket that is a virtual showplace for the latest Rev’it and W.L. Gore technologies.

Rev’it worked directly with Gore-Tex and DuPont to develop and incorporate the Gore-Tex and Cordura technologies used in the jacket, such as the top-of-the-line Gore-Tex Pro-Shell 3L (three layer) with Armacor and the Gore Lockout zipper, which were then built into the Rev’it motorcycle clothing that is tested and approved by Gore-Tex to carry the Gore-Tex label.

The Everest GTX carries the lifetime “Guaranteed to Keep You Dry” label by Gore-Tex, which means that if the jacket fails to stay waterproof, Gore-Tex will repair or replace it!

Remember that not all Gore-Tex membranes are created equal; very old Gore-Tex licenses are still in use. These are licenses that could never be renewed; if anything in the process changes, the manufacturer would have to apply for a new license, and since the manufacturing processes and testing tolerances are much different for the newest membranes, it is not easy to acquire a new license.

And it’s extremely difficult to produce the highest-quality and technology clothing that is backed by Gore-Tex with the lifetime waterproof guarantee.

The three-layer Gore-Tex Pro Shell is used in the highest performance Rev’it clothing. The outer Cordura jacket material and the Gore-Tex shell are one; i.e., bonded together as a three-layer system.

This means that the Everest jacket has the lowest amount of water retention in the shell itself, unlike other jackets with a removable membrane where the outer shell becomes soaking wet. Many webBikeWorlders have been asking for a completely waterproof jacket where the jacket shell itself is waterproof and breathable, and the Everest is it.

The Gore-Tex Performance Shell comes next (used in the Cayenne Pro), which can be either removable or bonded to the shell.

The GTX designator signifies the top-of-the-line Rev’it clothing that utilizes the latest Gore-Tex membranes and best Rev’it technologies. For example, the Gore-Tex Pro Shell three-layer membrane used for the Everest GTX jacket shell includes Armacor, a Kevlar/Cordura fiber composite used in military fabrics (and very expensive), woven into the outer layer. This provides the highest level of membrane strength in the Gore-Tex arsenal and allows Gore-Tex to guarantee the jacket waterproof for life.

The reason we had so many black-colored jackets on display in the Rev’it showroom is because these were near-final prototype production versions. The Everest GTX also includes the TFL Cool treatment on the external shell fabric, which reduces heat absorption by reflecting part of the solar spectrum. TFL Cool is claimed to reduce surface temperatures by as much as 25 degrees C or 30% of the heat it absorbs in some cases.

However, the Everest GTX is also available in a very nice light gray with black trim, which has more of an earthy stone shade that is one of my favorites. The lighter colored Everest GTX also has the TFL Cool treatment, although it’s most noticeable in the black colors.

The front vents of the Everest GTX also feature the Gore-Tex “Lockout” zippers we told you about in 2009. This is a revolution in closure technology — it’s flat, it’s soft and flexible, it’s self healing (should it ever come apart, which is unlikely as we had difficulty trying to separate it by hand), it’s easy to operate and, best of all, it is completely waterproof, unlike a toothed zipper.

Lockout zippers are used in the front vents of the Everest GTX jacket and are laminated to the shell and placed with a complex system of materials and techniques to ensure the waterproof integrity and the Gore-Tex guarantee.

The Everest GTX includes the Exkin Air lightweight high-performance removable liner and, of course, the separate Gore-Tex Pro Shell liner is removable. Each liner can be used independently or in any combination, and Rev’it has color-coded the snaps and zippers to make liner removal and insertion as easy as possible.

The Everest GTX includes SAS-Tech armor in the shoulders and elbows and an optional SAS-Tech back protector. Large Superfabric abrasion-resistant panels are used along the outer arm. Superfabric is a type of ceramic-coated material used for very heavy-duty military and police tactical gear and it is claimed to provide much more protection against abrasion than either leather or any type of textile, such as Cordura.

Matching Everest GTX pants are also available, with the same high-tech liners, Superfabric panels and other features.

wBW Video: REV’IT! Everest GTX Jacket – Part 1

wBW Video: REV’IT! Everest GTX Jacket – Part 2: Details