Joe Rocket -- Durability

[cay]

Hi folks,

This is a variation on the 'I just bought my bike, what sort of gear should I buy?' question.  Every time a new rider comes along with a very limited gear budget Joe Rocket textiles seem to get recommended a lot.  I've heard some worrying things about their craftmanship, though -- according to stories I've heard (second and third hand) they don't seem to hold together for more than a season.

How many folks are currently wearing JR gear?  What are you wearing (rawwr)?  How long have you been wearing it?  How is it holding up?

I'm considering an Alter Ego jacket, but if it's going to die by October I'll shop for some leather instead.

thanks,

C

[vtlion]

Joe Rocket Atomic Gloves... lasted bout 3000 miles.  leather in the palms has become so soft and flexible I'm afraid to wear them anymore.
Joe Rocket Phoenix Shoes... velcro peeling after 2 days.  Soles peeling after about 1000 miles.
Joe Rocket Stage 1 Pants... cheap plastic buckle broke second ride out.  Otherwise holding up ok after 1000 miles. zippers feel cheap though.
Joe Rocket Phoenix Jacket... worn about 100 miles.. already looks frayed about the ends of the arms (I wear gauntlet style leather gloves now)

Make your own call... as for me... I will never buy a mesh or textile JR product again.

I do hear good things about their leather items though  :dunno:

Gear I love and have used without problems:

Astars TZ1 leather... just plain AWESOME
Teknic violator gloves... tough as nails... scores an 'ok' for comfort
Oxtar TCS race boots... very comfy and functional... lorica feels a little thin, but then again, they are race boots.. got a smokin' deal on em too.

[Stephen072774]

I have a JR Reactor S, the one with leather sleeves and textile body.  I really like the jacket.  I have had it since Christmas, so its still pretty new, but its well broken in and wears very good.  Seems to be a pretty good jacket with good armor.  I don't expect it to fall apart at the seams anytime soon.

My JR stage 1 gloves, however, have started to come apart.  They are only a few months old too. :x   So in my limited opinion, jackets fair/good, gloves bad.

[ghettorigged]

I ride with the women's versions of the JR Meteor 4 jacket and the Comet gloves. I have wrecked twice on them and both have held up great. As a matter of fact, I am planning on buying the pants to go with the jacket because I have been very happy with the gear thus far.  

[cay]

ghettorigged -- you didn't specify how long you've been wearing the Meteor, although I hope you haven't laid down your GS twice this season already.  

[art]

I have a JR Powerglide leather jacket. It's very comfortable on a ride. I've worn it regularly just out and about since the end of February, as it makes a great casual jacket as well.

So far I am very happy with it. List is $500, but it cost me $150ish including shipping from VooDoo via eBay (brand spankin' new!). There are three currently available with a BIN of $180 (search for joe rocket powerglide).

Cheers!
Norm Arthurs

[ghettorigged]

ghettorigged -- you didn't specify how long you've been wearing the Meteor, although I hope you haven't laid down your GS twice this season already.  

hehe, whoopsie!

I got the gear last season. Both times I was off the bike, it was my dualie, not my GS.    I am WAY more careful with the civilized GS than my beastly DRZ.   :mrgreen:

[cernunos]

I don't have any JR products. I still use a leather jacket I bought in 1978 at a Honda shop. Yeah, rode a Harley and wore a Honda jacket . The jacket is pretty thread-bare but I keep patching it up till my Bebe tells me to just go buy another jacket. But It's sentimental I guess. I wear a pair of Ozark Trail boots and the gloves are either my nose-pickers I use with the wheelchair or a pair of military gauntlet gloves with removable liners that I've also had about 25-30 years. The helmet is a Vista XPV with a visor that allows wasps to enter and entertain me . Bebe says I should have gotten a full-face. After last week's episode with a visitor from the family of Vespidae maybe she's right. Oh, and I just wear jeans on the legs...I know, I know, they don't prevent road-rash for sh**. But can you teach an old dog new tricks? Jaysus I love the GS500 and this forum.

Cernunos

[manofthefield]

I have the Joe Rocket Hard Drive Jacket and Highside Gloves.  Damn, looks like they lowered the prices again.  I bought the stuff in April, its been ridden for about 1500 miles.  The gloves were and are thin, but holding up just fine.  My big complaint about the jacket is that one of the rivets in the shoulder has pulled halfway through for no particular reason.  Look closely and you can see it in the picture. (Don't mind the speckles in the jacket, they are just bugs)

What's wierd is that only one of 12 rivits in the shoulders is doing this.  Other than this I am quite happy with the jacket, it fits well, has many pockets, has a zip out fleece liner, vents in the arms, and for the most part is well designed and rugged.  Will my next jacket be Joe Rocket?  No, probably not, but it was an inexpensive first jacket and should last me a couple more years.  Also, if I do go down I trust that I will be happy I was wearing it.

[Hi-T]

I've rode 5,000 miles in 6 months in JR Gear.  I can't remember the glove style, but the jacket is a meteor 4.  It's dirty, has 2 or 3 minor threads hanging, but otherwise it's in great shape.  I've been riding in 95 degree weather and am a little hot but can't complain.

I met someone first hand who lowsided in the exact same jacket at 40 mph.  He broke a rib on impact but lost no skin- the jacket was toast but he was fine.

[ghettorigged]

I
I met someone first hand who lowsided in the exact same jacket at 40 mph.  He broke a rib on impact but lost no skin- the jacket was toast but he was fine.

That's GREAT to hear since I have the same jacket! woohoo, go me!   :mrgreen:

[BRB96Z34]

I've had a JR Phoenix jacket for about a month or so now.  Seems to be a well made jacket and I have no problems with it so far.  However, I don't expect the jacket to survive more than one crash and I don't think it was made for that anyway.  I am more than satisfied with it so far.

[oppy00]

I think my JR jacket is a Meteor, but I'm not sure.  It has held up well.  I've had it for about 2 years.  Although I haven't been riding a whole lot, and it gets so durn hot here in GA, that I often wear anotther jacket.

[spotswood_suzuki]

Reactor jacket..the mesh and leather for 3 years and 1 low side and still in good shape, balistic textile jacket for the other 3 seasons for 2 years or so, also in good shape.  I got a pair of JR leather pants from the guy I bought the bike from...he had barely worn them and we were the same size.  I think they are the blaster pants...not sure but has all the armor and padding.  Have had those for 3 years and 1 low side and also holding up very well.  When I first got them the zipper broke.  I emailed JR about it and they told me to take it to a local shop to get it replaced and they would  refund what ever it cost me.  I did get the zipper replaced...cost about $25, but never did submit the bill.  It was nice to know that they offered to cover the cost without an argument.

Wayne

[mes_423]

i have a jr phoenix jacket, and this is its second summer. its has no rips of anykind on it. its been a aweasome jacket and god knows i need it here is arizona. :mrgreen:

[davipu]

it's nor a jr but it's better for the same money I think.  it's my Teknic Chicane jacket wind and water resistant to a buck 10, laid bike down at:10,15, and 45 miles a hour can't even tell I've been down in it.  and thebest part ever Teknic is the only company that sells gear in America that's armor is CE certified.

[Afterburner]

I have 3 JR Phoenix jackets, worn a total of 15K miles and they're great -- comfy, cool, protective, and still look good.  Had a low-speed get-off in one of them, broke 2 ribs and the jacket still looks like new.  They all seem to be made well.

3 pairs JR leather pants -- fantastic.  Very comfy, no problems at all.

JR gloves -- not bad, not a great fit.  Better than my FG gloves for which the layer covering the knuckles has come unsewn.  

I'd have to go to the garage to tell you what specific gloves or pants, but I don't think it matters.  

Yes, I'm a happy JR customer.

[Rema1000]

I have a JR Meteor (I think... 3/4 length jacket), which I wore for one season.  Nothing tore or wore through on it.  My main complaints are that:

The thermal liner is sleeveless; but I just use a polar fleece, and it's good through November.

The jacket is unlined, and the cordura is scratchy, including in the arms (where the thermal liner doesn't go).  A nylon lining would be nice.

It has no cinch straps around the arms, so it is too baggy there.  This is a big reason why I quit wearing it: I'm sure the armor would have slid around my arm, and I would have gotten jacket-rash. (I think that most JR jackets have snaps or straps; I've never tried snaps, but I would think that adjustable straps would be best).

The armor is cheesy "dual-density".  I think it is probably the cheapest armor in the industry, among the major manufacturers.  Get CE if you can; GP if you can't.  GP with memory-foam backing is nice.

The zipper is not full circumference (but this is normal for that type of jacket).

Good things were, it was cheap, it looked good, it seemed pretty comfortable with a sleeved liner in it; it seemed pretty cool (with the liner out) for a 3/4-length jacket.

It just wasn't quite protective enough for me.   I now wear a Roadcrafter suit.  It is hotter than the JR, but otherwise more comfortable and waaay more protective.  On the other hand, I've had failures of 2 out of 4 of the zippers, so it has its own problems.

[Jeff P]

I've got the JR Atomic jacket.  It's seen about 14 months and 3,500 miles.  It's in very good shape.  No loose stiching, nothing falling off.  The right shoulder took a good whack when I lowsided at 10-15 a few months ago, but it held up well.  Some slight scuffing that's hardly noticeable.  I think this is a great, inexpensive, "three season" jacket.

I also have a pair of the Atomic Jeans.  I like them quite a bit, unfortunately they're too short for my long legs so I hardly wear them.  Damn S-M-L-XL sizing  :guns:  

jeff

[pdg108]

I have had a JR Atomic for about 2.5 seasons, around 3000 miles worth.  It still looks new.  Zero problems with it.
I heard that JR had seroius quality control issues when they started up but have since got it more under control.  Which is why some people got lemons, and others had no problems.  I guess I got luckey?