Fly Racing CoolPro II Ladies Mesh Jacket & Glove Test
Arriving at your destination in a sweat is no way to start the day, so Fly Racing’s CoolPro II Ladies mesh jacket is just the ticket for summer rides in hot climates. Fully mesh, the CoolPro II allows air to flow through unhindered across your entire upper body.
The CoolPro II’s abrasion-resistant mesh shell feels like a whisper —disconcertingly insubstantial, as if it’s only there to hang the technical elements together.
However, once the CoolPro II is zipped up, the Velcro-adjusted waist belts cinched, and the upper and lower sleeves gathered snug via three-position snaps, the CE-approved elbow and shoulder armor sit in just the right place.
With sleeves anatomically cut for the riding position, the jacket is unobtrusive and completely comfortable, which is how you want your riding gear to feel. The only hitch comes from the scratchy stitching on the underside of the Velcro tab closure at the jacket’s Mandarin collar; the CoolPro II will leave its mark on your neck if you are wearing a summery tank top.
Surprisingly generous storage resides in the spare Fly Racing jacket — two zippered hand pockets nicely tuck into the flattering vertical seams running down the front of the jacket; inside, there is a zippered upper pocket, and two Velcro-secured map pockets (one flapped, one without).
A featherweight water-resistant liner can be zipped and snapped in—though not quickly—as a credible windbreaker for cooler evening rides, or as cover for light rain. Reflective piping across the jacket’s upper back and shoulders adds welcome visibility for night excursions. Annoyingly, all three interior pockets are inaccessible when the liner is installed, and all five pockets will be drenched if it’s raining.
Matching CoolPro Ladies dirt-bike style mesh gloves complete the ensemble. With a pre-curved thumb design and stretchy mesh back panel, the glove hugs your hand and does not bunch up when gripping the handlebars.
A silicone patch on the palm, as well as on the two lever fingers and thumb, ensure a non- slip grip, and a rubber shock pad at the wrist bone — in addition to three small cushion pads at the heel — adds protection. The exceedingly comfortable gloves are kept in place by a Velcro tab closure. Sizing on the cropped gloves runs at least one size small.
Balancing the need for basic rider protection, while inviting gobs of air to sweep through the mesh shell to keep the rider from overheating, Fly Racing’s CoolPro II Ladies jacket and gloves are stylish and highly functional choices.
Story from Ultimate MotorCycling magazine. For subscription services, click here.
