Fieldsheer Adventure Tour Suit Test
Celebrating its 35th year, Fieldsheer is a brand in resurgence. Formerly a high-end racing-oriented apparel company, Fieldsheer has reinvented itself as a maker of premium motorcycle touring and sport riding gear.
The Fieldsheer Adventure Tour jacket and pants combo is designed for four-season use thanks to a high level of adaptability. Testing the gear in temperatures ranging from the 90s to the 40s, we were impressed.
With two interior layers that can be worn individually or together, plus a nice selection of vents, the Adventure Tour jacket is all about personalization for the weather. Of course, everyone has different sensitivities to heat and cold, so your comfort may vary.
Wearing a t-shirt under the Adventure Tour jacket in hot weather with all the vents open, you should be good into the 90s. It’s a bit warm, as it doesn’t have the huge open panels that some more summer-oriented jackets do, and venting is limited. The six modestly sized zippered intake vents (four body, two arms) and three exhaust vents can only do so much.
As the temperatures drop into the 80s, the Adventure Tour is perfect without the inner quilted liner. The 70s suggest closing the vents, which truly does stop the airflow through the jacket. What you will notice is a significant amount of air coming in around the neck and out the bottom.
Dropping into the 60s, I felt the need to move to a long sleeve shirt, yet I was still perfectly comfortable. That’s a 30-degree range without any change in the jacket, other than closing vents.
As you start to see the 50s, it is time for the quilted vest to be installed. Fieldsheer makes it easy, as the interior uses a single zipper to secure it to the jacket. Each cuff has two color-coded loop-and-snap interfaces that take just a few moments to connect.
This combination worked in to the upper 40s, which is fairly cold for riding at open highway speeds. There is a removable, zip-on/Velcro-adjusted high-rise gaiter to warm your neck. It also banishes cold air and rain from the interior, with help from the double-flap closure in the front.
Weather patterns stopped me from testing any lower, though had it dropped into the lower 40s, I would have gone to some base layering. Experience with Fly Racing’s Heavyweight base layer tells me that I’d get another 15 degrees of comfort, which takes me right down to freezing.
At that point I park the bike, as I’m not a fan of ice on pavement. That means I can happily wear the Adventure Tour jacket over a range of 60 degrees without resorting to electric heating.
From a riding standpoint, Fieldsheer nailed it. Without the liner, the jacket is highly transparent— nothing binds or restricts, flaps around or bloats. Thanks to a fairly thin liner, the fit remains consistent, though you have that enjoyable snugness you want in colder temperatures. Again, there is no reduction in ease of movement and the jacket simply feels good.
To customize the fit, there are two three-position snaps on each arm, Velcro belts on each side, plus Velcro wrist and neck closures. Set them up and you will be rewarded with a great fit.
There is also a rain layer that zips into the sleeves to enhance waterproofing. Fieldsheer has a proprietary Rainguard membrane that claims to be waterproof and breathable. We can vouch for its breathability, but a persistent drought locally prevented us from testing it in a downpour.
On the practical side, the Adventure Tour jacket has a decent number of usable pockets. There are two zipped hand pockets and two Velcro-flap cargo pockets on the exterior, but they are stacked, which limits their capacity if you don’t like a lumpy look.
Inside, you will find a deep zippered chest pocket, plus two special use pockets with Velcro flaps—one takes an iPhone 5 and the other snuggly holds a tri-fold wallet. Installing the liner means you swap the wallet pocket for a narrow pouch suited to a pen or similarly shaped tire pressure gauge.
For protection, there is CE armor in the elbows and shoulders, as usual. Unexpectedly, the back armor is also CE-approved, something we rarely see.
Fieldsheer’s matching Adventure Tour pants are, not surprisingly, a bit less com- plicated. There’s only one removable zip-in interior layer, and that does double duty for warmth and waterproofing. There is no venting, and you will be warm in 90-degree temps. The liner is comfortable up to the high 70s, and even in the 40s, my legs weren’t asking for a base layer for warmth.
There are two front pockets, two in the back, and one on the right thigh — all with waterproof zippers and a decent capacity. The fit is great, with or without the liner, and the widely adjustable lower leg area allows for any size boots. The waist is highly adjustable via two Velcro belts, so you can gain a few, or knock off some pounds and the pants will still fit. Abundant stretch panels make it easy to mount and dismount any bike, including tall adventure models.
There is CE armor in the knees, plus foam padding in the hips. Both the jacket and pants have plenty of Phoslite reflective material, so if someone has his head- lights on, you will be seen in the dark or in rainy conditions.
Independently, the Fieldsheer Adventure Tour jacket and pants are absolute winners. Used in conjunction (and they can be zipped together), you have a set of riding gear that should take you from freezing to nearly triple digits in comfort and safety. Fieldsheer is back.
Story from Ultimate MotorCycling magazine; for subscription services, click here.
