Fieldsheer Mach.2 and Sonic.Air

Air suit combo is a winner

During the warmer months, mesh gear is just what the doctor ordered. The question that many riders have is how durable is it in a crash?

If you hit the pavement at 60 mph, the number of feet it takes for material to shred apart and put your flesh in contact with the pavement looks like this.

• 0 Feet – Tank top, tee shirt, sandals, shorts
• 4 feet – Blue jeans, Dickies, tennis shoes, REI outdoor hiking jacket
• 22 Feet – Textile-only mesh riding gear
• 88 Feet – Leather Jacket, leather pants, leather boots, full fingered leather riding gloves

Fieldsheer has combined the best of all worlds in a protective mesh riding outfit that combines leather and CE rated armor at all the critical points (elbows, shoulders, hips, back and knees) with a poly mesh outer shell. The jacket is called the Mach.2, the pants are called Sonic.Air. Each provides some of the best protection and comfort that money can buy today.

Motorcycle clothing in general has come a long way in the last five years. Yet, it's shocking just how few people dress to protect their bodies from harm. In the old days few owned leather, and most who did wouldn't wear it on a hot riding day. As textiles developed in the market more riders started wearing more protective clothing, yet by the time the outdoor air gets over about 75 degrees, many riders shed the gear and ride practically naked. A recent trip around both Mt. Rainier and the Hood Canal in 80 plus degree weather revealed that 90% of the riders on the road were riding virtually unprotected.

Cost, of course, is a consideration. After all, if you ride in shorts and tennis shoes you have to seriously consider what a bill at the emergency room will be to patch you up after you come off your bike due to an unforeseen road hazard, such as gravel or another motorist making a left hand turn in front of you. After you pay for the EMT, ambulance ride and emergency room services your bill could be well over $1,000. For half that price you can get into a Mach.2/Sonic.Air outfit and save yourself a lot of pain in the event you go down.

The Mach.2 jacket ($179) and Sonic.Air pants ($169) breathe very well and fit comfortably. Each comes in black – while the jacket is also available in five other color options and even includes a zip out liner. My choice of color on the jacket was yellow, which ups your visibility and gets you looking like a bumble bee on the road – a sight not to be missed.

The zip out liner in the jacket is a godsend for anyone who likes to ride… and ride… and ride. Even on an 85 degree day, by nightfall the air tends to chill down and the liner comes in very handy. The liner also features a few built-in pockets of its own, one that's tailored just for a cell phone or snack bar.

The pants feature front pockets on both sides. We've come across so many funky pockets on motorcycle riding pants I started thinking the day may never come when someone designed a simple front pocket that didn't require three hands to get into. Fieldsheer has done it, making access to money, keys and otherwise a snap.

Many parts of the pants are elasticized, making it a good fit on both guys and gals. But Fieldsheer went one step further making both available in men's and women's sizes.

If the style of the Mach.2 jacket isn't your cup of tee, check out the Sonic.Air jacket. There's also a pair of leather/textile mesh gloves in the line.

TM/Summer 03

The see all the Fieldsheer product lines, visit

• Renton Motorcycles, RMC
• Lynnwood Cycle Barn
• Seattle Cycle Center
• Paulson's Suzuki, Lacey
• Beaverton Cycle, Tigard
• Cycle Sports, Eugene