Joe Rocket Rocket Nation Leather Jacket $324.99-$344.99
Joe Rocket is better known for its decidedly un-cruiser sport apparel, but the company does offer at least one jacket that seems to have slipped away from the sporty line and crossed over into our world.
The Rocket Nation jacket is a little bit gangsta, a little bit hardcore rider, and looks cool in the biker flag colors of black and red. It has a slim, manly cut that means business, but a sleek, updated profile that can't be bothered with a collar and a bunch of shiny, pretty snaps. Body-armor padding in the shoulders, spine, forearms and elbows adds some cushion if you start bouncing down the superslab, while the 1.2-1.4mm cowhide does what hide was born to do.
The jacket features an adjustable waistband, which comes in handy for growing Baby Boomers, a removable insulated vest liner, ventilation "shafts" and a reflective stripe for those afraid of the dark.
After some vigorous testing in some of the worst neighborhoods, wearing the jacket while I rolled around on various bikes, including a chopper, I can confidently say that the state of the Rocket Nation looks good, rides right, works well. The only mishap was a blown zipper pull.
The Rocket Nation jacket comes in Black, Gunmetal or Red in sizes 40-52, including tall sizes 44-50. Unlike some sport-wear makers, the Rocket Nation runs true to fat American sizes. It retails for $324.99-344.99. Matching Rocket Nation gloves are available for $39.95 in S-2X. -J. Joshua Placa
4 stars