The Vanson Night Falcon jacket we tested was off the rack, but it fit us as if it were tailored. This waist-length garment is solidly built, using a heavy-duty Cordura 1000 shell coated with polyurethane for waterproofness. Even with that stout material, we were pleasantly surprised at how effectively the Falcon dispensed cool air to our torso. On a Motorcycle Cruiser tour covering several climate zones, the Falcon handled temperature changes adeptly.
The secret to the Night Falcon jacket is a patented venting system on the front body; vertical zippers pull down a strip of outer Cordura, exposing perforated leather underneath. This allows cooling breezes inside, and enables the rider to modulate the degree of ventilation. There's also an air-induction system that channels cool air up the arms, and two exit vents control currents in the lower back, for an intake/exhaust effect and great climate control. All those entry points, however, make the jacket drafty when the sun goes down, so we'd add the compatible, insulated Streamliner Vest or the electrically heated Electron Vest to ward off cooler temperatures. The jacket has snaps to accept the vests and a zipper to fasten to many of Vanson's pants.
The Falcon also has dual-density foam armor and leather patches for protection in the shoulders and forearms. An adjustable hook-and-loop waistband cinches the jacket from within, and 3M reflective piping lights you up at night. The only beef we had was with the smallish inside pockets which only allowed room for keys and a wallet. Also, we felt the zipper pulls on all the closures should be bigger for easier actuation with gloved hands.
The Night Falcon is a good looking, bulletproof jacket with a little bit of everything. It's already one of our well-worn favorites. The jacket comes in XS to XXXL sizes in men's and women's versions and will run you $395. Get it in black, blue, camo, gray, red or yellow/black.
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