AETHER Navigator Jacket

This is a relatively comfortable jacket. It feels like technical rain wear you buy from a outdoor sporting good store rather than motorcycle apparel.

I used the Revzilla sizing recommendation from the other Aether reviews and ordered a size 1. I am 5'5" have a 40" chest and a close enough belly. It has a slim fit but with some room for the waist because of the zipper adjustments at the side/hips. The jacket has a two-way main zipper to give flexibility in for different sitting positions. It has snug fit but allows me to move easily. The arms have a little room. If you have thick arms they may be snug or tight. I rated this slightly large because it accommodates my gut. However, it is trim.

I did not see the armor rating in the description. In case, you need to know, the D3O armor for the back is CE level 2 and the rest are level 1.

I have ridden this temperatures ranging from mid 50's to high 80's F. For me, 85F is probably the highest I would want to use this. The jacket has two vents in the front and two in the back. They help but not enough at slower speeds. The lowest I prefer to use this is in the mid 60. If I was thinner, I could layer more and expand the lower range.

I don't have experience with the waterproof characteristics. I will update this post if I have any information in the future.

This jacket is very expensive. Its value is subjective. In theory, it offers great protection for a textile and is waterproof. It is comfortable and looks stylish. In essence, this jacket works nicely off the bike while having serious motorcycle coverage. You can think of it has two jackets in one. I like it. Still, $750 is high.

Bought this jacket based on my experience with a couple pairs of Aether pants I have as well as my experience with Schoeller fabrics. The Aether product is very well put together and based on the materials and the make the product should hold up as good as anything else I've used. I own a Klim Lattitude which I love but it's hot and heavy for rides in warm weather. I sometimes hate to put it on. The Navigator is a lot lighter weight and the Schoeller fabric is more breathable in my opinion. I have great experience with Schoeller fabrics in technical outerwear including their Cold Black treatment. This really works to keep the fabric from absorbing heat from UV rays from the sun. Compared to my black Klim Goretex it's certainly noticeably cooler and more breathable.

On a recent trip I rode through temps from the 40's to 80 degrees and through rain and sun. The jacket stayed dry, and venting was good in these temps layering up in the colder temps. Pockets are well placed and abundant enough to carry everything I need without being too bulky or too many pockets. Center front zip has a double slider which is great for opening from the bottom a ways to vent when it's hot. Sleeve's are long enough when reaching for the bars which has always been an issue for me. Collar is just the right fit for me and comfortable when zipped and snapped up. Fit in general is great for me. I went with a size 4, for reference I take a large in Klim. I'm 6'1 and 170Lbs medium build, so maybe it runs slightly small based on their size chart. A size 3 may have worked but not allowed layering up for colder weather.

Styling is a super clean aesthetic which I was after. Logo-ing is super minimal and it has good reflective piping. Yes the jacket is expensive but reasonable considering all of the features, materials, d30 armor, etc IMHO. So far, I'm really happy with the purchase and looking forward to the warmer riding of the summer when I still want full protection and waterproofness on a tour. If I had to come up with anything nit-picky I'd say the amount of snaps up the front placket is a bit excessive but not a big deal, I just don't snap all of them every time.

My requirements when looking for a new jacket were:
1. Textile (already have some nice leathers).
2. Good for summer riding but not mesh. I wanted to be able seal up the vents to keep the wind off of me if it got extremely hot or colder.
3. 4-season and all-weather functionality.
4. High quality and excellent style that I could wear out and about, even to work (business casual).

This jacket was one of the only ones that met all of those requirements, for me. The downside is the price; I feel like if a larger manufacturer like Rev'it or Spidi or Dainese made this exact same jacket the price would be substantially less, but this was pretty much the only jacket that met all of my requirements. I also tried on the Skyline and the Rally, but felt that the Navigator would be easier to layer up under than the Rally, and stay cooler than both of them with the Coldblack treatment. I also like the look of it a lot more than the Skyline.

The jacket is extremely comfortable and looks great in person, seriously high quality. It feels more lightweight than other textile jackets, which is a plus, and looks more "natural" and not stiff. I have to trust that the Schoeller material is as protective as advertised, as I don't plan on testing it. Comes with great D3O armor that is hardly noticeable to an observer.

In temperatures from about 55 to 90 degrees or so, it's done its job well. Moves very well on the bike and flows enough air that if you dress smartly underneath it (I have a moisture wicking base layer for hot days) it doesn't feel too hot. I have yet to wear it above 93 degrees or so, but nothing feels great when things get that hot and if temps hit the high 90s or above this summer on a long-distance ride (I bought this mostly for long trips so wanted it to be waterproof, unlike a leather jacket) I plan to seal up to keep the hot air off of me and wear a wet base layer and evaporative cooling vest underneath, and I think that this will work well based on the amount of air you can get up the sleeves if need be, while keeping hot air to the body and sweating minimal. I'll update later if I'm mistaken.

My only real gripe is the price, and it took me weeks to justify spending this much money on this jacket. I feel like they should have included a removal liner for this price; for instance, my Triumph Leybourne came with a beautiful quilted liner that actually doesn't even zip into the Leybourne, it's just a separate jacket completely, which I wear as a light jacket all the time. For the price, I really think that Aether could have included something like that. I also think that another manufacturer like Rev'it or Dainese or Spidi or whomever could have made the same jacket and sold it for a good deal less, but...they didn't.

In the end, I decided to shell out a ton of money for this, and I'm glad I did. Like many people, I've wasted a lot of money on lower priced gear that just didn't work out. I think that I'll be using this for the next 5-10 years, and if that's the case, it'll definitely be worth it.

Lastly, you can remove the armor and it'll make a great jacket for other things, like spring skiing or snowboarding or just wearing around town, so it's very versatile.