Fly flux air mesh jacket review

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MrJoel
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Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2014 6:42 am

Ok, stopped into motorcycle superstore today here in Louisville. I was very interested in the fly flux jacket for a couple reasons and wanted to try one on and get one. I loved the fact that it's under $100, comes in hi-viz, and looked very comfortable and cool (I sweat a lot when it gets above 70 degrees so this was very appealing to me). They brought it out in my normal 2x and the color was commanding of attention, to the point where people driving by the store immediately put down their cellphones and paid attention to the road and me...even through the cement walls! Yes, it was that bright! A true anti-cloaking device (gotta throw out a little Star Trek lingo after Spocks passing today). But that is where the love affair ended.

As I grabbed the jacket from the clerk, I noticed how light the thing was! Good right? Not when I noticed how huge the mesh holes were! If you go down, you are getting road rash...the holes are a good 1/8" in diameter and it's just and inner and outer mesh construction....it honestly reminded me of the fish net stockings on the Christmas Story leg lamp! The "armor" was maybe a 1/4" thick and just a PE rating on it (although upgrades are available) and those didn't line up with where they were supposed to protect, I had a forearm pad and a bicep pad but filled out the width of the jacket and the arm length was perfect! The back protector didn't fit flat against my back and was the same thickness as well. The padding was closer to a maxi pad than something I would be putting trust in to save body parts from impact.

I ended up getting an Icon Anthem Hi-Viz mesh jacket that was in a completely different league for $25 more. If you are thinking about the Fly Flux Air Mesh jacket, don't get it online, go somewhere that has one and look it over well. Take a friend and have them do a broomstick armor test on your elbow while wearing it, then...if you do buy it, have said friend use the broom on your head cause it ain't working right if you are buying this for crash protection. Sorry Fly, but this jacket just doesn't cut it :(
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