Joe Rocket Phoenix 2.0 Jacket Review

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Joe Rocket Phoenix 2.0 Jacket Review - 8/25/08

I purchased this jacket in the summer of 2003, and wore it regularly during the hot days of summers since.

Fit
I am 5’ 7”, about 180 lbs., with a decent chunk in muscles and wide shoulders but also a bit of a tire at a 34” waist. I feel that the body of the Phoenix jacket fits me snug, which is how it should be. With the provided waist adjustments I can create a terrific fit. The back and shoulder armor is in the right place and feels like it will remain there should I fall.

The sleeves are where the Phoenix jacket is somewhat lacking for me; they are too wide and too long. I have the single elastic strap at each of the elbows as tight as they will go, but when riding at a brisk pace I can still feel the sleeves moving about. Furthermore, these straps have come apart sometimes as I am putting the jacket on. This concerns me when it comes to protection – I feel as if the elbow pads would not remain in place if I fell. The sleeves are better suited for someone with longer and much larger arms.

The cuffs at the end of the sleeves are made of Velcro and offer plenty of adjustability and are easy to use. However this also makes them rather flimsy. Again, I question how well it will hold up if I was to ever slide down the road.

Finish
The finish of this Joe Rocket Phoenix Jacket is terrific. There are no noticeable thread frays or other problems. It feels as if the jacket was thoroughly inspected at the factory prior to shipping to ensure proper fit and finish.

Features
The Joe Rocket Phoenix jacket features dual armor at the shoulders, elbows, and back, single soft foam armor at the lower back, and a removable wind and semi-waterproof liner. I can also bring the liner along on a hot day and use it in the evening if it gets too cold. It is fairly simple to remove and put on, and takes no more than 4-5 minutes. The liner can be used under other jackets, or even as a jacket in itself in a pinch.

The Phoenix jacket features two external pockets that are sturdy and fit a good amount of stuff. The internal pocket is rather flimsy and nearly impossible to access if the liner is fit.

The Phoenix jacket also comes with a 8” small of the back zipper designed to fit other pants motorcycle pants. This makes your jacket and pants into a semi-suit – it is a great feature I would recommend for everyone to use. There is however no way to attach this jacket to plain jeans. Another Joe Rocket jacket I have features an attachment loop that could be hooked either through a belt or belt hoops of your jeans and thus achieve at least some degree of integrity protection. I feel this is a worthwhile feature that should be added to any jacket, especially ones designed for summer when there is a high likelihood that one will only wear jeans on the bottom.

Protection
The outside mesh contains a much softer, almost foam-like armor. The inside has a much stiffer, plastic-like armor. The amount of protection offered on this jacket gives me confidence, the shoulder and back armors seem likely to remain in place during a crash. Although I feel that the armor at the elbows is sufficient, I am not confident that it will remain in place during a spill.

Comfort
Due to its low-weight, the flexible materials, and the good fit, the Joe Rocket Phoenix jacket feels very comfortable. No complaints wearing it and as long as you are moving at least slightly, you will get enough air circulation. Due to the extensive padding (of the armors) it is also very comfortable to wear with a backpack on.

Conclusion
Of course there is little substitute for leathers, but it is much better to wear a jacket like this than a T-shirt. If you are contemplating between wearing a T-shirt or a mesh jacket, do yourself a favor and buy one of these. If you are contemplating perforated leather versus a mesh jacket, then I would say that you should get the leathers hands-down unless you ride in super hot weather.

Overall I am very happy with this investment, especially considering that it is a 5+ year-old piece of clothing that has held up very well with little or no signs of wear. So in this review, I give this Joe Rocket Phoenix 2.0 Jacket two thumbs up for its intended use.