Aerostich Windstopper Jersey | Gear Review
Being a motorcyclist requires grit. We’re willing to risk discomfort, inconvenience, and hardship because the rewards are worth it. Every motorcycle ride has the potential to be a life-affirming adventure that we’ll talk about for years to come. And sometimes that means being cold, wet, hot, enveloped in fog, or blown about by wind. That’s where the Aerostich Windstopper Jersey comes in.
Just as smart riders know how to mitigate risk, we also know how to deal with adverse weather. We wear waterproof apparel or carry rain gear. We wear mesh or ventilated gear in the warm summer months, and we layer up or use heated gear in cold months. The Windstopper Jersey is a lightweight, long-sleeved pullover jersey made of Gore-Tex Windstopper fabric, a high-tech synthetic material that prevents wind from passing through but, like other Gore-Tex membranes, is also breathable and allows sweat vapor to escape.
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Read our review of the Aerostich R-3 one-piece riding suit shown above
The Windstopper Jersey has a loose cut and is designed to be part of a layering system – worn over a base layer, fleece, or heated liner and under a dedicated riding jacket or suit. The slightly stretchy fabric allows the jersey to move naturally with the body. There are elastic wrist cuffs to prevent wind from creeping up the sleeves, as well as an elastic collar, though it doesn’t seal snugly around the neck. There is also thin padding on the elbows and a small, zippered pocket on the upper left arm.
I’ve been wearing a Windstopper Jersey for several years, and when I take off on multi-day tours, it’s either on my body or in my saddlebag, even in summer. Western states often have mercurial weather, with weird micro-climates that range from foggy and 50 degrees on the coast to sunny and 90 degrees just a few miles inland. During a ride through Colorado last August, it was a teeth-chattering 40 degrees on the Million Dollar Highway in the morning and nearly 100degrees in the Four Corners area a few hours later.
Following a winter storm on a recent press launch ride, it was 60 degrees in the Coachella Valley near Palm Springs and just above freezing in the San Jacinto Mountains. I wore a thick synthetic base layer, my Patagonia R1 fleece pullover, and my Windstopper Jersey under my riding apparel. With no heated grips, my fingers ached from the cold, but the layers kept my arms and core warm.
It’s easy to shed the Windstopper as needed, and it stuffs into a self-storing pocket sewn on the inside of the jersey (which makes for a nice little pillow for roadside naps!). It’s available in Black, Tan, or Olive Green (shown; mine is in a blue color that’s no longer offered) in sizes M-2XL for $137. A version with a front pouch-style handwarmer pocket is available in Tan for $147. Like Aerostich’s suits, jackets, and pants, the Windstopper is sewn at the company’s factory in Duluth, Minnesota, USA.
For more information, visit aerostich.com.
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