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Summary A step up from previous Joe Rocket designs,
the Dry Tech Nano jacket (and pants) are claimed "One Hundred Percent
Waterproof". The jacket has several unique features but the styling, the
single color choice and a few details that seem a bit out of place on a $500.00
jacket may give pause to some potential owners.
Background
About 10 years ago, when we first started publishing
product reviews, the Joe Rocket brand was known for inexpensive clothing that
you'd buy only if you couldn't afford anything else. Those days are long
gone, however, and the company is now known for building some very nice gear
that is the first choice of many, at prices that are still affordable.
They have slowly but surely evolved the product line, as
evidenced by gear such as the Ballistic 3/4-length jacket, which is now at rev 8
with the new Ballistic 8.0. The Ballistic jacket once held the top spot
in the Joe Rocket textile jacket hierarchy, and it's still a hugely popular
choice and can be found at an excellent price compared to other brands.
But it's now 2010 and Joe Rocket has released the Dry Tech Nano
jacket and pants as the new flagship outfit. Included are several unique features and,
of course, the "Nano" fabric which,
according to the company, was "originally developed as an air filtration system
(that is so) effective that water is filtered from the air at the nano level".
I'm not sure if my scientist friends would agree with that
sentence, but the promise of "One Hundred Percent
Waterproof" by Joe Rocket is the big draw here.
I've been riding with the Nano outfit for the last few weeks, ducking snowflakes because it seems like
months since we last liquid water coming from the sky instead of the white
stuff. Thus, it is difficult to comment on the ability of the Nano jacket
and pants to resist water, although we ran a couple of off-beat tests to try and
get an idea.
What I can say is that the outfit is keeping me very warm and it
compares with just about anything else I've worn in similar conditions and both the
Nano jacket and Nano pants have outstanding wind-blocking capabilities.
But a couple of the features hold me back from giving a complete
endorsement, including the styling and the availability of only the single
black-and-gray color combination you see here. Also, the pants need a
re-think in the way they're cut, because the sizing is a bit odd. I'll
cover the pants in Part II of this review.
Meanwhile, let's take a look at the Joe Rocket Dry Tech Nano
Jacket. And by the way, I guess we can add this to our semi-continuing
Fall Water-Resistant Jacket series, which I've re-labeled as the "2009-2010
Water-Resistant Clothing Series", which includes the following:
The Joe Rocket Dry Tech Nano Jacket Shell
Perhaps there is a specific Joe Rocket strategy to let the clothing
speak for itself. Or perhaps the marketing department is deliberately
playing it low-key.
I'll believe the former.
But you'd think with brand-new and revolutionary (for
Joe Rocket) jacket and pants "system" they'd be crowing about it every way they
could. However, there just isn't all that much technical information
available regarding the Nano jacket and pants. The outfit just sort of showed up one day on the Joe Rocket
website and that was that.
The most notable feature of the outfit is surely the namesake Nano fabric.
What it is and how it works is somewhat of a mystery; apparently the fabric uses
some type of nanotechnology treatment to repel water while allowing it to
breathe.
The fabric used for the shell material is the now-typical Joe Rocket "Abrasion
Resistant Rock Tex" of 600 Denier. The material is said to be "bonded to a nano web layer" that gives it water resistance ("waterproof" in Joe Rocket
parlance) while also allowing it to breath, with "airflow permeability that
rivals mesh jackets for maximum ventilation ... even in a rain storm".
I'm not sure about that, but I can say that the Nano jacket is
amazingly windproof, noticeable immediately on my first ride wearing it, in
40-degree F temperatures. I've been wearing only a cotton T-shirt and
cotton turtleneck underneath the jacket and I feel perfectly comfortable in the
very cold weather, which is unusual.
The offset zipper on the liner, combined with a very large
secondary storm flap under the main zipper, do an excellent job at preventing
cold air from reaching the chest (notwithstanding the storm flap issues
discussed in the next section).
In fact, if the jacket does hold up to anywhere near those
breathability claims when the weather turns warm (one can only hope), then this
jacket and this material truly will be revolutionary.
But back to the waterproof issue. Lots of claims have been
made for "nano" products recently, and you'd probably need an atomic force
microscope to determine the truth. Or a motorcyclist...
I'll bet dollars to doughnuts somebody somewhere will be wearing
the Nano outfit while riding in a downpour and will complain that it leaks.
That's why we use the term "water resistant" instead of "waterproof".
I can't really comment on the water resistance of the Nano
outfit because of the record-breaking cold and snowy winter weather that
established itself just about the time the Nano clothing arrived. We tried
pouring water on it, soaking it, setting it in a bucket of ice water...and it
seems like it meets Joe Rocket claims, but only time will tell.
Something else to note is the weight of the Nano jacket with its
liner included. This jacket in size large weighs a hefty 2.7 kg (6 lbs.)
and the pants in size XL weigh 2.3 kg (5 lbs.). That's a lot of weight and
everyone who has picked up the jacket has commented on the heft.
The elbow (L) and shoulder armor is external and removable. Elbow armor is
two-position adjustable.
More Interesting Features of the Nano Jacket
Besides the Dry Tech Nano fabric, the jacket includes several other features of
note:
Big Air Ventilation System: The main front zipper can be left open to expose a second zipper
underneath that connects two sections of mesh fabric that run down the front of
the jacket. Joe Rocket calls this their "Big Air Ventilation System".
There's a design issue here though. The jacket shell has a
large permanently attached internal flap that acts as a wind blocker, and it
works well. But it's placed underneath the also permanently attached Big
Air mesh panels that zip together.
So if the Big Air system is to be used in warm weather, the
wind-blocking flaps underneath prevent the air from getting through, unless they
are stuffed inside the jacket.
This can be done, and because the flaps are
permanently attached, they can easily be folded back out and zippered up when
the temperature drops. But I'm surprised there isn't a method to attach
the flaps inside the jacket when they're not being used, perhaps with some
hook-and-loop or snaps.
Nano jacket and matching Nano pants.
Rain
Skirt: The jacket has a skirt around the bottom hem that secures with a
couple of snaps on each side to the inside of the jacket shell when not in use
and can be tightened around the rider's waist when needed to keep out wind and
water.
It has a large elastic band around the bottom and it's a nice
idea, found on other Joe Rocket jackets like the
Ballistic 7.0 we reviewed and which was our 2007 Product of the Year.
This feature should be included in every jacket designed for cold or wet
conditions, no matter the brand.
Pant and Waist Attachments: Under the skirt
are four large belt loops which can be used to secure the jacket to a pants
belt.
In addition, the jacket and the matching Joe Rocket Nano pants each
have a small attachment zipper.
External Armor: Other features include shoulder armor that is placed on the
outside of the shell, under a protective fabric.
The armor is removable
from the outside of the jacket and although I'm not sure what that really does
for you, having the armor on the outside seems to give a better fit to the
jacket on the inside.
The elbow armor is also on the outside and it has two separate
pockets that can be used to adjust the position for best fit.
Most of the
external zippers are of the water-resistant type, but they probably don't help
the
styling issues because of the 3 water-resistant zippers on
either arm, which gives the jacket a busy look.
External Waist Adjusters: The sides of the jacket have dual waist adjusters, leaving a lot
of hook-and-loop material to catch dirt and dander. We definitely noticed
that the black material on the Nano jacket is like an incredibly strong magnet
for picking up lint and pet hair; I'm not sure if this is related to the Nano
fabric treatment or not, but it is very noticeable.
The jacket also includes a third hook-and-loop adjuster under
the arms on each side, which helps pull the jacket snug around the chest, making
for a tighter fit and less cold air movement underneath.
Color Choices: Which brings me to the single color choice. Perhaps the
special treatment or fabric has something to do with the limited color, but it
would be nice to have brighter colors in "Version 2.0", or at least more of the
yellow which is featured on the jacket in only very tiny dots on the sleeve and
a hint of yellow on the pull tab ends.
A jacket made for riding in poor conditions like rain should be
as visible as possible. So if you buy a Nano jacket, be sure to read our
reviews of high-visibility and LED lighted vests -- you may need one.
Joe Rocket Nano Jacket: Zippers, Vents
Since we're in the middle of winter, I can't comment on the warm-weather
capabilities of the Nano jacket. As I mentioned above, the jacket and the
warm and thick liner have kept me extraordinarily warm; thus, it's difficult to
believe that the jacket will have good ventilation in the summer.
But, anything's possible -- especially with the venting system on the Nano
jacket, which includes the "Big Air" system up front and two large 26 cm long
vertical zippers in the rear, just behind the arms.
Note that there are no other front vents on the chest or arms other than the
Big Air system, which I have not tried due to the current weather conditions. How
this system will work and whether or not I can get used to riding with the main
front zipper open remains to be seen.
By the way, the front zippers are YKK labeled. The main shell zipper is
black; the Big Air zipper is light gray and the liner zipper is black, but I had
no problems confusing them.
The Joe Rocket Nano jacket has a ingle snap,
non-adjustable collar.
Jacket Collar: (Photo above). One thing that should be
mentioned here is the collar. It has only a single snap, so the collar is
non-adjustable, which I think is a big mistake and rather unforgiveable in a
$500.00 jacket.
It uses a metal snap and otherwise the lining material used in the short collar
is comfortable. I can just barely fit the collar around my 17" neck when
wearing a cotton turtleneck, so smaller or larger necks may have a problem and,
in fact, this may be a deal-killer for some.
Liner and Sleeves: The sleeves of the jacket have a
non-water-resistant zipper on the inside of the arm, covering a fabric dart to
help prevent water ingress. The outer portion of the sleeve cuff has a
small hook-and-loop tab that also covers a small dart. This leaves the
sleeve cuffs relatively smooth and profiled, which help it fit into glove
gauntlets.
However, for those who like to wear their gloves inside the sleeve, the liner is
attached too far down the sleeve at the cuff and the hook-and-loop connectors
prevent most larger gauntlets from fitting inside the sleeve. Also, the
cuff zipper would have to be left all the way open, and the hook-and-loop tab on
the outside of the cuff doesn't really have enough adjustment to secure the
jacket sleeve with a glove gauntlet underneath.
This is a problem that you might not discover until you owned the jacket, and
it's an oversight I think by Joe Rocket, especially on a jacket that is designed
for wet-weather riding.
Joe Rocket Nano Jacket: Pockets The hand warmer pockets feature a hook-and-loop flap covering a
water-resistant zipper. These rubber-covered zippers can be difficult to
operate, and opening the hand warmer pockets can be a two-handed job. I'd
rather see a simple hook-and-loop flap or external zipper on these pockets
because I use them more frequently than others, to store ear plugs, sunglasses,
etc.
The Nano jacket has two cargo pockets on the upper chest, also covered with a
hook/loop flap. The grab tabs for the pocket flap each have a "King Star"
labeled metal spring snap to keep the flap secure.
These pockets feature a water-resistant zipper underneath and they're lined with
water-resistant material. A simple trial indicated they are indeed
waterproof.
The left-hand cargo pocket features a little cell phone logo, while the pocket
on the right has a dollar sign. It's interesting to note that the right
money pocket is noticeably larger than the cell phone pocket on the left, which
is itself pretty big. Apparently Joe Rocket Nano jacket owners must carry a lot of
cash! Of course, the pockets can be used for other items as well.
Just below the left-hand cargo pocket is a vertical patch pocket with a
water-resistant zipper, which can hold an ID card, credit card, driver's
license, perhaps a small set of keys or similar.
On the left-hand side, inside the jacket in the mesh lining is a long narrow
pocket that, it is said, can be used to stow a helmet face shield. There
are no other pockets in the liner or the inside of the shell, which may
disappoint some.
The jacket has a pocket at the lower rear and this pocket is narrower than most.
Large vertical rear vent on the Joe Rocket Dry Tech Nano jacket.
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Armor and Padding
As mentioned above, the elbow armor is external, removable and adjustable in one
of two positions. The standard position is fine for me and seems
proportional to the jacket size. The shoulder armor is also external and
removable, but not adjustable. It seems smaller than other shoulder armor,
but I guess it will do the job. These armor bits are CE-approved,
according to Joe Rocket.
The Nano jacket also includes a removable back pad, which actually feels more
substantial and larger than most of the flimsy foam padding used in many
jackets. Joe Rocket sells an optional back protector that will fit.
Joe Rocket Nano Jacket - Sizing and
Fit
The Nano jacket shown here is a size large, chosen from the Joe Rocket size
chart, which shows a size large fitting a 42-44" chest and 34-36" waist.
I'm at the upper end of that range and the jacket fits me just as I like it.
Someone at the lower end of the range may find the initial fit slightly loose,
but the wide range of adjustment offered with the sleeve adjusters, two waist
adjusters and the chest (side) adjusters on either side should help the jacket
fit perfectly.
Liner material is a combination of soft fleece and
taffeta.
Nano Jacket Insulating Liner The Nano jacket liner is different than other Joe Rocket insulating
liners; it has a combination fleece and rayon taffeta-type material.
The material used in liner is actually much thinner than one might expect,
especially considering the warmth it provides, so they did something special
here that definitely works, along with the wind-resistant shell. However,
the six-pound weight of the jacket is even more mysterious if the liner isn't to
blame.
A single one-way zipper is used to attach the insulating liner to the jacket.
It is sewn all the way around the plackets and the neck and back down the other
side, which prevents access to the inside of the shell even if there were
pockets to access there.
The liner sleeve cuffs attach with hook-and-loop inside the jacket sleeves, and
this, combined with the single zipper, makes it easy to remove the liner.
But note the glove gauntlet issues as noted above for motorcyclists who like to
wear their gloves underneath the sleeve, as is often the case when riding in the
rain.
Wearing the Joe Rocket Dry Tech Nano Jacket
It takes a bit more effort to get into the Nano jacket, due to the offset
wind-blocking internal flap and the three sets of zippers when the liner is
installed.
The single collar snap takes two hands to close, at least on my neck, which
seems to be at the limit of the diameter for the non-adjustable collar.
But once the jacket is on, it's very comfortable and I think having the elbow
and shoulder armor on the outside makes a positive difference in comfort on the
inside.
The liner material is also very soft, although it picks up lint and pet hair
even quicker than the magnet-like shell.
Overall, the jacket is very comfortable and the tailoring is
form-fitting, which should offer good protection to the wearer from wind, rain
and asphalt.
Front (L) and rear reflectivity of the Joe Rocket Dry
Tech Nano jacket.
Reflectivity
The Nano jacket has a couple of strips of highly reflective material on the
back, that is unfortunately dark gray during the daylight. The "Rocket"
logo is also reflective, as can be seen in the photo above.
The front of the jacket has very little reflective material other than some
piping on the sleeves and the small logo on the right pocket.
The Rest of the Story
Stitching: Most of
the seams are double-stitched and external, which looks less streamlined than
some of the single-stitched blind seams used in other high-end jackets. The material used for the
stitching is unknown.
Styling: The overall design of the jacket
is rather busy, especially with the three external hook-and-loop adjusters on
either side and the three waterproof armor zippers on each sleeve. So I
can't say the Nano jacket has a streamlined appearance, but that's a matter of
personal taste.
Sleeve Adjusters: The Nano jacket
has dual sleeve adjusters on each arm, both with three adjustment points (metal
snaps) and elastic stretch material on the snap.
Comparison: Overall, the Joe
Rocket Nano jacket provides outstanding wind protection and warmth and,
hopefully, rain protection as well.
The
Opinionator -
Joe Rocket Dry Tech Nano Jacket
Picks...
...and Pans.
Outstanding wind
blocking.
Very warm with
liner inserted.
Comfortable and
snug fit.
CE-approved armor.
Better than
average back protector.
Excellent
reflectivity in the rear.
Non-adjustable
collar.
Feels and wears
heavy.
No front venting
may be problematic.
Liner interferes
with some gauntlets.
Single color
choice.
Conclusion
The Joe Rocket Dry Tech Nano jacket leaves me with mixed
feelings. On one hand, I can definitely appreciate the warmth and wind
protection the jacket provides in our current winter weather conditions.
But I wish it had a bit more demure styling and was available in brighter
color combinations. Lighter weight wouldn't hurt either.
I get a feeling that Joe Rocket wanted to develop something to compete in the
high-end jacket market and ended up throwing every design trick they could think
of at the Nano jacket to try and make a splash. But motorcyclists who are
willing to spend this much money on a high-end jacket are more conservative,
valuing function over styling.
Also, these customers are usually very skilled and experienced motorcyclists
who know exactly what they want in a jacket and how it should work. I'm
not sure how they -- you -- will react to the Joe Rocket Nano jacket, but
the good news is that this is a company that doesn't rest on its laurels, and
I'll again bet those dollars to those doughnuts that "Version 2.0" of the Nano
jacket will be much improved.
Editor's Note: This item was purchased with funds from the webBikeWorld
User Group donation program at
New
Enough. Choose the webBikeWorld.com User
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Please
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Comments are ordered from most recent to oldest.
Not all comments will be published (details). Comments may be edited for
clarity prior to publication.
From "R.E." (2/10): "During a recent summer trip to New
Zealand, I had a chance to try out the Nano jacket and can say it kept me cool
into the mid 80's utilizing the big air and open the back with nothing else on
except a t-shirt.
For me, the weight wasn't a factor and overall, with the number of available
adjustments, the jacket proved to be very comfortable.
I could do without the large "Rocket" on the back and agree it would be nice
to have more visibility from the front. I cannot comment on the
"waterproof" claims, but did keep me dry with the little moisture I have
experienced with it."
From "P.P." (2/10): "It's always good to see some new
technology in riding gear, but I wonder if it is really better than good old
Gore-Tex, or just different.
I'm never all that into a product's styling, but the Rocket Dry Tech Nano is
over the top. Maybe the asymmetric design matches the BMW GS and 1300SS?
And for the price of the jacket alone, about what I paid for my Olympic AST and
pants, and more than an
Aerostich Roadcrafter jacket, it's out of my league.
Maybe on-line retailers will discount it into a more realistic price.
Where's the hi-viz yellow?"
