Firstgear TPG Rainier Jacket

Summary:   High quality construction on this 3/4-length jacket.  Sophisticated styling looks good.  The TPG "system" includes a comfortable liner that can be worn as a windbreaker, but the base layer is optional and costs extra.  Collar has very limited adjustment.  Surprising absence of front placket wind barrier under the main zipper.

Editor's Note:  This jacket was purchased with funds from the webBikeWorld User Group donation program at New Enough.  When you choose webBikeWorld.com just prior to checkout, New Enough donates $1.00 for us to use!

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Firstgear has been making motorcycle clothing for many years, but the job apparently hasn't been easy.  The company has seemingly gone through more corporate reorganizations, buyouts and strategies than just about anyone else in the business.

It's not clear to me where or when the company started making motorcycle clothing, but at one point the Firstgear name was synonymous with high quality gear; I remember one of the first "real" motorcycle jackets I saw was a Firstgear 3/4-length enduro style jacket worn by a passing BMW rider, and I thought it looked pretty cool.

Over the years, the quality of the brand has see-sawed up and down, and the brand was bought and sold like a cheap trumpet at a pawn shop.  Intersport Fashions West and Fairchild Sports were two recent owners -- and, I believe even Fairchild Sports itself was bought and sold at least once.  The brand name spelling has even changed, having been known as both "FirstGear" and the apparently correct current version, "Firstgear".

So along comes Tucker Rocky, one of the largest motorcycle product distributors in the U.S.A., who now owns the Firstgear brand.  I'm not sure which of the several brands listed on the TR website are actually owned by the distributor; some of them are apparently other motorcycle gear manufacturers that have a distribution agreement with the firm.

We're still uneasy about a distributor owning a brand or a manufacturer.  I'm not saying this is a problem with the Tucker Rocky/Firstgear arrangement, but there could theoretically be a conflict of interest with a distributor trying to push their own brand over others to increase their profit margins.  If something like this happened, it could affect the choices available to motorcyclists.

In any case, Tucker Rocky has promised to revitalize (my words) the Firstgear brand.  "All of the elements that have made Firstgear the number one brand in its category -- quality materials and construction, attractive new designs with innovative features, strong dealer support, effective consumer advertising, and reliable customer service -- will remain central to Tucker Rocky's accelerating growth strategy for the brand", according to the company.

We have a few reviews of the "classic" Firstgear products on webBikeWorld, including the Firstgear "Jaunt" Jacket; the Firstgear Hypertex Mesh Jacket and Firstgear "Burnout" gloves.  The Firstgear Technical Performance Gear (TPG) clothing line is new for 2008 and it includes the Firstgear TPG Rainier jacket shown here; the Firstgear TPG Teton short jacket and a women's version, the TPG Monarch 3/4-length jacket.

Value Comparison
Firstgear is making quite a lot of noise about the TPG line, with bucket loads o' greenbacks being spent on print ads in just about every magazine around. 

The company claims that TPG clothing is the "first set of riding gear designed to function as a cohesive 3-part layered system consisting of optional Basegear [sic] to keep you dry, a Tech Liner (doubles as a casual jacket) to maintain correct body temperature and a selection of jackets and pants engineered to work together with the first 2 layers to protect you from the elements wherever you ride."

I'll probably catch some flak here from Firstgear fans (and maybe the company), but webBikeWorld is all about rider's personal opinions, and here's mine: Based on the Firstgear marketing blather that I've read, my expectations were very high that this was indeed going to be a "revolutionary" (Firstgear's words) motorcycle clothing line. 

But I'm disappointed -- I don't think it is revolutionary, and I think that Firstgear's advertising department is violating a basic law of marketing; that is, it's better to under-promise and over-deliver, rather than vice-versa. 

My feeling is that by using words like "revolutionary" and statements like "the first set of riding gear designed to function as a cohesive 3-part layered system...", they have, at the very least, led me to me expect something very unique. 

So wasn't I surprised to find that the revolutionary "3-part layered system" consists of a fairly basic 3/4-length outer shell, a zip-in, un-insulated liner with a windproof outer shell, and -- here's what really gets me -- an optional set of Firstgear "Baselayer" underwear that can be purchased separately (unisex short- and long-sleeve top for $39.95 or $44.95; unisex pants for $49.95).  This on top of a relatively high price ($399.95 list) for the jacket. 

Leading people to believe that this is some type of revolutionary "3-part layered system" is ingenuous, to say the least, if not downright deceiving, in my opinion.  I feel a bit tricked, and I'm disappointed.

The kicker is that the Rainier TPG is a pretty good jacket -- if it was marketed based on its merits.  But again, my opinion is that Firstgear is making this out to be something it isn't.  They've set me up to expect something beyond what the reality, and isn't that basically the definition of disappointment?  I wonder how many others will feel the same...

Is this jacket any better than our 2007 Motorcycle Jacket of the Year, the Joe Rocket Ballistic 7.0 (wBW review)?  That's a natural question, and the answer is...I don't think so.  The Rocket jacket costs $150.00 less.  That Franklin and Grant will buy you a pretty nice windproof fleece jacket liner from, say, LL Bean and a nice set of Duofold undies, so you can make up your own "3-part layered system" with whatever jacket you'd like.  Or it can buy you a pair of nice riding pants; or, if you want to get fancy, a super set of windproof Knox "Cold Killers" (wBW review).

The Rocket Ballistic 7.0 in size L at 4.5 lbs. also weighs 1.5 pounds less than the feels-heavy 6.0 pounds for the size L Rainier.  I'm not sure where all that extra weight comes from; not from hardware, because the venting on the Firstgear TPG Rainier isn't as good as the unique venting on the Rocket jacket, in my opinion, although I will admit that the Rainier feels like it has slightly more substance than the Ballistic 7.0.  But does that mean anything?  I'm not sure...

The bottom line here is that the Firstgear TPG Rainier jacket is a decent choice, but I do think that Firstgear is over-hyping the TPG stuff.  I've worn a lot of motorcycle clothing in the course of the past few years of writing for webBikeWorld, and I'm not sure I see anything unique with the TPG line.

And apparently I'm not the only one who thinks there should be something different about TPG, because several emails from visitors have indicated the same unrealistic expectations.  Firstgear also shows a cutaway photo of the TPG "System" with the 3 layers, but I didn't realize until I bought the jacket and studied the website that the third layer is actually the optional underwear.

OK, that's a heck of an introduction, so let's take a look at the jacket.

Styling
The Rainier does have a nice style -- the contrasting medium- and light-gray vertical fabric sections are always flattering to mid-life figures and the cut and sewing is nicely done.  I tried to get a yellow or red or even the tan/taupe version, but black was the only color available when I placed the order a couple of months ago, and I wanted to get a review posted as soon as I could, so black it is. 

The gray works well with the black and the only complaint I have (other than visibility) is that the black picks up lint like the veritable magnet.  This isn't Firstgear's fault -- black Nylon or Cordura (600 denier nylon is used in the Rainier) just seems to have an affinity for dust, lint and pet dander.  It's not fun to look dowdy within the first 5 minutes of wearing the jacket...

Pockets
The Rainier has four front pockets; the top pockets fold over and have a zipper underneath and the left pocket is lined with taffeta and has an additional vertical side zipper to allow access for something like a wallet.

The bottom pockets are accessible only from the top, with the same fold-over flap and zipper arrangement.  They're taller than normal at 9-1/4" (about 23.5 cm) when opened, making it slightly difficult to reach down in because my arm has to come up way higher than normal to get in to the top.  The lower pockets have hand-warmer openings behind them -- does anybody actually use these things?

There's another narrow zippered pocket up on the top of the right arm; I'm not sure what this one might be used for -- maybe a cell phone? 

Unfortunately, none of the zippers on this jacket have extended zipper pulls, regardless of Firstgear's claim that "Easy-grip pulls let you get into your pockets without having to remove your gloves".  The zippers have just the basic and small YKK zipper tab, which appears to be made from plastic, as far as I can tell.  This jacket really calls for some nice, big zipper pulls to make it easier to grab the zipper and open the pocket when wearing gloves.

Another short pocket lives on the lower left sleeve.  This one is about 2.5" deep (63 mm) and is useful for stowing the bike keys -- as long as you remember that's where you put them (don't ask).

The ubiquitous 3/4-length jacket rear pouch is well hidden -- I didn't even know it was there until I read Firstgear's description of the jacket.  If you really try, you can stuff the liner in there, but it's probably better suited (as most of these rear pockets are) for storing a pair of gloves, a windbreaker or maybe a bottle of H20.

The Rainier also has a vertical zippered pocket just inside the left placket, accessible by unsnapping the front flap.  By the way, the snaps are nice -- they're made from metal and labeled with a "Road Silk" brand.  They have real metal springs inside, so they give a satisfying "snap" when they're opened or closed.  The snap fronts are hidden under the outer shell fabric in the main front flap to protect against scratching the paint.

Liner
The liner has a large unstructured patch pocket on the inside left and another breast pocket on the right.  The liner actually does look good when worn alone, and it has its own set of two lower pockets and an upper pocket on the chest, all with waterproof zippers.

The liner has a zip-open vent placed horizontally along the upper back, and it's nicely tailored with a comfy fleece lining in the back and fleece surrounds at the cuffs and neck. 

I'll guess that it adds at least $75.00 to the price of the Rainier TPG jacket, and I wonder if they wouldn't be better off selling it as an option, as they do with the third part of the base layer, the underwear.  Like I said, the liner works as a nice casual lightweight jacket, but you probably have one or two similar jackets in your closet anyway -- do you need another in black?

It actually has very little insulation.  It's very thin with light fleece or felt on one side and a thin wind blocking shell on the outside.  The fact that it's thin helps in one regard -- when the liner is removed, the sizing of the jacket doesn't change much, so you won't end up with a baggy jacket that feels 1-2 sizes too large.

The liner attaches to the Rainier TPG jacket with two snap loops at each cuff, a snap at the upper neck in back and the zipper on the front of the liner, which zips in to separate matching zippers on each side of the jacket shell.

I had immediate trouble with the left liner zipper; it was separated in the middle right out of the box, and if I stretch the jacket, like when putting it on, the zipper tends to come unzipped.  I have to pull the zipper down, reattach it and zip it back up and hope that it stays.  I've had this problem occasionally after some wear, but not usually with a brand-new jacket.  Part of the problem is that it's one of those very thin "zig zag" type zippers that looks different from the normal zipper with teeth.

The liner is relatively thin, and it seems to do a decent job of keeping me warm, but I can not say that this is the warmest 3/4-length jacket I've tried.  That honor has to go to the Rev'it Cayenne (wBW review) or the original Rev'it "Motion" jacket (wBW review), in my opinion.

Zippers and Placket
The Rev'it Cayenne has something like a half-dozen overlapping flaps in front, under the front zipper opening, which serve to prevent wind from getting through this critical area. 

The Firstgear TPG Rainier has...none.  This is a huge surprise to me -- the jacket has no wind-blocking flaps behind the front zipper?  Strange... 

Zip up the jacket and the only thing between you and the outside air is the front flap that snaps to the outer shell.  The liner has a wind blocking outer fabric, but I do think there should be one or more inner flaps to protect the rider's chest from the cold wind. 

I have been wearing the Firstgear TPG Rainier lately in our cold January and February weather in temperatures down to 35 degrees F (~2 C) and my opinion is that the jacket isn't as warm as the best 3/4-length jackets I've tried and it does feel cooler to me in front than I think it should.  I guess I'm just surprised at what seems to me to be an oversight with the missing front wind flap.

I can say that the wind blocking liner probably keeps my arms a bit warmer than some of the other, more basic 3/4-length jackets I've worn, but this is probably due to the absence of any vent openings on the arm, which may be a drawback when the weather turns warm.

The sleeve cuffs open with a waterproof zipper located towards the outside of the gray contrasting fabric that continues vertically down the sleeve.  The cuffs also have a hook-and-loop attachment, and the hem on the cuffs is kept minimized to allow the cuffs to fit under a glove gauntlet.  The end piece of hook-and-loop on the cuff may stick out a bit on riders with narrow wrists, but it's not a problem and should fit under most riding gloves.

Venting
Firstgear's description of the Rainier TPG venting system calls it the "Max-Flow" vent system, with a claimed 10" intake vents in front (~25.5 cm) and 12” exhaust vents in the rear (~30 cm).  I measure the front vents at ~6-3/4" fully open (~17 cm) and the rear vents at ~8-3/4" fully open (~22 cm). 

Firstgear is apparently counting the entire zipper and covering flap length, but the zipper pull (dual on the rear) takes up some room.  So the 10" and 12" lengths quoted by Firstgear are, in my opinion, another example of marketing over-hype.

Here are photos of the vents -- the first photo shows the upper vent on the left-hand side and the second photo shows the back vents:

The vents do have one unique feature to back up at least some of Firstgear's claims.  Inside the breast behind the placket on each side in the front are cords that can be pulled inwards to hold the vent open.  The cords are attached to the inner vertical section of the zipper, so when the cord is pulled and secured with a spring-loaded keeper, the vent in the front stays open, more or less.

The problem is that the cord keeper is located under the liner, and it takes two hands to operate.  So to keep the vents open, the jacket must be opened, the liner has to be unzipped, the cord must be pulled with one hand while the keeper si squeezed with the other and then the cord can be secured in the keeper.  

This must be repeated on the opposite side if both vents are to remain open.  The system works, after a fashion, but seems complicated to me, and it doesn't really hold the vents open that well.  The back vents do not have this "Max-Flow" system to keep them open.

Now since it's been pretty cold, I haven't tried the jacket without its liner to evaluate the vents.  But I have played with opening and closing the vents without using the keeper system, and they are located in such a way that they don't seem to scoop in much air.  The flaps that cover the zippers and the stiffness of the fabric seems to hamper the ability of the vent to stay open.

This is a problem with many jackets.  But this is one of the areas where the Joe Rocket Ballistic 7.0 definitely out-classed the Firstgear TPG Rainier in the air flow department, in my opinion. 

The Ballistic 7.0 has an interesting solution to this problem: the flaps that cover the zippers can be folded over and they have hook-and-loop arrangement that allows them to create virtual air scoops to direct the air into the jacket.  The Ballistic jacket also has vents with this functionality on the sleeve and across the back; the Firstgear TPG Rainier has no sleeve vents and only the two angled vents at the shoulder in the front and the two at the shoulder in the rear.

Also, the Ballistic 7.0 jacket has the unique and ingenious front vent system that uses a "stretcher" to keep the front chest vents open.  The venting system on the Joe Rocket Ballistic 7.0 jacket really works -- probably about the best I've used in a 3/4-length jacket, yet the jacket also seems to me to be as comfortable and warm as the Firstgear TPG.

Other Features
The Firstgear TPG Rainier jacket in size large fits me perfectly, with a nice, snug fit that should keep the Knox CE-approved shoulder and elbow armor in place if needed. 

Note that the Rainier's sleeves do not have cinch adjustments.  Although they're not necessary for my middling arm diameter, these come in handy sometimes for thinner riders or on bikes where the windscreen dumps turbulent air on the rider's arms.  Loose sleeves can get jostled in the air stream, causing fatigue and/or unwanted steering inputs.

Note also that the collar has a very limited adjustment (photo above).  It has only a single 3/4" wide (~20 mm) piece of hook-and-loop sewn on to the tab on the left side, and it can attach only to a matching 3/4" wide piece on the right side.  Fortunately, the neck fits me, but I'm surprised again that Firstgear hasn't provided a wider range of adjustment in this critical area.

The collar has a hidden thin Nylon hood underneath, which seems a bit strange to me, as it's not something one would wear over a helmet and I can't see this jacket being worn as a street jacket.  I'd have rather they spent the money on the collar adjuster.

The Rainier has a nice waist cinch located under each arm, and and additional vertical zipper on each side, with a section of fabric underneath.  Opening this zipper allows the bottom hem of the jacket to expand for more comfort or when sitting.

A couple of other interesting features include a D-ring sewn under the right top pocket, where you can hook your keys (and make it easier to find them!).  Firstgear sells an optional LED light that will attach to a loop on the upper back, just below the "Firstgear" label seen in the photos of the rear of the jacket.  I'm not sure if this is legal or not, but it's probably a good idea.

Conclusion
I'm sure some of you will think I'm savaging the Firstgear TPG jacket.  My feeling is that it's somewhat deserved, because I don't think I'm completely misreading their advertising materials, and I know that other potential owners I've talked to are under the impression that TPG is some type of new system that offers something that is new and different.

I honestly think the Tucker Rocky/Firstgear marketing staff got a little carried away on this.  If they would have sold it to me as a high-quality, cold-weather riding jacket for, say $249.00 or so, I'd have probably been pretty happy.  But I think the $399.95 list price is rather high, much less the $450.00 or so it takes to make it the "3-base layer" system when the Firstgear underwear is included. 

For that kind of money (although the Rainier can be found at discount for around $360.00), I personally would rather spend the extra 50 bucks and get a Rev'it Cayenne.  Or, for $249.99 list and around $225.00 at discount, you could get a Joe Rocket Ballistic 7.0 that's lighter and is more comfortable and has better venting in my opinion, and still have enough money for the undies and a nice fleece insulated liner from LL Bean or Cabela's.

I'm sorry Firstgear, I know you're not going to be happy about this, but that's the way I see it.

Product Review:  Firstgear TPG Rainier Jacket
Available From:  Firstgear  (We got ours at New Enough)	Suggested Retail Price:  $399.95
Colors and Sizes:  S to XXXXL. Tall from L to XXL.	Made in:  Vietnam
Review Date: February 2008

 ►Comments

Comments?  Send them to Comments are ordered from most recent to oldest.

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From "T.M.":  "I wanted to like this jacket.  I saw my first one in October at European bike day at Larz Anderson Transportation Museum near Boston.  The fabric felt great and fit and finish were excellent.  A couple of weeks later, I went to the reseller's store to try on a few for size.  Everything seemed okay so I ordered one in red.  When it arrived and I zipped it up, the deal breaker was the lack of any protection from the zippers inside the neck.

I'll be keeping my Kiliminjaro 4.  The TPG is a loser for me.  On the other hand (leg?), the TPG over-pants are excellent.  I'm keeping those."

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From "L.P.":  "I just finished reading webBikeWorld's review on Firstgear's new TPG Rainier jacket and I have to compliment you on your frankness and honest evaluation.  You guys are to be congratulated for your "telling it like it is" approach, it's refreshing to hear and I hope Firstgear will appreciate there are a lot of us who listen.

I recently bought one of Rev'It's 4-season Devil jackets for $299.99 and I love it.  To date I've ridden a couple of 100 miles in 32 degree weather and didn't bother to take my electric vest, never felt chilly at all.  Since then I've ridden similar rides in driving cold coastal rain with similar results although I did take on a bit of water after the first 100 miles or so.  This last may have been due in part to the way I had my gloves/sleeves configured and in any case the water getting in was very minimal.

I guess what I'm saying is for under $300 bucks you can buy a truly effective 4-season jacket and there's no need to buy anything extra."