Siima MotoWear SV3 Leo 4-in-1 Armored Jacket: Review

By Ian Kelso, Contributing Editor

You could say that Giorgos Evripidou got into the business of motorcycle apparel by accident.

Just few years ago, as a young student on the small Mediterranean island of Cyprus, Evripidou had a life changing moment: a head-in collision with a car that almost ended his life. Like most young twenty-somethings in Cyprus, he has not wearing proper gear. It made him realize that aside from youthful feelings of immortality, there were practical reasons young people didn’t wear protective clothing.

MOTGMOTT

As much as I myself believe in ATGATT (All The Gear, All The Time), I have to admit that I adhere more to the principles of MOTGMOTT (Most Of The Gear, Most Of The Time). The problem: good quality gear is almost always very expensive and at the same time often not extremely versatile especially in rapidly changing weather conditions. It can also be difficult to find gear that adheres to my taste in fashion. So I must confess that I have sometimes sacrificed safety for comfort, style and budget considerations.

CORE EQUIPIMENT

When it comes to protective gear there is nothing more valuable than a good quality armoured jacket. But as everyone who commutes or tours at different times of the day and in different seasons knows it is extremely hard to find a single jacket that is versatile enough to keep you warm and dry in the cool morning rain, then be adequately light and ventilated in the warm afternoon sun.

Add to that there are those dark rainy nights when it is probably wise to slip on a hi-viz reflective vest.

Sure you can keep a separate jacket for each and every purpose, but you can’t practically carry them all around with you. And the cost of purchasing all of those pieces separately would be enormous.

In 2012, a few years after his accident, Evripidou was still frustrated with his lack of quality affordable options so he decided to start a company -- Siima Moto Wear -- and build a jacket himself. His aim: the create gear that would be practical and stylish enough that his young friends would actually wear it, yet bring it to market at a price that they could also readily afford.

After a few years of trial and error, the latest result is his pride and joy, the most current model called the Siima SV3 Leo 4-in-1 jacket.

(Read the interview with Giorgo Evripidou here.)

THE SV3 LEO JACKET

Siima Moto Wear is still far from being a major brand, yet it is amazing what one rider with a vision and loads of perseverance can achieve. The SV3 Leo jacket is remarkably well engineered and comfortable. My last multi-season jacket was a REV’IT Tornado, which I sold a couple of years ago after losing some significant weight. But even when it was my proper size, I felt the fit of the arms were too loose and sure enough when, one day, I went for a slide on the pavement my elbow slid out of the pad and I ended up with a small abrasion.

The SV3 Leo is a similarly cut sport-touring jacket but it features a lot more adjustability than the Tornado. I am a size 52 Euro / 42 North American, the size large in the SV3 Leo fits me snugly and securely, with plenty of snaps and Velcro straps in place to tighten the CE-approved armor firmly in place.

The SV3 Leo is a full four-in-one design with a 500D textile outer armored shell and three detachable layers: thermal, waterproof on the inside, as well as a special hi-viz “vest” that lashes onto the outside. Each removable layer is small enough that it can be easily stashed away in a backpack or even stuffed in the lower tail pocket in the back of the jacket itself.

Living in Toronto means that you are exposed to some pretty broad variations in temperature from well below zero to stinking hot and humid. Since getting the jacket in April I have had it out in all weather conditions conceivable: from minus 5 Celsius and snowing up to 30 degrees and sweating profusely. The SV3 Leo remarkably handled them all with grace. I was especially impressed with its ability to keep me warm in winter conditions while wearing just a t-shirt. The thermal linen provided amazingly effective insulation while the Reissa waterproof layer cut the wind very effectively.

The hi-viz layer is the only one that I think could use improvement. Actually the innovative way that it attaches to the outer jacket shell is genius, but the design and graphics – the words “THINK BIKE” in large print -- are a bit too busy and could be greatly simplified. Nonetheless, the hi-viz does its job and can be quickly taken off to reveal a fairly classy and nicely cut garment that makes up the core of the SV3 Leo.

In fact, more than any of my other jackets, the SV3 Leo has actually garnered me several style compliments.

Siima SV3 Leo Specifications:

• Outer shell: 500D textile with reinforced back, neck and shoulders
• Removable Reissa 100% waterproof lining
• Removable thermal linen
• Removable hi-viz layer with night reflective material
• CE-approved protectors on shoulders, elbows & back
• Adjustable vents on sleeves, lower chest and back
• 2 front pockets, 1 back pocket, 4 inside pockets
• Adjustable cuffs, sleeves and waist
• Elasticated panels at elbows and back sleeves

The SV3 Leo currently sells for 250 Euros and can be ordered directly from the Siima MotoWear website. http://www.siimajackets.com/