Quick Take: The Mulholland Moto Jacket from AETHER Apparel offers protection and plenty of features, plus it’s plenty stylish on and off the bike. The timeless design is armored, waterproof, and loaded with pockets.
Aaron Estep
The Mulholland Moto Jacket from AETHER Apparel
In my quest to find the best adventure motorcycle gear, I often feel like Goldilocks—this one is too hot, or that one is too stiff, and the next one is not waterproof, forcing me to pack rain gear that takes up precious space in my panniers. With AETHER’s release of the Mulholland Motorcycle Jacket, could the search finally be over?
The Mulholland Moto Jacket is a lightweight, three-layered, durable nylon waterproof jacket. It features D3O Ghost armor in the back, shoulders, and elbows. D3O armor is renowned for its lightweight and flexible properties. It tightens upon high impact to absorb energy, making it the industry leader in shock-absorbing body armor.
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To enhance breathability, the jacket includes four vents—two at the front and two at the back—that help regulate temperature. The two-way zipper and articulated sleeves ensure unrestricted movement both on and off the bike. The Mulholland jacket also boasts an abundance of pockets: exterior handwarmer pockets that expand and zippered pockets with soft linings to protect your smartphone and sunglasses. Additionally, there are snap-enclosed and zippered chest pockets that are easy to operate with gloves on. The sleeves feature gussets with locking head zippers for optional ventilation, and the zipper hardware is protected to avoid scratching your bike.
I put this jacket through its paces in the Sonoran Desert. The size large fit well through the chest, but the sleeves were a bit long, and I wished for an adjustable Velcro strap to tighten them. With temperatures ranging from the low 40s in the morning to the high 80s in the afternoon, I was pleased with the performance of the well-placed vents, which allowed air to pass through and cool me down while riding. I was never uncomfortable due to heat, even in challenging terrain. I appreciated the larger zipper pulls that were easy to find and operate even with gloved hands, and I could open the center of the jacket to provide more airflow.
The jacket is packed with pockets, accommodating my cell phone in any of them. The zippered hand pockets were a welcome feature on cool mornings for keeping my hands warm while off the bike. I also appreciated the style of this jacket and felt comfortable wearing it around town during lunch stops. The jacket packs down fairly small, a feature I enjoyed. Unfortunately, I did not experience any wet conditions while testing, but the material appears waterproof, and the zippers have rubber seams to prevent water from entering.
At $650, this jacket is definitely a contender, and I think I have found a jacket that may be just right.
What To Know:
- MODEL: Ultimate9 evcX Throttle Controller
- MATERIALS: D30 Ghost Pads, seam-sealed 3-layered Japanese nylon
- KEY FEATURES: Zippered Vents, plentiful pockets, sleeve gussets, zipper hardware protection, and leather interior collar.
