Knox Armour is a British that designs and produces motorcycle gear. They started off making protectors, which is what they’re most famous for, but now they make some of their own gear too.
I purchased the Knox Armour Urbane Pro, a mesh armoured “shirt” (I’m not sure exactly what differentiates a shirt from a jacket) less than a year ago and it has become my go-to armour that I prefer over most of my other gear. Some of its key features:
- It is CE approved as a Class A shirt with abrasion resistance fabric meaning it can be worn as a stand-alone piece
- It includes lightweight and removable Knox MICRO-LOCK armour in the shoulders, elbows and back
- Features stretch mesh panels
- YKK Japanese-made zippers
- Comes in sizes XS to 3XL
- Three colour options: all black, black and denim, or black with silver and denim (which is the one I have)
I actually prefer the aesthetics of solid black. I’m a total sucker for sleek black gear, but I already have quite a bit of black motorcycle gear so I thought I should incorporate some lighter colours for the safety aspect. For reference, I’m 5’10″/178cm and I wear a size small.
Pros:
- It is stylish and high-quality
- The zippers are solid and haven’t given me any grief
- The armour is the softest and most comfortable armour out there that rose to the occasion and protected my elbows against the rocks that I crashed into during an off-road crash
- The jacket fits snugly, keeping the gear in place
- The garment is machine washable
- The breathability and airflow are top notch
- The layering capability of this jacket makes it a four season piece. It can be paired with all kinds of jackets: rain jacket, leather jacket or street clothes for the times you don’t want to be inconspicuous in your riding gear
Cons:
- It is only Class A certified, so the material may deteriorate quickly in the event of a high speed slide
- The garment starts to stink if you’re really sweating
- It’s starting to tear after less than a year’s use
- The pockets are too small and don’t even fit a cellphone
- It’s a real challenge to take out the elbow and shoulder pads
- For me as a tall woman, the sleeves are a touch too short (but for the average rider it’s probably just right)
- It’s a bit of a pain taking the jacket off and you really have to wrestle with the sleeves
- The mesh fabric in the chest means that whatever you wear underneath shows through, and if you’re wearing a bright top, it kind of makes you look like you have a fluorescent bra on
- The female chest protector, which is an optional add-on feature is bulky, awkward and lacks a feminine fit
I purchased the jacket directly from the Knox website, but had to pay almost $50 in duty fees. Something to keep in mind if you live in Canada like me.
Please note that Knox stands by their products and offers a warranty on their jackets. They reached out and offered to replace my jacket so I should receive a new one this summer.
Safe riding!
