Held San Remo jacket in blue

The truth is that the Held San Remo is not the kind of motorcycle jacket that we normally get too excited about here at Motolegends. And it is true that it is no technical masterpiece. But we kind of like it. It is comfortable, looks very smart, and ticks all the boxes that you would expect a jacket of this ilk to tick. We also like both of the colours it comes in. We get bored with black jackets, so the blue is for us a very welcome and acceptable alternative. Whilst the grey with red trim very much mirrors the colourway of the Marrakesh that Klim produces exclusively for us.

 

Now softshell is a material we probably all know. There are lots of softshell garments on the high street, and it's not unknown in the motorcycle world either. The material has a number of qualities. It is stretchy, so tends be comfortable, even when worn quite snugly. The stretch comes in particularly handy when you're on the bike, and moving about. It will make the jacket nice to wear off the bike too. And, of course, this is the kind of jacket that won't make you look like a Deliveroo rider. 

 

Softshell garments also tend to work well with layers because of their ability to expand and contract. When it comes to staying warm, softshell fabrics are naturally quite insulating, and also have some windproofing qualities.

 

The San Remo is A rated under EN 17092, which is what you would expect of a jacket that has urban riding in mind. That doesn't mean that you couldn't go further afield in it, but you probably wouldn't undertake anything but the shortest commute in one, and it's probably not the jacket you'd go touring in. This having been said, with the right layers there's no reason why you couldn't.

 

The armour in the elbows and shoulders is Level 1. It's shaped, but very flexible, and nicely proportioned, by which we mean that it's large enough. There's a pocket for a back protector. A D3O T8 or T9 will fit very nicely. Level 1 or Level 2.

 

The features you get with this Held jacket are impressive for the price. There are three zip pockets on the outside of the jacket, and two that fasten with Velcro tabs on the inside. You get elasticated, french ribbing in the hem and at the ends of the sleeves. There's lots of subtle, reflective piping between the panels for added nighttime visibility.

 

The San Remo is, I suppose, what it is. A really nice, comfortable jacket for leisure riding. Now it's not waterproof, so if you are going to venture beyond then you might want to carry a waterproof with you. But heck that in some ways is our preferred way of riding, as is evidenced by our enthusiasm for the Klim Marrakesh. So with a Scott waterproof and a good mid-layer like the Rukka Lahti, the sky's the limit. Well almost!

 

The reality is that there are probably dozens of jackets like this on the market. But we like cut of the San Remo's jib. We like both the colourways. And we trust Held motorcycle gear to work as it is supposed to.

 

This is not going to be the motorcycle jacket for everybody. But as a second jacket, a jacket for somebody on a budget, or as a jacket for somebody starting out, the San Remo might be perfect.