Halvarssons Vinvallen jacket review

Motorcyclists are an emotional lot; often driven more by the heart than the head.

After all, for most of us, there's not a lot that's rational about riding a motorcycle. Okay, for those who commute, a motorbike may be the most sensible, or even the only viable, way to get into work. But for many the bike is pure recreation; something to have fun on; something to take our minds off our daily trials and tribulations.

We ride motorcycles even though we all know they're crazy dangerous. They can accelerate faster than a supercar, yet their purchase with the road is barely an inch or two wide. You are totally exposed, and if you make a mistake, or even if somebody else does, you're normally not going to come out of it well.

If, as bikers, we were sensible or logical, we'd all ride Honda CB500s. But we don't. Instead, we're off to our local dealer like a rat up a drainpipe if we read in MCN that there's a new version of our bike that develops seven more horsepower or reaches a five mile an hour higher, top speed.

As we said, head over heart. And we see this, all the time, with motorcycle clothing.

Some years ago, word got out that laminate clothing was 'better'. And for a few people it might just be. But unless you're prepared to pay a premium for something like a Rukka or Klim suit with a Gore-Tex laminated membrane, it normally isn't. And that's because by far the majority of laminated outfits are not properly put together. And so they fail.

What's more, 95% of motorcyclists will rarely if ever find themselves in circumstances where they will really benefit from a laminated membrane.

Which is why we are still such fans of 'drop-liner' garments, where the membrane is fixed, but hangs independently of the outer chassis. Drop liner jackets and pants are more comfortable. They are warmer. They offer better value. They will keep you dry for many hours in the rain. And they almost never leak.

For somebody who rides between five and ten thousand miles a year, a drop-liner outfit is simply a nicer way to ride.

Which is my way of introducing a new jacket and pant combination from Halvarssons. It's called the Vinvallen, and although it's new, it's really the spiritual successor to the Wien; and before that the Prime.

For many years these drop-liner outfits underpinned the Halvarssons proposition. They worked for everybody. Everybody liked them. They did everything most people needed a suit to do. And they were totally reliable.

And here we have a confession to make.

We have never been totally convinced by Halvarssons' laminated products. Like sheep, Halvarssons followed the crowd, and moved into laminates. Sometimes their garments stood up well enough; and sometimes they didn't. But in recent years we have certainly not felt comfortable about recommending Halvarssons' laminated jackets and pants to those who did big miles in all weathers.

Which is why we have constantly harassed and harangued Halvarssons; imploring them to go back to their roots, to do what they do best. And to give us a 'drop-liner' replacement to the Wien suit that they discontinued some two or three years ago.

Well, the Vinvallen is that outfit. It's here. From what we have seen so far, we really like it. So what I am going to do first is tell you about the jacket. I will then tell you about the pants. I will touch on costs, competitors, and value for money. And I will close by giving you our conclusion.

Fair enough?

The Halvarssons Vinvallen jacket

The outer chassis of the jacket is made from a Ripstop Nylon of some description. A Ripstop Nylon that also incorporates a two-way stretch component. Now, as the name suggests, Ripstop is very tear resistant. But with a little bit of extra help from Hi-Art, Halvarssons' own abrasion-resistant lining, the Vinvallen is able to pass the EN 17092 abrasion test at the AA level.

Abrasion resistance is only one half of the protection equation, however, and arguably the less important half. In many ways, protection from impacts is more important. And so here it's good to know that the jacket is equipped with Level 2 armour in the elbows and shoulders. It's Halvarssons' own armour. It's pretty large, and very pliable, ensuring that the jacket's comfort is not compromised.

The back protector is not included, and truthfully we wouldn't go near the one that Halvarssons offers. It's like riding with a scaffolding plank tucked up your jumper. And so we would always go for a T8 or Large size, Level 2, D3O Air protector. Because of the way Halvarssons' armour is affixed to the jacket, it has to be equipped with Velcro; although if you're going down this route you should know that we're the only people to carry D3O back protectors with Velcro.

The jacket is also equipped to take Halvarssons' two-part, chest protector.

Comfort and fit were always the calling card of the old Wien; and we're happy to report that this has been carried over to the Vinvallen. In fact, we think the new jacket is even nicer to wear than the old one. The jacket is light in weight. And of course you get none of the stiffness and crinkliness that one often associates with laminated jackets. With the stretch it incorporates, the Vinvallen envelops and cossets you like very few other jackets we've come across.

The jacket sits a wee bit longer. And this means that some people will term it an 'adventure' jacket, but in any meaningful sense it's not. This is a touring and commuting suit, full stop. Which also means that it's perfect for the weekend, casual rider who wants to be protected from the elements.

What we like to see on a longer jacket; and what we see on the Vinvallen, is side straps for cinching in, or letting out, the body of the jacket. What's more the straps are elasticted. And that's what such straps should always be, although few are. You also get elasticted volume adjusters on the biceps.

There are Velcro straps at the ends of the sleeves, although in truth they are less about comfort than about allowing the cuff of a glove to be accommodated inside the jacket's sleeve.

The other concession to comfort comes in the form of concertina, stretch banding in the neck, behind the shoulders and in the elbows.

The inside of the neck is backed with a comfortable, towelling-like fabric, whilst the jacket itself is lined throughout with Outlast. Now Outlast is clever stuff. It's not a thermal lining, per se, but it does help to regulate body temperature; keeping you warmer as the temperature drops, and helping you to stay cool when you're too warm.

The Vinvallen is also equipped with a thermal gilet. It's filled with a hollow-form fibre known as Innoborne, which is a Primaloft-cum-Thinsulate lookalike. The gilet could be worn as a destination piece, but it's not a particularly stylish item.

Waterproofing comes courtesy of Halvarssons' own Dryway membrane. As we've said, the jacket is of a drop-liner construction. The membrane is one we know well; and what Halvarssons tells us is that its waterproofing and breathability scores are both 20. And that's pretty impressive. It's not Gore-Tex impressive perhaps, but it's impressive nonetheless. Halvarssons likes to make a big thing about their garments having a Durable Water Repellant treatment to the outer fabric. And I'm sure the Vinvallen has one; but it's not a huge deal; every waterproof jacket has one.

In terms of pockets, you get two on the front, and one more on the inside. Safest bet is to consider the two outer ones as water resistant. The inside one should be waterproof.

I'd have to say that the venting on the Vinvallen is pretty darned good. The two vents on the chest are adjustable, and are held in position with magnets. When in the fully 'open' position, the chest vents are huge. They are going to allow a lot of air to enter the jacket. You get the same exhaust vent that you get on most Halvarssons' jackets. It's permanently open, and is concealed beneath a storm shield.

You also get short vents on the forearms; basically there's a two-way zip from the cuff. Open it from the top, and it will allow air to flow up your arms.

The other details are much as you would expect. A zip-off storm collar. Areas of hi-viz material. A full-length, connecting zip. And a storm flap up the front.

The Halvarssons Vinvallen pant

The spec. of the Vinvallen pant is similar to that of the jacket, except that the outer fabric seems to incorporate even more stretch. But all the functional components and structures are the same.

A fixed Dryway, drop-liner membrane. Level 2 armour in the knees and hips. A fixed, Outlast liner. A removable, hollow-form fibre, thermal liner. Hi-viz accents. Concertina banding in the back at the waist, and in the knees. Two external pockets. Incoming and outgoing vents on the thighs. An elasticated waist belt. Braces. An anti-slide panel in the seat. Long zips and Velcro tabs at the leg bottoms. And so on.

The trousers come in two leg lengths. Regular and short. There's no long-legged variant. There's a lady's pant; and that comes in just one length. I might suggest that that's a mistake. There needs to be a short version.

But here's the thing about these trousers. The jacket is comfortable, but these pants are 'jeggings' comfortable. We always thought the Nivala pants were the nicest out there. But these are next generation. We have never come across a motorcycle pant that's this protective, and this waterproof, yet that is this comfortable.

These Vinvallen pants re-define how motorcycle pants should wear. They really are exceptional.

Let's talk price and other options

The jacket costs £460, and it comes in all-black, or brown with black. There's a women's version of the jacket, but it only comes in black.

The trousers cost £400. And they only come in black. Obviously, there's also a women's trouser.

So that's less than £900 for the full suit; a little over nine hundred pounds if you add a back protector. And we'd always recommend that you wear one. If you go with D3O, you'll hardly know you're wearing one, but it will add both impact and abrasion resistance to the jacket. It really doesn't make sense not to wear one.

In terms of what's close on price, the suit that comes to mind is the Rukka Comfo-R. Now the Rukka Comfo-R jacket costs £800, whilst the matching pant costs £600.

That's a total of £1400, as opposed to £1000 for the Halvarssons. That's clearly a reasonable differential. In fact, the Rukka suit is 40% more expensive. But you get a six-year warranty with the Rukka, and only a three-year one with Halvarssons. And, of course, the Rukka suit comes with a lifetime, waterproofing warranty.

But, here's the thing, the Vinvallen is going to be so much nicer and easier to wear.

Where we get to is that if you do big miles you might well be reassured by the Rukka's longer warranties, but for most of us the Halvarssons' suit will be more than up to the job. Being a bit longer, it's going to be more practical. It's more comfortable, nicer to wear and easier to live with.

And there's one other thing. The Vinvallen is AA rated. The Comfo-R is only single A. Now, for various reasons, an A-rating on a Rukka suit doesn't concern us, but we know that it matters to some people.

As ever, though, what we have to say here can never be more than a view or opinion. You need to try the Vinvallen on. And if you're unsure you should try the Comfo-R too. But we think you'll really like the Vinvallen. It's a bit special.

The way we see it, Halvarssons is back!

You can buy a Halvarssons Vinvallen jacket with free next day UK delivery online, or visit our store in Guildford to try it on.