Rukka R-Viss jacket review

The R-Viss has been billed by Rukka as the replacement for the now-discontinued Rimo-R suit.

The Rimo-R, though, was a totally different proposition. It was very much designed as an off-road suit. In fact, it directly targeted the more serious end of the market, which is why it didn't come with armour. And it didn't come with armour because Rukka felt the buyer would be the kind of rider who brought his own protective, body suit to the party.

The suit had pockets for armour, so that it could be fitted, but you had to pay quite a bit extra for it because Rukka's bespoke, Level 2 D3O is not cheap.

One of the nicest things about the Rimo-R was the material from which it was made. With a lovely, peachskin finish, it was incredibly soft and light, and it made for the most comfortable, 2-layer Gore-Tex, laminated suit we had ever come across.

But there was still, for us, a fundamental flaw in the thinking behind the Rimo-R, and we believe it applies also to the R-Viss. If you are serious about riding off-road, you don't want a laminated membrane. Or indeed any membrane. It does not make sense. Not that Rukka is alone here. Klim too produces suits for off-road riding that come with membranes. In fact, it has become somewhat of a trademark for them, but we don't see it. Membranes are great for the wet and the cold. For the hot and the dry? Well, not so much.

Anyway, the R-Viss comes with armour fitted. And that's because Rukka realised that they don't really reach the hardcore, off-road rider. Those who saw the Rimo-R in the shops just didn't understand it, and so they didn't buy it. Rukka realised that a rethink was required.

The R-Viss, in Rukka's eyes, is the Rimo-R with fitted armour; and on one level, one could suggest that. But we see it really as potentially just a lighter weight version of Rukka’s 3-layer, Explore-R suit. And the Explore-R is nothing more than a road suit dressed up to look like an adventure one.

So what exactly is the R-Viss? We'll loop back to this at the end, when we'll talk about pricing, and how the new suit stacks up against the competition.

The Rukka R-Viss jacket in detail

In many respects, most Rukka suits are quite similar. The surface designs might differ a little. And some are shorter, whilst others are longer. But Rukka has a set repertoire of fabrics, materials, technologies and features that it brings to the party dependent upon the nature of the suit in question, and importantly its price point.

So let's go through what has been incorporated from Rukka's menu into the R-Viss jacket.

The outer chassis of the jacket is a 2-layer, laminated fabric supplied by Gore. What we don't know is the weight of the fabric, but we're thinking it's nearest equivalent would be something like a 750 denier Cordura. Rukka works almost exclusively with Gore for waterproofing. And that's understandable because Gore's membranes deliver both the highest waterproofing scores and the highest breathability scores.

Now 3-layer is meant to be a little more breathable than 2-layer. It is also a little more robust because the third, innermost layer protects the membrane. But we think that, for most people, two-layer is better. And that's because two-layer jackets and pants are lighter, more pliable, and just easier to live with. And really who cares about three layer being more robust? With both constructions you get a lifetime waterproofing guarantee from Gore. So, as comfort is always important, we never have an issue with two layer.

One of the problems with the Rimo-R, for some people, was that it was only A rated under the EN 17092 abrasion tests. Given that it was explicitly an off-road suit where abrasion resistance is less of an issue, we didn't think this rating was important. Nevertheless, Rukka has ensured that the R-Viss is AA rated, and they have done this by adding panels of 500 denier Cordura in the higher risk Zone 1 areas on the shoulders and elbows.

You get Neoprene in the collar for comfort, and to catch the rain as it comes down the helmet. There's a Gore-Tex Stretch storm collar that tucks into the neck collar. Apparently in order to counter the worldwide storm collar kidnapping epidemic. Personally, in the interests of comfort, we'd prefer to see a detachable, storm collar.

As a concession to riding comfort you get concertina stretch behind the shoulders. This helps as you bring your arms forward on to the bars. It has to be a help, I'm sure, but it doesn't make the R-Viss the most comfortable jacket to ever have come out of the Finnish design studio.

The venting is pretty standard fare for Rukka. Two vents on the chest. Two on the biceps. Full-length vents that run up the flanks. And two exhaust vents on the back. Venting is direct to body, and as there's no Outlast liner in the way, the R-Viss is going to vent a lot better than most jackets out there.

In terms of pockets you get two, side-entry pockets on the outside. And two Napoleon ones on the inside. The two outer pockets are labelled 'water resistent', but I would have expected the internal ones to be waterproof. There's a kind of passport pocket in the mesh lining. Finally, you get a large, map pocket on the back that is also designed to take a 1.5 litre bladder.

Other details include robust straps at the sides that act as waist adjusters; and that's something we always like to see on a longer jacket. There are two sets of poppered adjusters on the arms. There are Velcro flaps at the hem of the jacket. Whilst you also get both zips and Velcro flaps at the ends of the sleeves to allow the cuff of a glove to be accommodated.

You get Gore-Tex cuffs on the R-Viss which indicates to us, once again, that this isn't really an off-road jacket because, if you're riding off-road, the last thing you want to do is stop cooler air running up your sleeves!

As you might expect of Rukka there's lots of hi-vis stuff going on with the R-Viss, including a ruddy great R on the back. There's obviously a full-length zip to connect the jacket to a pair of Rukka trousers. And if you don't have a pair of those, there's a very handy crotch strap.

Now, I haven't yet mentioned armour. And armour is always an important part of any Rukka garment. It's nearly always Level 2. And it's always huge. It's why an A-rated Ruka jacket/pant is going to be more protective than anybody else's AA-rated garments. And it's why protection really doesn't get better than an AA-rated Rukka piece.

Which is why it really annoys me that the R-Viss doesn't come with a back protector. You can't go out there and tell everybody how important safety is to your brand, and then play silly buggers by removing the back protector in order to hit a lower price point. We find it disingenuous. Tell the marketing people to stay out of it. One buys a Rukka jacket or pant believing it to be a high-end protective garment. So supply it with a back protector. Because without one, a Rukka jacket is not going to do what a Rukka jacket is supposed to do.

Another piece of armour you don’t get with the R-Viss, but that we wouldn’t necessarily expect it to come with, is a chest protector. The jacket is set up to take one, though.

So that's about it. What the R-Viss doesn't come with is any kind of thermal liner, but increasingly for us that's not an issue. At this end of the market, most people will have their own thermal solution, be that something in Merino, something filled with down, or something powered by the bike. And anyway, the standard liners most jackets come with, even Rukka jackets, are not up to much.

Anyway, let's look at the pants.

The Rukka R-Viss pants in detail

Talking about motorcycle pants is always less exciting than talking about motorcycle jackets. The jacket sets the tone. The jacket defines the aesthetic. What the jacket protects is more vital. And the jacket is the important half when it comes to ensuring that you stay dry, and warm or cool when you're riding. To an extent, the legs just come along for the ride!

Of course, the pants are still important. They're usually just a little less interesting.

We spoke of the menu of features that Rukka has at its disposal when putting a pant or jacket together. So let's first go through the things that the R-Viss pants have that you often find on other Rukka pants.

Well, as with the jacket there's the 2-layer Gore-Tex, laminated membrane. So no wetting out. And guaranteed waterproofing for life. And in the hips and knees you get the same huge, Level 2, D3O armour that is made exclusively for the Finnish brand. To hit the AA mark, the pants feature Cordura 500 overlays on the knees and hips, in the same way that they featured on the elbows and shoulders of the jacket.

Rukka's AirCushion and Antiglide systems feature in the seat. You get leather panels running up the insides of the legs. Both to protect against the heat of a high-level exhaust. But also to improve purchase on the tank.

As the R-Viss has ‘adventures’ on its horizon, you get two large cargo pockets, and a small zip pocket for change and stuff. The thigh vents are both incoming and outgoing. The double waist adjusters are simply stronger and more useful than the ones you get on most motorcycle pants. The elasticated waist band also helps you to find the right setting.

What you don't get with the R-Viss is braces; and frankly you really need them when you have a pant with armour this big. So, once again Rukka, please stop messing about. It's not big. It's not clever. It's just annoying, and wastes everybody's time. All your pants should come with braces.

There's a tiny bit of concertina banding in the waist at the back that serves to ease the pressure on the jacket as you lean forward on the bars. But there are no stretch panels elsewhere, not even in the crotch. And this is unusual with a Rukka pant. Clearly the thinking here is that as these pants have a baggier, off-road fit, a stretch component is not so important.

And this goes back to what I said about who the R-Viss is aimed at. The pants do have a wider leg, designed to accomodate even the largest, off-road boots. And so this would suggest that, even though we don't see the R-Viss as an off-road suit, Rukka designed the pants very much with the adventure aesthetic in mind.

As with the jacket, there's lots of hi-viz going on. You also get, obviously, the matching zip for connecting the two halves together.

What you don't get, and wouldn't expect, is any kind of thermal lining. But what you do get is three leg lengths.

One final point we would make is that, in the UK, the pants will only be available in black. They are also available in the ‘Camel Pooh’ colourway, but put the two halves together, and it’s a bit too match-matchy. So we’re good with the black pants.

So where do we get to?

We still have reservations about any off-road or so-called adventure suit that comes equipped with a waterproof membrane; be that membrane a laminated one or a drop-liner one.

If you're going on an adventure, and you expect to find yourself anywhere really hot, or in a situation where you'll be working up your own heat off road, the last thing you want anywhere near your body is a waterproof membrane, because it will make it so much harder to sweat, and therefore stay cool.

And so where we get to with the R-Viss is where we get to with something like the Klim Carlsbad. Which is that, really, such suits are designed largely for road riding, but with an adventure look.

And that makes perfect sense in today's motorcycle market where 99% of adventure bikes never see the dirt, other than the stuff that is thrown up by the road, and the vehicles around them.

So we don't see the R-Viss as an off-road suit. Or really as an adventure suit. Ride anywhere where the temperatures move into the upper twenties, and you are going to wish that you had left your Rukka suit, or indeed any waterproof suit, at home.

Which does not mean that we don't think the R-Viss is a great suit. In many ways we think it is.

For us it's a really well designed and constructed suit for the adventure-bike rider who doesn’t go off-road. The rider who wants a suit to wear in all weathers. Even though it's a better spec.'d suit, we’d go for the R-Viss over the Explore-R any day of the week. Not because R-Viss is less expensive, which it is, but rather because it's going to be nicer to wear.

Of course, there are a couple of things that do not act in favour of the R-Viss in this arena.

Rukka's adventure credentials are not great. And many adventure-bike riders would simply prefer to wear a Klim branded suit over a Rukka one. In the same way that most long-distance commuters would prefer to wear a Rukka suit over a Klim one.

And Rukka is still struggling when it comes to the design side of the adventure aesthetic. The black version of the suit simply shouts commuting. It's as boring as a suit gets, and as practical as any commuter could ask for. Rukka does the suit in an almost unwearable off-white colourway. They also do the suit in the camel pooh colour we feature in this bulletin. It suggests adventure perhaps, but from the dead-ahead position, it's just a bit bright, and in yer face. Maybe it's living in the dark for half the year, but Rukka's design folk seem so much more comfortable when it comes to deciding what shade of grey looks best on one of their commuting suits.

Which is a shame because, in so many ways, the R-Viss is a better suit than the more aspirational, and better colour co-ordinated Klim Carlsbad. The fit is better for road riding. There is more adjustment. The fabric is nicer. The R-Viss is potentially more protective. It's just as well vented. And the trousers will work in a way that Klim's pants often don't.

When it comes to price, I long ago realised that, for many people, any concept of value for money goes out of the window when we start talking about Rukka. Even the cheapest Rukka outfits are out of reach for many. Yet clearly there is a market for suits of this quality, and at this price point. That price point being £860 for the jacket, and £700 for the trousers. And given what it's up against, the R-Viss doesn't seem over priced.

It costs more than the now somewhat-long-in-the-tooth Klim Carlsbad suit, but potentially offers more. It's less expensive, though, than the Explore-R that adds little to the riding experience.

But whenever you attempt to talk about Rukka and value, you have to factor in their six-year warranty and Gore's lifetime one because you don't get this added value with many brands. We, for example, will soon be taking on a new Halvarssons laminated, ‘adventure’ suit. The jacket will cost £650. The pants will be £480. For a number of reasons, we are very excited about it. This Halvarssons outfit will be 30% cheaper than the Rukka; a saving of a little over £400. And if your budget puts the R-Viss out of reach, we would understand. But which of thes two suits will offer the best value? Of course, if you were an MCN product tester you would invariably declare the cheaper suit to offer the better value. The new Halvarssons suit might appear to do, but it doesn't have a Gore-Tex membrane, so no lifetime waterproofing guarantee, and the warranty on the suit itself is only three years. And so if you have a warranty or waterproofing issue after three years, then the tables might be turned.

These things are never as straightforward as they seem!

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