Review Summary
- AAA rated leather waterproof motorcycle jacket
- TFL Cool System to keep you cool in hot weather
- Stretch panels and expanding waist studs for added comfort when riding
- Lots of zipped pockets – 4 or 6 depending on how you use the jacket!
- Long connector zip for attaching to trousers for added safety and also preventing the wind getting under the jacket when riding
About Halvarrsons
Halvarssons were established in the small Swedish town of Malung in the 1940’s and have been around for some 70 years.
They have built their reputation on tradition and craftsmanship and this shows through in their products.
In 2019, Halvarrsons were acquired by Duell, who are regarded as the top supplier of key brands to the powersports industry across Scandinavia and the Baltics. Duell was established in 1983, known as Duell Bike Centre, in the small town of Mustasaari, Finland.
Duell are looking to develop and expand Halvarssons and to continue with their same principles of quality, comfort and safety.
Halvarrsons Vitsand Ladies Jacket Features
There are a lot of features to this leather jacket and each one has its own purpose which together make this a superb quality jacket offering not only the protection you need when riding, but also all year-round use of the jacket.
You could get away with just having the Vitsand as your only biking jacket. Here’s a look at why:
DWR
What is DWR, I hear you ask? The Vitsand has been treated to DWR (Durable Water Repellent) which is an extra water repellent treatment providing additional comfort.
This means that when a product has been treated with DWR, they will shed water more efficiently, retain their breathability properties and dry faster while also being easier to keep clean.
Outlast® Lining with Dryway + 2.0 Membrane
The lining is made by Outlast® which is a high-tech material that regulates the temperature inside the jacket.
Originally developed to protect astronauts against extreme temperature changes, but has since been further developed to work in motorcycle gear as well.
The lining consists of millions of microscopic paraffin wax capsules that absorb, store and release excess heat to keep you feeling comfortable out on the road.
The Dryway + 2.0 membrane is a layer of waterproof material that is placed between the leather and the lining of the jacket. This means that if the outer part of the jacket gets wet in heavy rain, the moisture never reaches the skin.
TFL COOL SYSTEM®
This is what really intrigued me about this jacket. Surely wearing a leather jacket, and a black one at that which supposedly absorbs sunlight, in the heat will not keep you cool.
The TFL system works by reflecting the radiation of the sun and stays cool. I was off to Italy on the bike a couple of weeks after getting this jacket so was eager to try this out and see if it really did as it says on the label.
HI-ART Reinforcement on Shoulders and Elbows
Halvarrsons clothing is predominantly leather or textile with various types of surface treatment added to the product. The outer fabric of the Vitsand is leather and then Halvarrsons use a proprietary reinforcement material, known as HI-ART, to their clothing which is highly durable, soft and breathable and is used under the outer layer. A very clever design indeed.
According to Halvarrsons, the HI-ART in combination with leather, is more than 200% more abrasion resistant than the leather alone. That statistic alone gives me great confidence in the protection that this jacket will offer me.
In a nutshell, the Vitsand should offer me the highest protection possible whilst keeping me dry in wet weather, warm in the cold and cool in sunshine.
I have ridden in this jacket in very wet weather and the clothing under my jacket has stayed dry. I honestly didn’t think that it would, I mean, a waterproof leather jacket is pretty much unheard of but the Vitsand kept me dry.
When I was in Italy and riding in temperatures of mid to late thirties, I was not hot in the jacket. The lining and the tfl cool system did as they were supposed to and kept my body at an even temperature.
I thought it was quite funny when the guys I was riding with in their ‘normal’ leather jackets were undoing them as much as they could whilst riding and were clearly very hot, while I had my jacket done up and was very comfortable. The jacket really does do what it says on the label.
For a complete list of features, visit Halvarrsons Vitsand Jacket.
Halvarrsons Vitsand Jacket Construction
Pockets
The outside zippered chest pocket
The Vitsand is definitely my type of jacket – it has many pockets and they are all zippered. Now it has four or six pockets, depending on how you use the jacket!
Two outer zippered pockets
There are three zippered pockets on the outside of the jacket, two on either side and one on the left chest. There is a zippered pocket on the bottom left inside of the jacket.
The inside zippered pocket
On the inside of the chest area of the jacket are two pockets for the chest protector to be inserted into. I do not have a chest protector so I have been using these as pockets also. They are a perfect size for my mobile phone.
Two inside chest protector pockets
I love that all the pockets have zips. A pocket with no zip is not really a pocket of any use to be honest, especially when riding.
When I wore this jacket when riding through Europe to Italy, the pockets were all in use. I had my passport in the outside chest pocket, a list of the accommodation booked for our holiday in one of the chest protector pockets and in the other I had money for the toll roads.
The two other outer pockets had my mobile phone in one and most important of all, in the second pocket was a chocolate bar which I kept on me in case I had the urge for something sweet (this got replaced on a regular basis!) Keeping up energy levels is important when touring 😉
Branding
The branding on the Vitsand is subtle yet stylish. On top of the arms embossed on either side is the letter ‘H’ which is the same color as the jacket.
The ‘H’ has been embossed onto either side of the jacket
There is a single popper fastening on the collar which fastens just to the left with the letter ‘H’ branded onto the middle of the popper with ‘Scandinavian Premium Since 1946’ around the edge.
The ‘H’ branded onto the collar popper.
Embossed on the outside breast pocket is the word ‘Halvarrsons’.
There is a tab at the bottom of each side of the jacket on the waistband to enable you to adjust this (should you have had one too many chocolate bars) and there is a Halvarrsons branded popper on each of these.
Zippers
All the zippers are YKK, of which there are eleven! One on the main zip which does the jacket up, three on the outside pockets, two on the sleeve cuffs, and three on the inside pockets.
YKK zips
The last two zips belong to the air vents on the back of the jacket. On each side of the back just below the shoulders is an air vent which can be opened to allow extra air in to help keep you cool in extreme heat.
Halvarrsons Vitsand Ladies Jacket Build Quality
You can tell just by the feel of the Vitsand that this is a premium-quality leather jacket. It is quite weighty when you pick the jacket up, although this is not noticeable when wearing the jacket itself.
I do find when I have taken the jacket off when parked up and walking around, it is heavy to carry. I find it easier to keep the jacket on!
I really like the feel of the jacket, you can tell it is a quality piece of kit. It feels soft and right from when I very first put the jacket on, it felt comfortable and moved with me easily and molded to my shape. I did not have to ‘wear the jacket in’ as I have found with some leather jackets.
Sizing
The jacket comes in 6 sizes: 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46.
I would suggest using the chart function on the Halvarrsons website to help determine sizing.
Comfort
Despite the weight of the jacket (which is not noticeable when riding), it is a comfortable jacket to wear.
I do not notice the armor in the shoulders and arms. I did however purchase a Halvarrsons back protector as I was not comfortable riding without one from a protection point of view.
Again, having the back protector in is not noticeable, unlike some back protectors that I have experienced in jackets. There is velcro to keep the protector in place whilst in the jacket.
Connection Zip
The jacket has a long connection zip that goes all the way round so you can attach the jacket to a pair of Halvarrsons trousers.
If you don’t have a pair of Halvarrsons trousers, you can purchase a Halvarrsons connector belt which will allow you to connect the jacket to any pair of trousers. For $23 USD / $31 CAD / £19 this is a great accessory making the jacket versatile to your existing biking wardrobe.
Halvarrsons Vitsand Jacket Functionality
The Vitsand is a very versatile jacket, it can be used all year round with its waterproof protection, cool system technology and body temperature regulating lining.
This would be a great jacket to commute to work in as the jacket adjusts to the seasons. It is stylish and smart so would not look out of place in a pub or restaurant.
I went away on the bike a couple of months ago in the UK when the temperature was much cooler than Italy and the weather was temperamental to say the least. I wore the Vitsand on this bike trip and it doubled up as my going to the pub in the evening jacket.
If you go touring on a bike, you will know that space is very much limited so only having to take one jacket really does cut down on your luggage thus avoiding adding unnecessary extra weight to the bike.
Stretch Panels
There are three leather stretch panels on this jacket. The first one is on the rear of the neck and shoulder area allowing the jacket flexibility and to mold to your shape nicely.
The second and third stretch panels are on either side of the vented pockets on the back of the jacket going round to the armpit area.
I find that this allows the jacket to stretch with me when leant over riding my bike. The jacket bends and molds to my body shape whether I am on the bike or just walking around.
Ventilation
On the back of the jacket just below the shoulders there are two zips which can be undone. These are ventilation pockets allowing additional air flow through the jacket for when riding in the heat.
Protection and CE Rating
HI-ART Reinforcement on the Shoulders and Elbows
There is HI-ART reinforcement on the shoulders and elbows. HI-ART has been developed by Halvarrsons and is used in especially exposed areas to increase abrasion resistance. According to Halvarrsons, this makes the leather 200% stronger and 500% stronger on textiles.
CE Approved Protection, Type A (Small) Level 2 in Elbow and Shoulder
The pic for the armor in the elbow and shoulder is a stock photo from Halvarrsons as the armor is stitched into the jacket.
The armor is Level 2, which is the highest level according to EN1621-1:2012.This is not only soft, flexible and breathable but also lightweight and has been adapted for the Halvarrsons Safety Attach System.
Velcro attachments are on the armor to make for a good fit whilst in place.
The Vitsand is a Class AAA rated jacket. It gives me peace of mind when riding knowing that the jacket I am wearing has been rigorously tested and conforms to the required standards.
Triple Stitched Seams
Halvarrsons have developed a technique that provides maximum durability by using a balanced stitch density with a heavy-duty, hard-wearing thread in triple stitched seams in the exposed areas.
It doesn’t matter if you have the best quality materials, if the stitching is no good, then the seams will fail thus rendering the jacket useless.
Airbag ready
The Vitsand is airbag ready meaning that the jacket works together with any standalone airbag system on the market that is intended to be worn under a jacket.
Thanks to the expanding panels on the back of the jacket, when the airbag deploys, the jacket expands together with the airbag.
Chest protector ready
The Furudal chest protector can easily be inserted into the jacket’s inside protector pockets. Once the jacket is closed, the protector remains in place and completely invisible. I do not have the chest protector so I am unable to say if it is comfortable or not.
Care Instructions
As is normal with leather jackets, this is not a washable garment. I have found that most dry cleaners offer a specialist cleaning service, however.
I wipe over the jacket with a damp cloth to keep it clean and looking nice. I do make sure that the jacket is completely dry before putting it away.
I regularly apply a leather protector to the jacket to keep it in the best condition possible. I especially apply this if the jacket has gotten wet from the rain (once the jacket has dried of course). This keeps the jacket supple and looking nice.
Conclusion
I cannot say to you that this is a lower end of the budget jacket as, certainly to me, at $650 USD / $885 CAD / £529 this is a considered purchase and definitely at the higher end of my budget.
What I can say to you however, is that you do only need to have this jacket in your biking wardrobe as it really will cater for you all year round.
The technology that has gone into this jacket when you sit back and read about it, really is staggering. A lot of thought has gone into catering for your comfort and above all, protection needs that we all look for when buying motorcycle clothing.
You know with Halvarrsons that you are getting a quality jacket which should last you for many years.
I would like to see at the very minimum the back protector come as standard. This is something that I would expect in a jacket of this price.
The chest protector as standard would be an added bonus but I can see that this is not to everyone’s liking and why this is an optional extra.
Thought and consideration has gone into the design and fit of the Vitsand. It has been designed for women with consideration given to a woman’s body with flexibility to adjust to each of our own lumps and bumps.
Pros
- Class AAA garment under the CE standard EN 17092-2:2020
- CE Approved Shoulder and Elbow Armor
- HI-ART reinforcement on shoulders and elbows
- Airbag ready with mechanical stretch panels on the back
- Durable Water Repellent (DWR) treated cow leather
- Dryway + 2.0 functional membrane, as drop liner keeps water outside while retaining breathability
- Outlast® temperature-regulated lining
- Ventilation openings on chest and back
- TFL COOL SYSTEM® helps keep cool even when the weather is hot
- Connector zip
- Range of sizes
- Stretch panels
Cons
- Pocket for back protector, but this is not supplied
- Pocket for chest protector, but this is not supplied
- Price, this is the upper end of the market
Specs
- Manufacturer: Halvarrsons
- Price: (When Tested) $650 USD / $885 CAD / £529
- Colors: Black
- Sizes: 36-46
- Review Period: June – December 2022