Review Summary
- The REV’IT! Restless leather jacket is made from tough cowhide, looks great, and fits true to size (although it’s not made for riders with beer bellies).
- This jacket comes with armor included in the shoulders and elbows—but you’ll have to buy a spine protector separately if you want maximum protection for your back.
- At nearly $600 USD, this is definitely a high-end motorcycle jacket—but you get a lot of protection, comfort, and good looks for your money. Particularly recommended for riders in the cafe racer, cruiser, and V-twin segments.
The REV’IT! Restless Leather Jacket: Leather to Last a Lifetime
The Restless jacket is a lifetime type of leather garment. Year after year as you wear it, the leather will improve how it forms to your body and develop a patina with more character. Unlike textile motorcycle jackets, leather has a break-in period, and high quality—thick cowhides like REV’IT! is using here will take a bit longer.
I love high-quality leather, so when I got a chance to review the REV’IT! Restless jacket, I jumped at it. How did this jacket hold up as I rode with it? Find out below.
About REV’IT!
REV’IT! is a brand well-known for their quality throughout the motorcycle gear and apparel world. We’ve covered a ton of their products—check out our other reviews for details.
See Also: All REV’IT! Reviews & Articles on wBW
Since 1995, REV’IT! has remained committed to pushing the boundaries of safety, functionality, and fashion for riders. They currently operate in over 70 countries throughout the world and maintain offices in Europe and the US.
So how does this offering fit into that context? Let’s dive in.
REV’IT! Restless Leather Jacket Design
I love the design of this jacket. There you go, I got that out of the way right up front. I am a sucker for a classic, clean simple look, and REV’IT! brings that perfectly with the Restless. The front features very smooth chest panels, with standard zip hand pockets and a single zip pocket over the heart.
Cut & Detailing
Adding to the classic cafe racer jacket look is a single button biker collar, and quilted segments across the shoulders and biceps. The back mimics the front with two large smooth panels of leather and a thick waistband with a two-snap cinch adjustment.
Interior
While the exterior has a vintage vibe, the interior is thoroughly modern. The Restless jacket is lined with a perforated fabric featuring left and right inner pockets, snaps and a zipper for connecting to REV’IT! pants. Included is a thermal liner that zips in. REV’IT! goes a step beyond most manufacturers, making the liner fully sleeved rather than just the vest.
REV’IT! has fitted the restless with shoulder and elbow armor rated at CE-Level 1, and there is a large pocket to add in a back protector, which unfortunately has not been included.
A Well-Tailored Modern Classic: 90%
REV’IT! Restless Leather Jacket Material & Build Quality
REV’IT! chose the most durable leather available: cowhide. It has been the preferred material for vintage motorcycle jackets since the 1920s because it is sturdy, thick, and long-lasting. Cowhide is not only resistant to water and grime, but it also provides excellent weather protection. A cowhide leather jacket will feel like a second skin once you’ve worn it a bit.
Stitching
The stitching in motorcycle clothing significantly contributes to the overall gear’s abrasion resistance. For this reason, REV’IT! employs safety seams on parts of the garment that are more susceptible to impact. Both visible and invisible seams are present in safety seams. Even if the visible seam is ripped, this design keeps the outer shell material together.
Zippers
Finally, the zippers. REV’IT! uses high-quality zippers on the entire garment, all with a robust high-quality action to them. Backing the main zipper and the cuff zippers are wind catcher panels.
The stitching and overall construction will provide years of use. The Restless jacket exudes quality from the moment you pick it up.
Top Quality Cowhide and Construction: 93%
REV’IT! Restless Leather Jacket Sizing, Fit, & Comfort
From a fit standpoint, REV’IT! gets this right for riders. The shoulders allow my arms to grab the bars in comfort. Even if you are reaching for some ape hangers, the Restless jacket is comfortable in that reach.
Sleeves
The sleeves are tailored long, and again, they fit perfectly when extended and holding the handlebars. With short gloves on and reaching for the throttle, I was always covered. That sleeve length does turn into appearing too long when off the bike, but I will take that added length every time.
Shape & Size
As much as I wish I could say I am still the same slim and trim I was at 20, this is no longer the case. I am that dad bod shape with some extra. The Restless jacket is true to size on the waist measurements and conservative on the chest measurement.
I have a 48” chest and the size 58 jacket fits my chest perfectly even though the size guide shows 45-46.5”. The drawback happens if you have more of a keg than a six-pack in the stomach area. This jacket is tailored and will not work if you have a lot of belly. Keep this in mind, order based on your waist size, and if the chest is listed a bit smaller than you measure it will likely fit just fine.
Comfort Over Time
As a final thought on comfort, this is a cowhide jacket. It feels good now, but the nature of the material means it will just get better and better with years of use. Wear it, beat it, occasionally wipe it down, and carry on.
Decent (Not Perfect) Sizing: 85%
REV’IT! Restless Leather Jacket Protection
As most readers will know, there are two primary ways a piece of gear protects you in an accident: impact protection and abrasion resistance.
Abrasion Resistance
Modern textiles for riding gear have come a long way, but leather still stands at the top of the heap in terms of abrasion resistance. At the top of the leather spectrum sits cowhide, the leather of choice in the Restless jacket.
See Also: Best Leather Jackets for 2022
I was not able to find an actual thickness number for the Restless jackets shell, but it is definitely substantial. There is a heft to the jacket, and nothing about it feels like it would shred easily.
Impact Protection
I like that armor is included for the elbows and shoulders, but why make the spine protection optional? This is always a small detail that drives me nuts. They clearly provide the pocket within the garment for this protection, then ask the customer to choose to add it or not. Help riders stay safe and include all the armor. When purchasing a jacket, some dealers do not have the correct insert on hand.
I will always favor providing all the safety components a garment has been designed to contain. Rant over.
Excellent Leather (But Needs All the Armor): 95%
REV’IT! Restless Leather Jacket Value for Money
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I look at many articles of riding gear each season, and I quickly become attuned to the areas where manufacturers are clearly trying to save on costs. REV’IT! products I have tested seem to have few compromises; they tend to deliver quality in all the details.
The Restless jacket is a very well-made—and very good-looking—leather jacket. The leather is first rate and tough. The stitching and zippers are all top-notch, and all the details match this build standard. My only issue is I would prefer to see all the armor included.
How Much Does It Cost?
The retail price for this jacket is $549 USD. I don’t feel like that is out of line at all. This is a lot of jacket at that price. Your money gets you protection, durability, and then style (ranked in that order).
Great jacket, REV’IT!
Great Value From REV’IT!: 90%
Final Verdict: I Really Like This Jacket
There are a ton of leather jackets available, but many lean more toward the fashion side versus what riders actually need. Most jackets out there work hardest when you are standing beside your bike, not riding it.
Using the Jacket in the Real World
I really appreciate the fit of the shoulders and arms of this Restless jacket. I wore it while riding all of my bikes to see where it worked the best for me. I found the relaxed arm position on my Honda Goldwing to be very comfortable, and that comfort held when I switched to my Harley-Davidson, which has a higher bar position with added reach. Both of those bikes have a very upright seating position and the waistband felt snug and comfortable in that position.
Transitioning to my Super Duke GT, the arms felt good still, but the additional forward lean, for me, meant the waist would ride up and then due to the close fit never come back around my belt line. If the jacket fits with a bit more gap at your waist, the experience may be different. It also may change as the jacket breaks in.
From that experience, I would recommend this jacket for cruiser, touring, cafe, and standard bike riders. In those riding positions the Restless is a fantastic jacket with heaps of classic style.
Specs:
- Manufacturer: REV’IT! Sport
- Price: $549.95 USD
- Made In: India
- Colors: Blue and Brown
- Sizes Available: 46-58
- Review Period: Summer 2022
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