Review Summary
- The Weise Dakota Ladies Jacket offers lots of comfort, CE rated armor, waterproofing, and windproofing at an affordable price for most riders.
- This jacket is also lightweight enough to wear easily on daily rides and has plenty of ways to adjust the fit.
- It doesn’t have much ventilation, but you get a lot of value for your money here nonetheless. Recommended for commuters or light touring riders on a budget.
Weise Dakota Ladies Jacket: A Great All-Rounder for Any Weather
When I met with Helen and Dan from Fab-Biker PR in the UK, on their press day, this jacket immediately caught my eye. Not just because of the color, but the shape of it looked as if it might actually fit a woman’s body.
My first instinct was to go for the black color—but after trying on the red one, I immediately changed my mind. The color is bold and bright at the same time, and yet it’s not over the top. The fact that it matches the wheels of my Ducati was an extra win. The fit of the jacket was instantly comfortable and flattering. I just couldn’t wait to go for a ride and give it a good test, not just on its looks but the features, too.
See Also: Best Textile Motorcycle Jackets of 2022
About Weise
I have tested a few Weise products in the past and was pleased to be able to get my hands on more of their gear. I’ve always rated it highly.
Weise has been at the forefront of innovation and style in motorcycle clothing for over 30 years. Their expert team is dedicated to providing the highest quality clothing and accessories for any type of motorcycle riding, whether you’re an adventure tourer, an urban commuter or, in fact, a professional racer like Peter Hickman or Craig Neve.
Weise’s comprehensive range offers everything you need for a safe and comfortable journey as well as ensuring you look good on and off your bike.
Weise Dakota Ladies Jacket Features
The Dakota Jacket provides an excellent blend of comfort and performance whilst making you look good on and off your bike.
Key features include:
- Constructed of 600 D polyester outer
- Removable 120 gram thermal lining
- Waterproof, windproof, and breathable
- Removable CE approved shoulder, elbow and back armor
- Stretch panels for added flexibility and movement
For a complete list of features, visit Weise Dakota Ladies Jacket.
First Impressions of the Weise Dakota Jacket
First impressions were good; the jacket appeared to be of great quality and well built. The color was a pleasant surprise, as most of my gear is black. This seems to be pretty generic across most brands. It is wonderful to see they didn’t just splash some pink on black jackets as some brands still insist on doing. Red is a brilliant color, very flattering, and it sure gets you noticed on and off the bike.
The jacket I tried on was small, so it was a little tight, and I ordered a size medium. When it arrived it was perfect. This is rare in jackets as I find they are too tight around the chest and too big around the waist—but with extra adjustments available around the waist, this one is just right.
Construction of the Dakota Jacket
Outer Shell
The 600 Denier Polyester outer construction makes the jacket feel robust and of good quality. The material is known for being durable and tough with high waterproof characteristics that prevent accumulation of dirt. Meanwhile, the outer shell and lining are both 100% nylon.
Interior
Nylon mesh lines the interior throughout for increased airflow and comfort.
Collar
A really nice touch on the collar is the soft lining and neoprene edge for added comfort and to negate any potential chafing. You can close it snugly around your neck with an added velcro strap across the front zip.
Pockets
There are five pockets in total:
- Exterior
- Two zipped front pockets
- Interior
- A zippered chest pocket
- Two pockets in the thermal liner, one on each side (one closing with a zip and one with a velcro strap across)
Hi-Viz
There are several reflective strips to keep you safe in low lighting:
- Two on the lower back
- Two on the upper back
- One on each arm, just below the shoulder
The reflection strips use 3M Scotchlite and are very subtle in the daylight. This ensures that you’ll be more visible in low light conditions without looking like a traffic cone during the day.
Branding
Branding is nicely done in white, and despite it being on red material, it isn’t obtrusive or too obvious. Subtly done, which I like, there is one logo on the front left chest panel and one on the back at the top in between the shoulder blades. The zip pulleys are branded very discreetly.
Zippers
All the exterior and interior zippers are YKK, with the main zippers having sizable glove-friendly pull tabs.
The main zipper also has a rain/wind flap on the inside to prevent water from coming inside.
There is a YKK zipper on the inside back of the jacket with a matching side to stitch to any trousers that are not compatible with Weise products. This is a nice feature, since Weise doesn’t make any matching pants for this jacket.
Colorways
The Weise Dakota Ladies jacket is available in red and black.
Thoughts on the Dakota Jacket’s Overall Build Quality
Sizing
The Wise Dakota jacket comes in sizes from 10 to 22 (UK sizing).
I am 169 cm tall and usually go for size 12 or medium. This jacket fits perfectly even with the thermal lining zipped in place, so no complaints here.
Comfort
It is unusual for me to find a jacket that fits perfectly from day one. Usually, they take a bit of getting used to and need ‘breaking in’—but not this one. The jacket is really comfortable to wear. In fact, when I took it out for the first ride, I had literally forgotten I was wearing a brand new jacket until I stopped. I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was instantly.
The neoprene edge lined collar added to the comfort around the neck, and the stretch panels on the elbows also helped ensure comfort when riding.
Adjustability
The Weise Dakota Jacket has a few adjustments to ensure a good fit for everyone:
- Adjustable velcro straps on each side around the waist area
- Two position poppers on the upper arm
- Velcro straps around the wrist area with zips at the cuffs
- Two zips on the side of the jacket around the hip area
These belts, poppers, and velcro straps allow you to adjust the jacket to your body shape just perfectly, and they help to reduce billowing in the wind.
Functionality of the Dakota Jacket
Waterproofing
The Weise Dakota Jacket is functionally waterproof, thanks to the 600 Denier polyester used for the outer construction. The use of this textile also means the jacket is breathable and windproof. This also prevents the buildup of dirt and makes it easy to clean.
I have ridden in heavy rain whilst wearing this jacket, and the only water penetration was on my belly because I didn’t tuck the t-shirt into the trousers.
Ventilation
The Weise Dakota jacket doesn’t have any vents, and although the outer material is breathable, it isn’t ideal for wearing in the height of summer. The mesh inner does help with the wind flow—but I would have liked some vents to help me cool down on a really hot day.
Protection
The Weise Dakota jacket offers protection that is CE approved and AA rated. It comes with fully removable CE approved shoulder, elbow and back armor.
Care Instructions
The jacket is super easy to clean. All you need is to take a damp microfiber cloth and wipe it down. The material used is waterproof and by its nature, it stops the dirt build up. A regular wipe of the jacket means you don’t need to spend a lot of time keeping it clean. When it gets wet, just hang it in a well ventilated area and let it dry out naturally.
Thermal Liner
The Weise Dakota jacket comes with a full-length sleeve thermal liner. This zips in fully to the outer shell with a full-length zipper. A real bonus is the full zip around the cuffs, which means the liner sleeves are firmly attached to the outer shell and there is no chance of ripping off the buttons if the jacket is tight.
The liner includes two interior pockets, one designated for your phone.
Final Thoughts on the Weise Dakota Jacket
I have had the chance to wear this jacket for most of the early summer this year. I have worn it on a 5-day tour of Scotland, on a 4-day tour of Wales, and on occasional days out. It was a great choice for all these tours and more. The length of the jacket is short enough that you don’t end up sitting on it when riding, and long enough to stop any wind coming into the lower back area.
The stretch panels on the elbows ensure comfort when you move around the bike and turn into sharp corners. The color red adds a pop of visibility as well as interest, which means other road users will see you better and this adds to the safety aspect of motorcycle riding. The jacket is comfortable and protective so you can ride with confidence. It will see you through most of the seasons, although perhaps not on the hottest summers’ day.
Pros
- Waterproof & windproof
- All-weather protection
- CE Level 2 armor
- Included thermal liner
- Additional adjustments for better fit
- Lightweight
- Value pricing
Cons
- No vents for summer riding
- No matching pants
Specs
- Manufacturer: Weise
- Price: (When Tested) ~$220
- Made In: Unknown
- Colors: Black and red
- Sizes: UK 10–22
- Review Period: April–June 2022