Weise Dynastar Evo – The best don’t have to change, they just evolve
The Dynastar must be one of the best known biking jackets in Britain, and in no less than two previous incarnations, the Dynastar and Dynastar II, one of the biggest sellers. The reason was simple; a lot of thought had gone into even the smallest design detail, right down to choice of materials, fittings and the way the jacket was stitched together. The product punched well above its weight, delivering quality and functionality at a price other makers struggled to match. And word got around.
The New Dynastar Evo. Image: Key Collection |
The Dynastar II, which is still available from some outlets, suited people who cared less about a label than actual performance in real-world conditions; they wanted something that looked good, for sure, but it had to work too; keeping them dry, comfortable and protected, day after day. And these riders worked hard for their money, so they didn’t want to get ripped off either. Popularity of the product shows that Weise got it right -no need for a radical new product. In 2012 Weise simply tweaked the basic design, keeping by and large to the same materials, but improving looks and adding a few new features. But did that mean that the Good evolved into the Better? |
The basics
Many of the successful features of the older model have been retained; Like the Dynastar II, the new jacket has a typically urban / touring cut, with a good selection of pockets and a fit that comfortably covers the waist to prevent wind getting in. It’s crafted from 500 Denier Cordura and the membrane is an ISOTEX waterproof / windproof affair. There’s a removable thermal quilted lining as well as CE armour.
So far this sounds like almost any mid-range textile motorcycle jacket. But what always made the Dynastar different, was the amount of thinking that had gone into the details; taking as a starting point the actual problems riders face in riding a motorcycle in all weathers. This meant that it worked extremely well. Keeping you dry and comfy
A case in point is the water channeling and release system (for example, look at the apparent seam around the sleeve just up from the wrist area). These systems serve to direct water away from obvious entry points, such as your gloves, and also allow condensation to escape from between the layers.
Then there’s the zip; a chunky YKK item carefully hidden behind a double storm flap to prevent water ingress. But this protection shouldn’t come at the price of a fiddly fastening system, so the flap is secured at the top entirely by Velcro, while two pair of poppers provide firmer closure lower down. It make the front easy to open and close with gloved hands, especially if you want to, say, just reach inside for your wallet at a filling station. Because torrential rain can often be followed by sunshine, vents on the jacket are also easy to operate and include long arm vents, and a rear shoulder vent concealed under a flap. Neoprene inner wrist sections and a neoprene collar also seal against water while giving the jacket a soft, luxurious, comfy feeling. Comfort and fit is enhanced by stretch panels in the arms, and by sleeve and waist adjusters. There is a zipper to attach the jacket to suitable trousers. 
Image: Key Collection
Keeping you safe
Armour is CE certified and includes removable protectors to shoulders, elbows and back. The shell construction is 500 denier Cordura, which has significantly better abrasion resistance than the nylon or polyester of cheaper jackets. Tough stitching also gives the jacket excellent burst resistance.
Wikipedia: Franc
Keeping you happy
We’ve never understood why any jacket designed for use in Europe or North America would have anything other than fully waterproof pockets – but many do – and some compromise by making some waterproof while others aren’t. This can be seriously expensive if you put your mobile in the wrong one, and bloody annoying if you reach for a sweet and instead discover a gooey mass .
We’re glad to report that all 4 of the Dynastar’s front pockets, which have handy rubber pull tabs to aid opening, are completely waterproof and there is also an abundance of other places in the interior to fill with earplugs, change wallet and other essentials. There’s a large rear pocket and a pair of front hand-warmer pockets behind the fronts of the lower two. Zips on the pockets have been dropped from the Dynastar II to allow faster access. Lovely. 
Temperature regulationThe Dynastar II was a much loved jacket, but such criticisms as there were centred on a limited effective temperature range. Many people found it too chilly for a northern hemisphere winter due to a lightweight 100g liner, but then too warm for summer due to a lack of frontal vents. Weise has listened to rider feedback, and both these niggles have been dealt with in the design of the Evo.
We think these improvements a big step forward and will extend the jacket to genuine 4 season capability. The only further things that could be done would be to make the waterproof liner removable and add covered chest mesh panels, but at the moment these potential features look like being design options for the future. New featuresNew features include and upgraded liner from 100g to a much more luxurious 140g, tackling criticism of the Dynastar II of a lower than average warmth score. Other changes include new chest ventilation controlled by waterproof YKK zippers, and tiny zippered under-arm vents too.
A removable winter neck guard is designed to keep the cold wind out and reflective material across, chest, back and forearm raise visibility in low light. There is now a choice of 8 inch or full 360 zip to aid compatibility with trousers as there are no specific Dynastar pants. 
There are even tiny under arm vents to keep your pits cool!
|
|
1000 Mile + Test Update
We’ve just got back from a 1000 mile plus trip to Ireland. The Jacket survived one major downpour remaining completely dry. All zips, stitching, pockets etc still working and like new. Vents were effective in dissipating heat especially the underarm and rear ones. This really is a great piece of kit. really practical with numerous pockets and all outside ones waterproof (unlike many jackets where only some are).
The most significant comment we can make however is that, in the dry in temperatures of around 15 degrees C (about 60F), the jacket was a tad cool without the new heavier liner in, even with vents shut, but too hot when it was fitted. In other words, the new liner had effectively turned the jacket into a 2 season one – Winter and Summer. However, it’s an easy issue to fix – you just need to wear a sweatshirt or lightish fleece underneath when temperatures are warmer than winter but cooler than summer. In other words:
Spring – Jacket and Fleece
Summer – Jacket only (vents open if really hot)
Autumn – Jacket and Fleece
Winter – Jacket and quilted liner.
Its no big deal and doesn’t stop this from being the best all round jacket and best value for money on the market. However, If Weise wanted to improve it further, we’d suggest that they could replace the new heavier 140g liner with a 2-stage liner (two thin liners that can be worn separately or together- say one at 90g and one at 50g. Then it would be a true 4 season job right out of the box.It would also be a better global jacket as it would cope better with a wider range of climates.
The most significant comment we can make however is that, in the dry in temperatures of around 15 degrees C (about 60F), the jacket was a tad cool without the new heavier liner in, even with vents shut, but too hot when it was fitted. In other words, the new liner had effectively turned the jacket into a 2 season one – Winter and Summer. However, it’s an easy issue to fix – you just need to wear a sweatshirt or lightish fleece underneath when temperatures are warmer than winter but cooler than summer. In other words:
Spring – Jacket and Fleece
Summer – Jacket only (vents open if really hot)
Autumn – Jacket and Fleece
Winter – Jacket and quilted liner.
Its no big deal and doesn’t stop this from being the best all round jacket and best value for money on the market. However, If Weise wanted to improve it further, we’d suggest that they could replace the new heavier 140g liner with a 2-stage liner (two thin liners that can be worn separately or together- say one at 90g and one at 50g. Then it would be a true 4 season job right out of the box.It would also be a better global jacket as it would cope better with a wider range of climates.
Dynastar Evo Gallery
|
|
Article Copyright Bigbikemad.com 2014. Images Copyright Bigbikemad, except where shown.