Icon 1000 | Shorty Jacket

icon1000.com

In pictures the Icon 1000 Shorty Jacket looks like a typical leather vest. When it arrived in the office, it was not what I was expecting. It was something different all together. Weighing in at about 4-1/2 pounds, there’s a definite feeling of girth and protection not typically found on a basic vest. Made from beaten down Brazilian cows, it was so soft out the box it felt as if I’d been wearing it for years.

I recently wore the Shorty to a press event where it raised quite a stir amongst the gray and bearded. Some thought it was custom, some though it was a shirt, but it seemed to gather a degree of attention from nearly everyone. The area we were riding had same day temperature swings of about 40 degrees. In the morning I wore a flannel underneath to keep warm and when the temperatures sored, my exposed arms helped me beat the heat. I think it fits a cool niche between a typical all-leather jacket and a vest for hot weather riding. The Shorty might short your wallet at $400, but thankfully a free one is included in the jacket.

–JCZ