No riding suit can do it all, but the women’s REV’IT! Sand suit is as good as it gets. It’s a great combination of breathable and waterproof, and I’m currently using it as my daily uniform while traveling from Canada to Argentina. So far I’ve spent 20,000 miles in the Sand suit, taking it through a wide variety of weather conditions during some very long days.

REV’IT! loaded the Sand jacket and pants with details to make it a true traveler’s suit. It comes with a removable Hydratex membrane that zips in/out, and also a cold-weather liner that fits snugly for colder rides.

REV’IT! gear is European-sized, so go with a couple of sizes larger to ensure a fit. The pants looked particularly wide with the included hip padding, which I chose to remove. The pants and jacket sleeves are both long, though the jacket is short in the torso.

The Sand is a form-fitting two-piece suit that’s so comfortable it seems to “disappear” while riding. It can also be worn just as comfortably off the bike. The armor stays put, even while walking, and the pants don’t have that heavy swishing feel that’s so common with all-weather gear. It’s also undoubtedly female, with a perfect hourglass shape that lets everyone know that a woman is riding ahead.

As for crash protection, the Sand suit comes with the quality of armor one would expect in a top-shelf garment—it’s soft and malleable, and performed quite well during several unplanned dismounts in the dirt, and one unfortunate collision with a BMW SUV in Panama. The suit did its job beautifully, and I walked away with only a few minor tears and a bruised ego. Note that it doesn’t come with a back protector, so be sure and order that if you want full coverage protection (I strongly recommend it and am glad I did).

There are several vents in the jacket, which do a nice job at providing air flow—two vertical chest vents, one vertical vent along each arm, and a horizontal zipper across the back. The legs have one small vertical vent along each thigh that perform well when standing, doing a surprisingly good job at providing airflow when the temperature rises.

The Hydratex membrane works extremely well at keeping an even temperature inside the jacket. I’m comfortable riding at highway speeds at temperatures between 55–80°F with the liner in, whereas with other suits I use there’s a much smaller temperature range. However, the liner has a saturation point in the seat area where rain tends to accumulate (the same as my Gore-Tex-lined suits) which gets uncomfortable during long, wet rides. Installing the liners requires removal of the jacket/pants and can take several minutes—no fun while standing in a rainstorm.

Spend time with something long enough, and you’ll always find room for improvement. For this suit I wish it had better pockets. They’re quite small. Great for a slim look and feel, but the zippered pockets on the jacket are just large enough for credit cards and a set of keys.

The inner part of the jacket has two larger pockets, but they only close with a small rectangle of Velcro. During one border crossing all my documents fell to the ground while I was holding the jacket. There’s a large zippered pocket on the lower half on the back of the jacket that serves well to hold larger documents securely.

The Hydratex membrane has an amazing zippered inside pocket, but after carrying my passport for two weeks, the glue gave way and the passport ended up on the sidewalk. There are three pockets in the pants—two zippered on the front and a deeper one on the left leg. The front pockets are secure, but again can only hold very small items, and the Velcro on the leg pocket doesn’t always contain items when the pants are removed.

Overall quality control on this suit is top-notch and I have only minor complaints. I’m extremely happy with the versatility, quality and the many options of the REV’IT! Sand suit and know it was the right choice for my four-month trip. I recommend it to others and look forward to seeing what REV’IT! has to offer next. MSRP: Jacket $450 | Pants $330 RevitUSA.com

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