Here I am wearing my Olympia Patton Mesh Tech Jacket

While I was planning my ride to the Emmitsburg, MD and then Mt Washington, NH, I started looking for another jacket to wear.  I needed another jacket as we only had one mesh jacket and several leather coats and we would be riding into temperatures nearing 100°F.  I had heard good things about Olympia jackets from my uncle that has one, and from the owner of the BMW dealership.  I decided to give an Olympia jacket a try, it was less expensive than some other jackets, but seemed to be built well.

I bought the Olympia Patton Mesh Tech Field Jacket from Mathias BMW in New Philadelphia, OH.  Here is what the Olympia website has to say about it:

We’ve reinvented the classic field jacket and combined rider specific function with rugged go anywhere styling. Constructed in authentic DuPont Cordura® with ballistic airflow mesh panels, this jacket offers maximum cooling with superior abrasion resistance. Patton’s waterproof Thermolite® insulated liner insures all weather multi season riding comfort and doubles as a great looking stand alone jacket. To enhance Patton’s all weather riding performance it’s also equipped with a stand up neoprene edged collar complete with throat latch detail and two large waterproof chest pockets.

 I immediately wore the jacket home.  I was amazed at the amount of air that was able to flow through the jacket.  We were leaving on our trip in two days, and this would be the real test, but I was impressed early.  I got a few reactions about the “fluorescent red” color, but this is exactly what I was after.  You can see this thing!

We left on our trip and the temperature was 80°F already at 8:00 AM.  I was very comfortable.  The jacket was a little stiff at first, but as I wore it, it seamed to relax.  As the day wore on, we rode into hotter temps and I remained comfortable.  When we got stopped by a bicycle race for well over on hour, the temperature was 93°F and I never took the jacket off.  I did get plenty warm while stopped, but not to the point where I felt the need to shed the jacket.

We did hit some heavy rain for a short time, and we rode on wet roads with spray for over 100 miles.  I did not have the waterproof liner with me.  I donned my rain suit pants, but not my rain suit jacket.  I got slightly wet where the mesh runs up the sleeves and down my sides.  My wallet and PDA phone stayed perfectly dry in the waterproof pockets.  The rain making it in the mesh was actually quite refreshing.  I have since tried the waterproof liner and it works as advertised.  I have not worn my rain suit jacket in about two months now.

The collar has neoprene at the top and makes it very comfortable to wear.    The jacket has armor in all of the usual places.  The armor is articulated and makes wearing the Patton Mesh Tech Field Jacket as comfortable as wearing my leather jacket that has no armor.  I do not have armor riding up on me like with my other jacket.

The price of the jacket was $249.00.  I think it was money well spent.  Eventually, I will buy another for Amy.  I have been very happy with my Olympia Patton Mesh Tech Field Jacket.  I am 5′10″ and 200 pounds.  I wear an XL jacket and have enough room for some layers beneath it.