Belgian clothing company Richa have come up with the goods with the Toulon, proving once again that you don’t need to spend a fortune to achieve a good balance of style and functionality. Trying it on for the first time it looks and feels great with its ‘worn-in’ look (echoed in the cotton lining) and the supple cowhide (buffalo leather?!) will only improve with age. This isn’t a case of style over substance however as it has a full complement of D3O armour ready installed at the shoulders, elbows and back – without looking or feeling overly bulky. The quality of materials and construction is impossible to fault, especially at this price! For the chillier months there is a removable hood which zips in and out in seconds if it’s not really your thing or on a warm day.
If I’m being picky the back armour could extend further down to the lower back but if that’s an issue then you can always remove it and wear your own back protector underneath. JB and I are already big fans of the brand having tried and tested the long and short version of their Richa’s Scrambler jacket and in our eyes, they can do no wrong. It really does make you ask yourself why you would spend more – and we haven’t really looked closely at their adventure gear yet! If you own a heritage bike you really need to have a closer look at the Toulon, 270 quid for a high-quality leather jacket with decent protection is hard to ignore and with a range of different coloured strips on the sleeves you might even find the one to match your bike!
If you are tempted by the Toulon jacket then you might want to take a look at the Bobber gloves from Richa which provide the same levels of style, comfort and affordability – the perfect match. Made again from cowhide with CE approved knuckle protectors and the now seemingly obligatory smartphone / touch screen friendly material on the underside of the index finger, the Bobbers are without doubt a quality glove. We like the zip and button-over closure options at the wrist that lock your hands nicely into the glove whilst the cowhide outer and polyester inner provide plenty of flexibility and feel. You could wear these from early spring to late summer as they are nicely ventilated and only need a pair of full on winter mitts for the cold months. Nicely fitting and super-comfortable – again, highly recommended.
