Review: Icon Raiden Suit

I’ve been waiting for years to have a proper all-weather riding suit. Being a humble wage earner, I’d been getting by with a cheap outfit. You know, the shapeless, over-stuffed, non-breathing material kind that repels rain on the outside, but creates a new “jungly” climate inside. About a year ago, they finally melted away when my trusty XT225 landed on me (for the umpteenth time!) just in time for the release of ICON’s Raiden line.

Knowing I’m both a dirt rider and a resident of the Pacific Northwest, ICON was excited to get me into Raiden gear. Advised to downsize from my regular “small,” I was wary about the fit until I slipped on my new bib and jacket for the first time. Perfect! The gear was so comfortable; I strutted around ICON’s headquarters clad in Raiden for the remainder of our meeting. Plus, the women’s line is cut really well—slim but not tight or awkward.

Prior to taking the Raiden attire for a spin, I attempted to read up on reviews. What I discovered was… nothing. The gear was so brand-spanking-new it appeared I’d be the first. And test I did. On a week-long trip through Washington’s backcountry roads and rocky beaches, the gear went through every possible weather scenario Washington could throw at it.

The days were jam-packed with off-road dirt, gravel and moss riding. I rode up and down mountains, through water, over big branches, into and out of ruts, around boulders—and sideways along edged cliffs. Through all this magnificent bunker hunting and all-round misbehaving, I wore the Raiden gear the entire time—and it endured plenty of spills, too.

When I became sticky (read: sweating my butt off), the vents kept me way cool. On breaks I could easily slide in and out of my kit. Zipped back up with liner in the Raiden gear kept me warm enough, despite wet hair and a well vented helmet. No teeth chattering, just a vague awareness of my temperature. This I consider a win.

My only complaint was the liner of the DKR gloves. Although the DKRs are uber warm, cozy, surprisingly flexible, and kept my chilled fingers toasty, when I sweated heavily the liner glued themselves to my hands. Every time that I needed to remove them for a photo, to fiddle with my phone, etc., the liners slid almost all the way out and bunched up heavily, making them difficult to fit back into the glove shells.

Overall, testing was a huge success. The gear held up and surpassed my expectations. The little details are a reminder of ICON’s strict attention to consumer needs and growing knowledge of the industry: the goggle wipe; the water bladder pocket with router for the hydration hose; the pouch for a music player with a secure path for headphones; compartments you can attach, detach, and get to without opening your jacket… the list goes on.

What ICON is doing with the Raiden line is taking the best of what’s already out there, then testing it BIG TIME adventure-style—a great formula that I’ve just experienced on a rambunctious dual-sport escapade through the Pacific Northwest. MSRP: Jacket $395 | Pants $285 | Gloves $55 IconRaiden.com

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