Review | Raven Mostar LT MC Jacket

Raven is seemingly an house-brand of giant online kit retailer 24MX and sold through its more road-focused XL Moto sister site, though, confusingly, not related to the American clothing company of the same name. Browsing Raven’s range the kit all looks decent value, with hefty discounts on the rrps sweetening the deals further. This Mostar jacket walks the line between trad biker wear and full-on retro, and is discreet enough to wear off the bike as well as on. A decent protection level and armour from RE ZRO adds reassurance, the sustainability credentials of biodegradability and recyclability for the latter a twist likely to be appreciated by a younger, more eco-conscious audience.

Value for money drives buying decisions in all areas of life but when it comes to protective motorcycle clothing there’s almost a level of reassurance from spending more from a recognised brand. It’s a weird psychology but the fact the Mostar’s rrp is over £200 but the selling price is not much over £100 at the time of writing offers a level of reassurance as to its quality. If not the thickest the leather looks – and smells – suitably authentic, and if not ‘technical’ in the sense there are no stretch panels or obvious reinforcements the clean look means the jacket could pass as casual wear off the bike. AA level abrasion protection is decent, though, and there’s discreet Level 1 RE ZRO armour as standard in the elbows and shoulders. A pocket on the inside can take a RE ZRO back protector, to which we added the (reasonably priced) Level 2 version. We like RE ZRO’s focus on sustainability as well, its armour recyclable if you send it back to them once you’re done with it or fully biodegradable if it does end up in landfill. Rest assured, this won’t happen in normal use, though. Even if you get hot and sweaty!
Sizing runs all the way up to 3XL, our Small definitely on the fitted side meaning if you’re bigger-boned you may want to consider up-sizing over what you’d usually go for. It’s also short, so you’ll need to make sure your riding jeans are high enough in the waistband to protect your midriff in a slide. Practically speaking you get a zip-in thermal ‘waistcoat’ for cooler days, two zipped pockets at the waist and a single one on your chest and additional stash space within. On the thinner side it’s probably better suited to warmer days, and paired especially well with the Modern Classic Triumphs and Californian winter sunshine we tried it in. A tough gig, but someone had to do it!

While Raven might not carry the pose value of big-name brands like Dainese, RST or similar its house brand status and keen pricing offer good value, and quality seems on-the-money as well. If you ride faster and harder you’ll probably want something a little sturdier and more protective but for hipster posing around town or running a retro style bike along the lanes on a sunny Sunday it’s a nice piece of kit, the unadorned style meaning it looks perfectly acceptable when chilling off the bike as well. Sustainability credentials probably haven’t crossed your mind when it comes to choosing your body armour before, but it’s a cool USP for the RE ZRO protection and a nice-to-have we didn’t know we wanted, the well-ventilated back protector comfortable and cool even in the Californian sunshine.