Motorcycle touring, especially of the adventure-ish sort that involves highly variable temperatures, precipitation and riding conditions, is best done with reliably protective apparel, and Aether’s Divide Jacket and Pants fit the bill. Aether (pronounced “ee-ther”) is a small, high-end apparel company based in Los Angeles that makes men’s and women’s gear for motorcycling, snow sports and other activities.

For several cold, windy and occasionally wet weeks, I wore Aether’s top-of-the-line Divide suit on a daily basis. The outer shell is made of premium Gore-Tex Pro fabric, a three-layer sandwich of abrasion-resistant nylon on the outside, a breathable, waterproof Gore-Tex membrane in the middle and a highly breathable Gore Micro Grid Backer lining on the inside. All seams are sealed, all zippers are waterproof and there are double layers of nylon fabric in impact areas as well as leather panels on the inner legs to reduce wear during stand-up riding. Lining the jacket and pants is stretchy athletic mesh that promotes internal airflow, and there’s adjustable D3O CE Level 1 armor on the shoulders, elbows, chest, knees and hips and a CE Level 2 back protector.

The Divide suit does an excellent job of keeping out rain and wind, but it offers limited ventilation; the only vents are located under the armpits and down both sides of the back, with none on the pants. I was able to open the underarm vents while sitting on a bike, but I struggled to close them again without assistance. On cold days, you’ll need to add your own insulated mid layers. 

Style, fit, feel and attention to detail are commensurate with the Divide’s premium price tag. The more I wore it the more I appreciated the Divide’s high-quality design and construction, from snaps to stitching to zippers. There are many clever details, such as the thumb holes under the jacket’s outer snaps that make them easy to close with one hand; soft lamb leather around the collar with an adjustable neck gaiter to keep out water and wind; wind cuffs at the wrists and bottom of the jacket; extra-wide belt loops on the pants; and zippered gussets up the back of the calf that allow them to fit over large ADV/MX boots. There are various adjustment straps to dial in fit and plenty of pockets, too — four external pockets on the jacket and six on the pants, all of them with waterproof zippers, plus a small internal pocket on the jacket.

The Divide Jacket is available in Storm, Dark Discovery Green (shown) and Blue Streak in men’s sizes XS-XXL for $995. The Divide Pants are available in Storm or Jet Black (shown) in men’s sizes XS-XXL for $695.

For more information, call (323) 992-3988 or visit aetherapparel.com.

Source: RiderMagazine.com