When the sun is beating down and the temperature climbs toward 85℉, most riders face a tough choice. You want to stay cool, but you also want to be protected if something goes wrong on the road. At Bohn, we know that if your gear is too hot, you will probably end up leaving it in the garage.

Choosing the wrong summer jacket usually means you end up drenched in sweat or, worse, riding in just a t-shirt. There is a huge sense of relief when you finally find a setup that lets the wind blow right through to your skin. When you can feel the air moving, you can stay focused on the ride instead of how much you are overheating.

This guide will help you find a gear setup that handles the heat of a southern summer. We will look at why some "summer" jackets still feel like ovens and how a layering system can change your ride. Staying cool is not just about comfort; it is about keeping your mind sharp so you can react quickly to traffic and keep the rubber on the road. 

Bohn helps riders stay cool and protected in hot weather with breathable gear that lets airflow reach your skin and keeps focus on the ride.

What the Summer Motorcycle Jacket Market Offers

The motorcycle industry has created many "summer" jackets designed to handle hot weather riding. Below, we'll examine what leading brands offer for summer protection and why many riders are moving toward a layering system for better cooling and armor placement.

Alpinestars

Alpinestars offers the SMX Air Jacket featuring a tech mesh chassis with 450D polyfabric reinforcement and perforated chest panels for excellent airflow. 

The jacket includes Nucleon Flex Plus Level 1 armor at shoulders and elbows, is Tech-Air ready for airbag compatibility, and comes with a detachable windbreaker liner for versatility. Prices range from $300-$400 depending on retailer.

The SMX Air provides quality construction with reflective detailing and is popular among sport and street riders for highway speeds. The strategic stretch inserts offer good mobility and the jacket works well as a base layer or standalone piece.

Alpinestars SMX Air Jacket: ventilated tech mesh, Nucleon Flex armor, Tech-Air ready, reflective accents, versatile riding jacket.

However, solid textile panels around critical areas still trap heat in humid conditions. The armor sits in loose pockets that can shift during impacts, and at this price point, the lack of body-close armor retention is disappointing.

Rev'It

Rev’It Airwave 4 blends European style with solid protection in the $250–$350 range. It features large PWR|Shell mesh panels for airflow, reinforced areas for durability, and includes SEESMART CE Level 1 armor as standard. With CE AA certification and multiple adjustment points, it’s a popular choice for riders seeking comfort and style.

The Airwave 4 offers excellent build quality with attention to detail and good ventilation compared to solid textile jackets. European styling and sophisticated design elements set Rev'It apart in the mid-price category.

Rev’It Airwave 4: lightweight mesh jacket with SEESMART armor, large ventilation panels, and sleek European styling for riders.

European sizing runs small for American riders, forcing many to size up and worsening armor placement. The jackets use traditional armor pockets rather than body-close systems, and the loose fit means armor can float during impacts.

Joe Rocket

Joe Rocket targets budget riders with the Joe Rocket Velocity Mesh Jacket in the $120-$180 range, offering FreeAir mesh construction with CE armor at accessible prices. The Velocity provides affordable ventilation with large mesh panels and basic protective features for commuters and new riders. This represents an entry point for first-time gear buyers.

The budget-friendly pricing makes motorcycle protection accessible to more riders. Basic features work adequately for short commutes and casual riding in warm weather.

Joe Rocket Velocity Mesh Jacket: budget-friendly, ventilated mesh jacket with CE armor, designed for new riders and warm-weather commuting.

Joe Rocket uses cheaper materials and thicker mesh that doesn't breathe as well as premium options. The basic foam armor creates hot spots, and jackets are cut very loose, meaning armor floats in large pockets and won't stay in place during a crash.

Dainese

Dainese makes the Air Frame 3 Tex in the $400-$550 range, featuring Italian design with advanced mesh ventilation and QuickDry fabric construction. The jacket achieves CE class A certification with Pro-Armor composite protectors at shoulders and elbows, plus a detachable windproof liner for versatility. 

The Air Frame offers quality materials and multiple adjustment points for fit refinement. Italian styling and build quality justify the premium price for discerning riders. This represents top-tier craftsmanship with sophisticated design and premium features throughout.

 

Dainese Air Frame 3 Tex: Italian-designed mesh jacket with Pro-Armor, QuickDry fabric, ventilated panels, and a detachable windproof liner.

Despite the cost, Dainese still uses armor pockets rather than body-close retention, and European fit doesn't suit many American riders. Multiple layers reduce mesh surface area and limit airflow, and at 4+ pounds, the jacket feels heavy for all-day summer riding.

The Bohn Layering Solution

Every traditional summer jacket makes the same compromises: mixed mesh and solid panels trap heat, designs remain heavy and bulky, and armor in loose pockets shifts on impact. The Bohn layering system solves this by separating impact protection from abrasion resistance.

Wear a Bohn Cool-Air or Airtex Armored Shirt as a base layer–almost entirely open mesh with body-fitted SAS-TEC CE-Level 2 armor held against your joints by stretchy Lycra™. Then layer a light windbreaker, thin denim shirt, or go bare for low-speed riding.

Bohn’s layering system uses a mesh armored base with body-fitted SAS-TEC CE-Level 2, then add a light shell for airflow and slide protection.

This system delivers maximum airflow – no thick zippers, collars, or solid panels block the breeze. The armor never shifts and you can even soak the mesh shirt for evaporative cooling, impossible with traditional jackets. After 25 years, Bohn remains the only system combining true ventilation with locked-in protection.

Top Recommendations for New Bohn Riders

Bohn Cool-Air Armored Shirt

This is our lightest and most breathable option for the hottest days of the year. It uses a very open mesh fabric that lets every bit of breeze reach your body. We have seen riders in the hottest parts of the country use this shirt to stay cool while keeping their SAS-TEC armor exactly where it needs to be. It is so slim that you can wear a light long-sleeve shirt over it and no one will even know you are wearing gear.

Get the Cool-Air Mesh Shirt

Bohn Airtex Armored Shirt

If you want something that works for both spring and summer, the Airtex is a great choice. It uses a mix of mesh and Lycra™ to give you a snug fit that won't move around while you ride. This shirt is perfect for commuters who need to stay cool on the way to work but want to look like a "normal" person once they park their bike. It holds your SAS-TEC armor close to your joints for better protection.

Get the Airtex™ Shirt with Lycra™

Bohn Cool-Air Armored Mesh Shorts

Stay cool and protected on warm rides with our Cool-Air Mesh Motorcycle Shorts. Designed for hot and humid conditions, these breathable mesh shorts provide maximum airflow while delivering top-notch protection with CE-Level 2 armor at the hips and tailbone.

Bohn Cool-Air Armored  Mesh Shorts

3 Truths About Motorcycle Gear (That Might Surprise You)

1. The Ground Is Hard Before You Slide

Many riders worry about "road rash," but the first impact is often what causes the most serious trouble. When you hit the pavement, your joints take a huge hit before you ever start to move down the road. Our main goal is to use SAS-TEC armor to help manage that energy and mitigate impact damage to your bones.

2. Baggy Gear Is Not Your Friend

If your summer jacket is loose and floppy, the protective pads inside will likely shift or rotate if you fall. For armor to do its job, it has to stay between your body and the ground at the exact moment of a hit. A snug-fitting base layer ensures that your protection stays put, even if your outer jacket moves around.

3. Being Hot Is a Safety Risk

When your body gets too hot, you start to feel tired and your reaction time slows down. Heat exhaustion can make you feel dizzy or lose your focus on the cars around you. Using gear that allows for maximum airflow keeps your body temperature down so you can stay alert and make better decisions.

Why Typical Summer Jackets Often Fail

Most "summer" jackets you see in stores are still quite heavy. They often use a thick outer fabric with just a few mesh panels on the chest or under the arms. While this is better than a solid leather coat, it still traps a lot of heat around your back and shoulders.

Another problem is that these jackets are often designed to look "cool" rather than work with the wind. They might have big pockets or heavy zippers that block the airflow. If the wind cannot reach your skin, your sweat won't evaporate, and you will stay hot.

Most summer jackets trap heat with thick fabric and blocked airflow. Bohn’s lightweight armored base layer delivers impact protection without stopping the wind.

At Bohn, we take a different approach. We believe your impact protection should be in a separate, lightweight layer. By wearing an armored shirt, you get the air you need through the mesh. You can then put a very thin abrasion-resistant shell on top, or even just a long-sleeve tee if you are riding at lower speeds.

The Secret to Staying Cool: Evaporation

Your body cools itself down by sweating. For this to work on a motorcycle, the wind has to hit that moisture so it can evaporate. If you wear a heavy jacket that blocks the wind, your sweat just sits on your skin and makes you feel gross.

Our armored shirts are made with fabrics like Lycra™ and special mesh which together "wick" moisture away from your skin. This means the fabric pulls the sweat to the outside where the wind can reach it. This process creates a natural cooling effect that feels great even when the air is warm.

Bohn armored shirts keep body-fitted SAS-TEC armor in place for real impact protection while breathable mesh keeps you comfortable on every ride.

If it is extremely hot out, some of our riders even soak their Bohn shirt in water before putting it on. As you ride, the wind blowing through the mesh creates a chilling effect that can last for 15-30 minutes or more. It is like having a portable air conditioner under your shirt.

Impact Protection That Moves With You

One reason people hate wearing gear in the summer is that traditional armor is stiff and uncomfortable. It can feel like you have pieces of hard plastic taped to your elbows. This makes it hard to move your arms and can lead to irritation on a long ride.

We use SAS-TEC armor because it is a viscoelastic foam. This is a fancy way of saying it is soft and flexible when you are riding, bending with your body, but if you hit the ground, it absorbs and disperses that impact to help prevent injury.

Our armor is also very large to give you the best coverage:

• Elbow/Forearm: 5 × 12 inches

• Knee/Shin: 5.25 × 12 inches

• Shoulder: 5 × 8 inches (standard) or 6 × 9 inches (for 3XL and up)

Sizing for Riders

We know that riders come in all shapes and sizes. The motorcycle industry often ignores people who are very tall, very short, or have a bigger build. If your gear doesn't fit right, it won't be comfortable, and the armor won't be in the right place to protect your joints.

At Bohn, we offer a huge range of sizes from 3XS to 5XL. We also have Tall, Short, and Big options to make sure the sleeves and legs are the right length. We have helped riders from 4'9" all the way to 6'10" find gear that actually fits.

Bohn offers real rider fit with sizes from 3XS–5XL, plus Tall, Short, and Big options for true comfort and protection.

We understand how American riders are built. We want you to have invisible protection that feels like you are just wearing your favorite comfortable clothes.

Impact vs. Abrasion: Building Your System

It is important to understand that our mesh shirts are designed primarily for impact. They hold the SAS-TEC armor against your body so your bones stay safe. While the mesh is tough, it is not as strong as heavy leather when it comes to a long slide on the highway.

The silver lining is that you can build a modular system. You wear your Bohn shirt for the impact protection, and then you choose an outer layer for the "slide" protection. On a hot day, you might choose a thin mesh jacket or a shirt made with abrasion-resistant materials.

Bohn mesh shirts focus on impact protection with body-fitted SAS-TEC armor, while an outer layer handles slide protection for hot rides.

By splitting your gear into two layers, you have more control. If you stop for lunch, you can take off your outer shell and stay cool in your armored base layer. It is much more versatile than a single, heavy "do-it-all" jacket that is too hot for half the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I wear a Bohn armored shirt under a regular t-shirt?

Yes, many of our riders do exactly that! The shirt is designed to be very low-profile. If you wear a slightly loose t-shirt or a button-down over it, the SAS-TEC armor becomes almost invisible. It is a great way to stay cool while having impact protection on your shoulders and elbows.

How do I know what size to order?

We have a very detailed size chart on our website that uses your height and weight. Because our gear is made with stretchy Lycra™, it is very forgiving and fits many different body types. If you are between sizes, you can always call us at our Mooresville, NC, office for advice.

Is the armor removable for washing?

Yes, all of the SAS-TEC pads are easy to remove. You should always take them out before you put the fabric garment in the washing machine. We recommend using a gentle cycle with cool water and then hanging the shirt or pants to dry to keep the fabric in top shape.

What is the difference between CE-Level 1 and CE-Level 2?

Both are safety ratings for armor. CE-Level 2 is the higher standard and is tested to absorb more energy during a hit. Most Bohn products come with Level 2 armor for the back and other key areas to give you the best possible protection against impact damage.

Will this gear fit under my riding jeans?

Our armored pants and shorts are designed to be very slim. They fit perfectly under most regular or relaxed-fit jeans. Unless you are wearing very tight "skinny" jeans, the armor will stay discreet and won't feel bulky while you are on the bike.

Is Bohn gear good for long touring trips?

Absolutely. Many long-distance riders love Bohn because it is so comfortable for 8 or 10 hours in the saddle. It doesn't chafe or pinch like some heavier gear can. Plus, being able to wash the base layer in a hotel sink and have it dry by morning is a huge plus for travelers.

Does the armor work in cold weather too?

While the mesh shirts are for summer, the SAS-TEC armor stays effective in many different temperatures. We also offer Performance Thermal versions of our shirts that use the same armor but have a warm fabric for winter riding. You can even move the armor from your summer shirt to your winter shirt to save money.