Rynox Cypher GT Mesh Riding Jacket Review: Introduction

A good mesh jacket does a lot of good when you are out riding in our tropical conditions. Breathability remains at the forefront of all requirements, which usually leads to the jacket being light and airy. After using the Royal Enfield Streetwind V2 for aeons, I was keen to check out something different. ViaTerra did send us the Miller jacket for test, which Ishan is putting to good use on testing duties and shoots. I was searching for a slightly cost effective jacket, primarily for commutes. I was pretty intrigued by Rynox’s new creation: the Cypher GT. It fits my basic criteria and is in the sub-Rs 5000 budget. So, I bought one. Here’s what the jacket is packing.

Jacket Name: Rynox Cypher GT Jacket

Sizes Available: S-XXL

Price: Rs 4,950 

Colours available: Light Grey, Black and Navy Blue

Specs:

Material - Combination of polyester mesh and 600D polyester textile

Armor - Viscoflex CE Level 2 armour for back, shoulder and elbow, foam insert for chest, ready for CE Level 2 armour

Size tested - L

Adjustable straps: Adjustment tabs on waist, biceps, and forearms

Fit type: Roadster style, short

Pockets: Two zipped external pockets, one sleeve pocket for cards/cash

Pros - Extremely lightweight; heavily breathable; navy blue looks kickass

Cons - No internal pockets to carry knick knacks; should’ve had a cuff secure tab

DESIGN

Rynox has gone for a roadster style short length look for the Cypher. It looks quite retro chic in the navy blue shade, which is also one of the reasons why it caught my eye. It is a neat departure from the countless black mesh jacket options available in the market. 

Even the Rynox branding isn’t too loud. Small logos on the left chest and back are subtly placed. It has sleek reflective strips around the chest and back but I am not too sure you would be too conspicuous at night time by relying on just these strips.

FIT & PROTECTION

Rynox has managed to get the roadster persona for its latest mesh jacket quite bang on. It is comfy around the torso and the arms are neat and snug. The length of the jacket is on the shorter side. As a result, the jacket does crop up over the belt when you’re in a sporty riding stance. Since there are no belt loops in place, or any chains to possibly lock in with another pair of Rynox riding pants, this lower back exposure can’t be mitigated.

As far as the armour goes, it does have quite thick and flex-y CE Level 2 soft pads for the elbow, shoulder and back. Rynox has provided chest armour slots with just foam padding added as standard. You can buy off the chest pads from Rynox or from any other reputable gear store. After a few days of wearing the jacket, though, I did upgrade the armour to D3O Level 2 pads all around. The pockets are large enough to accommodate these advanced protective paddings and I find more comfort having D3O armour than just regular soft rubber inserts.

INITIAL RIDES

In the handful of weeks that I have started to use the jacket I have found the Cypher is pretty ventilated and handles our weather conditions relatively well. It isn’t made from a thin, light layer of mesh lining and hence, you might feel a bit stuffy at traffic signals or in severe jams. However, the slightest bit of breeze and the air circulation within the jacket is quite decent.

If you are riding with a backpack, which I virtually do on a daily basis, the exhaust air doesn’t escape that easily. The only way to stay breezy then is to constantly be on the move.

I do find the lack of internal pockets rather disheartening. The small storage tab near the left wrist is good enough to accommodate debit/credit cards and handy cash (pun intended), but I would’ve liked Rynox to at least have one internal pocket that would allow me to store my phone in a more secure place. Currently, it has to reside in my jeans pocket and that’s not the best place to store it for tours and sport riding.

WHAT’S THE PLAN?

Simple, will I be able to enjoy the unbearable 40-degree plus summers with the jacket? I plan to undertake a few road trips and use the jacket even for some light off-roading. So, the next report should be able to bring you a more holistic view of this affordable and entry-level mesh jacket.