Review | Furygan Brooks jacket/Apalaches pants/Nomad gloves

French brand Furygan recently sent us an ensemble of new adventure rider/commuter themed kit to try out, comprising the Brooks jacket, Apalaches trousers and Nomad gloves. Read on to find out how we got on with them…

Described by Furygan as “part of a new generation of adventure jackets” the Brooks is a smart-looking waterproof textile jacket with an AA safety rating, a zip-in insulated liner and plenty of zipped ventilation on torso, arms and back. A large D3O slip-in back protector is an additional cost option.
The cut is shorter than your typical three-quarter length adventure jacket, meaning the same combination of tough, all weather, all-seasons protection but in a more casual style appealing to a broader cross-section of riders. Which is to say we looked the part wearing it on a Honda Africa Twin but felt just as comfortable pairing it with riding jeans on a sporty naked like the Yamaha XSR900. A neat trick, given anyone telling you they don’t care whether their jacket is the right style for their bike is fibbing! Lighter, two-tone colourways meanwhile offer a more ‘euro adventure biker’ look if that’s your tribe. Sizing is definitely on the European side, which is to say your slim-built tester comfortable with Small or XS from brands like RST was perfectly snug in Furygan’s Large, with space for some extra layers for winter rides. If we had a criticism it would be that the arms are a tad short, leaving wrists exposed in short summer gloves. The breathability of the Humax-branded waterproof coating is perhaps less effective than, say, fancier fabrics like Gore-Tex but the various ventilation zips do a good job of channelling cooling air around your arms and torso when up to speed. A more breathable Vented+ version is also available, though it’s worth noting this is only A rated for protection. In conclusion a stylish, versatile jacket at a reasonable price. Just check the sizing before buying.

Perhaps heavier duty than the Brooks jacket, the Apalaches trousers may look more like fishing waders or snowboarding pants off the bike but function comes before fashion in the kind of conditions you’d be wanting them for. There’s a matching jacket if you want but they still worked in combination with the Brooks and carry a comparable AA rating, the vented version only A in comparison.
Like the jacket there’s a zip-in thermal lining we removed for some warmer weather but would doubtless be welcome on those winter commutes. You can zip the pants into compatible jackets from the Furygan range or go with the supplied braces attaching to the same fixings, the fabric panel extending up your back keeping the draughts out. The cut is a little curious, being relatively snug at the waist in the size Large we tested (this for a Mr Average 32-inch waist) but quite wide in the leg. We’d prefer a tighter grip for the knee armour to avoid the risk of it moving in a spill but for the stouter of leg this may not be so much of an issue. Wide lower cuffs meanwhile let you wear the trouser over your boots to stop water running down into them.

Gloves are where Furygan started and, if expensive, the Nomads prove its continued expertise here. A combination of materials includes brushed fleece for a soft feel on the inside, goat leather palms and a triple-layer waterproof Hydrofab synthetic upper. Cut long to reach over the wrist, the chunky Velcro straps are easy to adjust and engage inside the sleeves of compatible jackets to seal the join between them. There’s also a visor wipe on the left glove and touch-screen compatible fingertip pad so you don’t have to remove them to operate nav or phone.
They’re certainly not cheap but the fit is exceptional, the thin palms offering better connection to the grips than bulkier winter gloves at some cost of warmth on frostier mornings. The waterproofing is effective but not especially breathable, meaning on warmer days sweaty hands can stick to the liner. Which makes taking them on and off a pain. On that basis they’re probably a bit thin for full winter, and a bit sweaty for summer. We’ll split the difference and say they’re ideal for spring or autumn but that’s a pretty narrow operating window given the chunky price.

We liked the versatility of the Brooks jacket and its ability to look good on a broad cross section of bikes, given it successfully blurs boundaries between trad adventure jackets and sportier textile options. In plain black nor does it look too ‘biker’ in more casual situations.
We’ll have to wait for the weather to turn to really test the worth of the Apalaches trousers (a bit of summer in the meantime would be nice) but they feel sturdy and well protected, slightly odd cut notwithstanding. In terms of fit and materials the Nomad gloves feel worthy of the price, meanwhile, but you’ll want heated grips on your bike if you plan to use them over winter.