Raida Vintago Riding Jacket – To Buy or Not To Buy

What we like

More often than not, products either incline towards function or towards form. But if it can balance both, then aspirational value just gets better. And this, I feel, applies to motorcycle riding gear as well. The Raida Vintago jacket is an appropriate example of that. It looks old-school, gets quilted stitching on the shoulders and elbows, a nice white with brown strap runs across the chest, and runs a bronze-coloured chain. All these elements complement each other and nothing feels out of place. Although I have been fortunate enough to not put the Vintago’s safety to a test, knowing that it comes with Level 2 armor for the shoulders, elbows, and back and Level 1 for the chest, helps with the peace of mind, at least.

Raida has done a commendable job with the Vintago’s quality as well. Its chain mechanism is one of the smoothest in all the riding jackets I have used so far. Then, the stitching, Velcro, and the internal lining have been intact with all the careless usage and multiple washes. The Vintago riding jacket has received generous pockets for storing your phone, wallet, or any other essentials that would need to be handy. So, even if you have a relatively large phone, it will easily fit in the front pockets along with more space to spare.

The Vintago jacket that we are currently using is an M-size unit. It fits just fine and feels quite snug overall. There is enough room for you to move your arms around without feeling a lot of pressure on your elbow area or wrist even with the Velcro strapped in. This is a plus point that needs a separate mention because quite often, riders tend to ignore the little discomfort in the beginning while making the purchase just for it to end up being bothersome later. Last but not least, since there are so many armors that you have to remove and install before and after the wash, the process needs to be easy and should not be time-consuming. That is the exact case with the Raida Vintago. Emptying the armor pockets and putting the pieces back is as simple as it can be and doesn’t feel like a task.

What we don't like

Since the Vintago is offered with chest protection as well, the said area blocks any incoming wind that would ideally help you stay cool on a hot day. But even if you were to remove those armors, the ventilation at the front isn’t the best. The front portion of the Vintago gets a mesh path but it still feels hot after riding for about 30-40 minutes. Then, the quilted patches on the shoulder and elbow, although aesthetic, also make it difficult to keep the said areas cool. We often found our base layer with sweat patches in those parts. But the same aspect came in handy when I used the Vintago for my recent ride in Ladakh and wore it over the Raida base layer that comes complimentary with the jacket. So, the ventilation part weighs in differently as per the conditions you ride in. But for the city commute, which is what most of us do, the Vintago needs better ventilation.

Even though the retro theme works well for the Vintago riding jacket, and it fits well, there are certain areas where the piece feels bulkier than needed. For example, once you are in the riding position with your hands on the handlebar, the pull from the arms at the front lifts the jacket by a bit at the collar area. That is when you notice the discomfort and the slight bulge.

Then, since the Vintago uses a chain as well as a Velcro strap for the wrist, it doesn’t allow you to wear a full gauntlet glove above the wrist. You would ideally have to tuck the glove inside the jacket or leave the chain open, and neither of these are ideal cases. So, maybe Raida can let go of the Velcro strap as the chain makes the wrist feel secure enough.

Conclusion

At Rs. 6,999, the Raida Vintago takes a sweet spot between entry-level jackets and the slightly premium ones. But, what it offers as an entire package is quite impressive. You get a nicely styled jacket with ample protection everywhere while being a good fit for the most part, highly utilitarian in terms of storage, easy to live with and maintain, and fairly versatile to use overall.

However, what you will have to manage is the ventilation on a sunny day, at the cost of sweaty patches on elbows, shoulders, and chest. Adding to this will be a clumsy fit at the wrist while wearing full gauntlet gloves since the strap and zip setup can’t be tucked in. The only way to tackle this is by using short gloves which don’t overlap Vintago’s wrist.

But for the said price, the Raida Vintago offers ample value for money and should be considered in your riding gear kit, without having a second thought unless you are comparing it with other options.

Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi