REV’IT! Sand 4 H20 Ladies Outfit Road Test
I was rolling out of Adelaide, travelling to the beautiful Daintree region in Far North Queensland, over September through to mid-October 2022, with a gallop back down the east coast to chilly, wet Philip Island for the Moto GP.
I would be travelling through New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, then home to South Australia, so expecting to experience four seasons in one trip, over six weeks. I needed motorcycle gear to cover heat, humidity, rain, wind and cold.
Previously, I’d wore leather plus rain gear, but that combo was the least desirable for hot and humid conditions. Peeling leathers off while soaked in sweat, is akin to being skinned alive and for cold conditions, there is no warmth with the leather getting waterlogged easily. I had to fit summer and winter gear, into my panniers, among my other essentials avoiding anything unnecessary.
Most of the trip would be spent riding, so it was all about the kit being versatile and wearable all day.
After doing my research I invested in the REV’IT! Sand 4 H20 jacket and the short length matching pants, fitting my 27-inch inner leg seam. This outfit is specifically designed for adventure riding, bragging oodles of features, the most important for me, being:
- Highly abrasion-resistant materials
- Lightweight outer shell
- Removable waterproof and thermal liners
- Adjustable features on both, including height of knee and hip protectors
- SEEFLEX TM CE-level 2 protectors for shoulders, elbows and knees
- Waterproof stash pockets plus internal jacket pockets
- Grip seat panel
- Reflective striping
- Ventilation
- Optional leg lengths, standard and short
REV’IT! uses Hydratex® G-liner a waterproof coating, in the construction of their products that demand a basic level of all-weather protection and is applied to the inside of the garment’s inner lining, with the seams taped to ensure that garment is waterproof.
My pants sat on the top of my boots with the knee armour fitting precisely where it should. The all-over comfort level was high, for the long hours I was in the saddle. I was able to kneel easily for a few roadside services.
The jacket and pants zip together unless the waterproof liners are in. Together it is a bit weighty, which is not unusual for bike gear, so zipping them together helped hold the pants up. Another solution is the specific REV’IT pant braces which I bought, post trip and they work well to hold that weight up.
The suit looks smart with an addition of red accents splashed on the zips. On the upside, the light colour is cooler than heat-absorbing black. On the downside, the dirt shows up, but hey… it looks like I’ve been adventure riding! 
I felt like a slightly immovable Rhino, wearing the full suit, but everything worked as stated. I especially appreciated the sleek sleeve closures, as my gloves covered them without a ton of bulk impeding my wrists.
I was also impressed with the adjustable collar closure, helping keep out the wind, rain, insects and dust, without feeling like I was being strangled!
It is a full-on process in and out of the liners with multiple zips, tabs or loops to connect, but it’s still easier than packing various jackets.
The joiners to connect the internal liners were adeptly colour-coded, ensuring they didn’t twist around. I regularly took advantage of the versatility to add the waterproof liner without the thermal liner or vice versa and quickly became an expert putting it altogether in under a minute. The zips have dangly ends which are easy to grab with gloved hands. I found the quality impressive, as the connections connected and the zips glided. No struggling.
Another effective feature is the waterproof jacket lining, which can be worn separately as an off-the-bike rain jacket, with or without the thermal lining. With its classy, dark purple colour and the REV’IT! chest logo, I wore this smart-looking, versatile garment, often through my trip, as I explored off the bike.
Wow… the ventilation!
As soon as I hit the warmer Queensland climate, the inner liners were packed away and all vents opened. With the zipped vent inside the front closure unfastened, combined with all the other unobstructed vents, this jacket is by far the coolest I’ve had for riding sweaty, in extreme heat.
Ventilation on the upper pant legs made a huge difference in the sweltering 30-plus-degree heat. Adding a pair of 50 denier tights underneath, ensured my pants comfortably slid off without sticking.
I was travelling during the 2022 eastern State’s flooding so this outfit got hard-core tested. With multiple flooded roads to cross, water sprayed up either side of my bike, however, my legs stayed dry and I was especially happy there were no wet spots in the usual crotch, belly, arms or neck from the constant, driving rain.
The waterproof linings had done their job.
Getting closer to Phillip Island, the deluge that came down punched out enough rain over two hours to fill several swimming pools. Although the outer shell became heavily waterlogged, importantly, the internal rain liner kept my body dry.
It took two days for a complete dry out of the outer shell, though I don’t consider that a failure, as I was amongst constant and exceptionally cold and wet conditions. In warmer and drier situations, the gear dries out much quicker. Next time, if expecting that kind of seriously wet weather, I would add throw-over rainproof plastics.
Watching the Moto GP in the flogging Siberian wind of Phillip Island is freezing stuff, however, with just the two inner linings over my thermals, I kept warm enough and had no worries about getting a wet bum when sitting on the grass!
So, did I get what I expected, rather than if I had shelled out cheap dosh for a supermarket-level touring jacket and pants?
In short, yes.
REV’IT is sold online and in a few specific motorcycle stores. It is not the cheapest, yet not the dearest… although it is considered high-end motorcycle gear.
A most worthy 5 star rating for this.
Reviewed by Mary Knightsriders
Having gear fail in cold and wet conditions can put you in a perilous position, so choose well when planning your motorcycle wardrobe.
For a mid-range priced comparison, see the DriRider Vortex Adventure 2 review.
Editor’s Note:
There is such a thing called a Waterproof Rating which is worthy to note, if you are considering buying wet-weather motorcycle gear.
It will help you decide on a garment worthy of the price tag and the ride planned.
