One size fits all: is the RST Pro Series Evo Airbag the ultimate all-rounder suit?

Sitting in the middle between more street and track-focussed one-piece suits, the RST Pro Series Evo Airbag is a Goldilocks set of leathers – offering a bit more protection than the Tractech Evo 4, but a less aggressive cut than the V4.1 Evo.

If you’re a sportsbike rider who divides their time between road and track then this suit features the higher spec armour and airbag of the racier model, but is easier to walk around in on bike nights at the local cafe, too.

Is a track-focussed suit like this too much for the road, or is it a great value one size fits all solution? I’ve been riding in the RST Pro Series Evo Airbag for a year, covering some 1,000 miles, to find out.

Comfort

Let’s get this caveat out of the way from the start – everything I say in this review should be preceded by the statement “once the suit had broken in”. That’s not to say it was unusable at first, or I had to ride in it for ages before it improved, but the comfort and fit has got exponentially better as time’s gone on. Sizing also runs true, my 110cm chest put me in a large and it’s snug with no baggy areas.

I’m at the point now where I can say quite categorically that the RST Pro Series Evo is the comfiest item of motorcycling clothing I own – apologies for the mental image, but it reached second-skin status after three or four decent stints in the saddle, and is my go-to choice for anything longer than a ride to the shops. I’ve done a couple of long days in the saddle this year and this suit felt great all day.

That’s largely down to the significant amount of flexible fabric used throughout – whether it’s accordion leather panelling on the joints and lower back, or the swathes of four-way stretch material that makes up a surprising proportion of the suit.

This is a bit of a by-product of the airbag needing space to deploy, but it means the suit is extremely flexible and easy to move around in when you’re on the bike. The stretch fabric is also highly breathable, to keep your core temperature down, along with perforations on the chest panel.

While this suit sits somewhere between road and track use, it does have quite an aggressive cut, so your arms are pulled into a bit of a bear hug. The crotch to neck measurement is also quite short and this is emphasised if you have a longer body in comparison to your legs, like I do.

There has been a bit of ‘give’ in this department over time, but it’s still slightly hunched over when you’re stood upright, and I’ve found it much comfier off the bike if you undo the zip a bit.

Practicality

Key considerations for this section of the review are things like whether the item is easy to put on and whether it has useful pockets. Given that this is a leather race suit, you can probably guess the answers to both of those.

In fairness, it’s not as hard to get in and out of as I was expecting, largely thanks to those stretchy panels, which enable a bit of give. You also get long zips on the feet and wrist cuffs to further aid entry and exit.

That said, it is obviously still harder and more time consuming to put on than a jacket and pair of jeans, not least because the back section is full of airbag gubbins and that big race hump, so it’s a bit awkward and inflexible. This also means you can’t really unzip it and wear the top half around your waist when you’re off the bike, because the top half remains upright.

The long knee protection requires a bit of a wiggle to locate, and then once you’ve got your hands in the arm holes to pull it up, the high-up weight stabilises a bit. The whole task is made infinitely easier if you’ve got an all-in-one base layer on.

Getting back out is a quicker job if you can find a friend to hold onto one of the wrist cuffs while you pull an arm out. Despite it having a removable mesh lining to wick away sweat (which it does very well), it’s again much easier to slide off if you’ve got a base layer on, as it can be a bit clingy against bare skin.

But in terms of pockets, it has absolutely none. This wasn’t a huge surprise as there’s an airbag running through only place you could realistically site one on the inside of the suit, and you don’t really want your house keys in the way if it were to go off. Buy a bum-bag, basically.

That shouldn’t really preclude the massive aero hump from offering some small storage though, for a drink bladder perhaps, so it’s a bit disappointing that space ends up wasted. You can’t really get a hoody over it either, on colder days, or just because that’s your look. I also got caught in a brief rain shower on at least one occasion and I can tell you this suit is not very waterproof, not that this should be a surprise, but once it dried it looked brand new again.

In terms of more formal cleaning and maintenance, the lining is removable and can go in the wash, and the leather is super easy to keep clean with just a wipe from a damp rag every now and again.

Looks

I think it looks great – particularly in the neon pink or green versions, which also feature a not-subtle lightning bolt design. Depends on how much attention you want to draw, I suppose.

For majority street use the all-black version on test is a bit more subtle, the RST logos are a muted grey that blends in well and while there are some more eye-catching red graphics, they’re not as prominent.

A leather suit like this is always going to look quite committed but if you want the high level of protection it affords then that’s the trade-off. The larger than normal aero hump does elevate that slightly, and I kind of wish it was removable for casual road use, but I don’t think that’s a realistic idea.

Quality

As you’d want and expect the Pro Series Evo feels like a suit of armour – from the leather itself to the seams and the zip, it has the impression of being wrapped in a single sheet of material rather than multiple parts stitched together.

The cuffs and neck have a neoprene edge to them, and the inner knees feature a rubberised gripper section, which latches onto my tank grips like Velcro. The inner liner feels great and is removable so you can wash it, but it has got caught up around my foot from time to time when I’ve been putting the suit on.

Overall the Pro Series Evo feels like it’ll last forever, with a super sturdy construction and strong main zip, plus quick release sliders than can be swapped out with no bother.

Protection

The RST one-piece range is all AAA rated for abrasion, as you’d expect really. On the Tractech Evo 4 and Pro Series Evo it’s cow hide and on the V4.1 Evo it’s kangaroo. All suits feature a double layer of leather on the seat as well as a coccyx protector.

There are differing levels of armour across the shoulders, elbows, knees, hips and back – basically, the more expensive Pro Series Evo and V4.1 Evo get more level 2 protectors. All RST suits have level 1 knees, and the airbag suits have level 1 back protection (and an airbag). You also get elbow sliders with these, unlike the Tractech Evo 4.

Once inside it though the armour feels welded to your shoulders, elbows and knees, with hardly any movement even when you’re moving around on the bike. This is incredibly confidence inspiring.

About that airbag – you’ll probably be aware that purchasing a suit like this is only the first step, and in order to use it you’ll need to subscribe to In&Motion, who send out the box that controls the detection and inflation of the airbag itself.

There are two ways to do this, either pay £400 up front, or subscribe for £120 a year/£12 a month. The latter gains a lifetime warranty and updates for the box, whereas if you buy it outright you just get available updates. Syncing it to your phone to the suit is a simple process, and then you’re good to go.

The box promises 30 hours running time to a charge, and In&Motion claim 95% of falls are covered thanks to data it has collected on 100 million kilometres of riding analysed. The airbag itself protects the back, neck, abdomen and chest.

It’s a financial commitment either way, and one you need to consider carefully. That subscription only covers one type of riding too – either street, track or adventure. If you want to add another mode it’ll cost £25 a year, or £8 a month.

Value

In terms of one-piece airbag suits the RST Pro Series Evo represents great value for money, with alternatives from Alpinestars and Dainese costing over £1,000. If the airbag isn’t essential then RST’s Tractech Evo 4 comes in at a very tempting price.

Verdict

As a middle ground between road and circuit, with an airbag and a higher level of protection than more budget-focussed suits, the RST Pro Series Evo is absolutely bang on the money. It actually offers an incredible level of protection at this price.

It’ll best suit riders who want as much protection as they can get on the street, and plan on spending a bit of time on track too. I think it’s probably a bit much if you don’t have a trackday or two planned.

On the other hand, if you spent a lot of time on track the it’s certainly worth considering spending a couple of hundred pounds extra  on the kangaroo-constructed V4.1 Evo.

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