I often get asked what gear and equipment I use for my photography and for riding motorcycles. To keep it simple I decided to make a list of all of the main components that I use and then I broke the list down in to two parts: Moto and Photo. As mentioned these are just the main components, many other different bits and pieces exist to complete my setup, for a more detailed look at my gear be sure to check out the Fifth North YouTube channel.
Shoei RF-1400 Helmet
The saying goes, “If you have a $50 head, get a $50 helmet”. There are plenty of helmets in the $200-$300 range that are good enough or certified to protect enough but the reality is, you get what you pay for. This go around I decided to pay a bit more and give Shoei a try. Boy am I glad I did. The RF-1400 is comfortable, light weight, and well ventilated, truly a difference maker for longer rides. The truth is, I have in the past spent more money on well known brand names only to later realized it was simply for the brand, not for more features or better quality. But in the case of the Shoei RF-1400 helmet, that is definitely not the case, Shoes has built a reputation of quality and innovation for a reason, I know exactly where my extra money went and it was extra money well spent! I have since customize my RF-1400 to feature a unique livery design as well as motovloging devices.
REV'IT! Matador Jacket
My riding style is primarily sport and sport naked bikes, so it only makes sense to have a sport jacket. But I didn’t want just any jacket, I wanted a jacket that met my safety requirements and that looked good while doing it. In comes the Matador from REV’IT!. A brand that has been pushing the standards of safety for years, (one of the main reasons that I am a REV’IT! Rider and why the majority of my gear is from REV’IT!). The Matador looks great, provides excellent protection with Level 2 shoulder and elbow protectors (Level 2 back and chest protector were added) as well as a AA abrasion rating. With excellent comfort, safety, quality and ventilation, it’s one of the best sport jackets you can get for the street in the $500 price range. Additionally I appreciate the simple and classic styling of the Matador as many other spot style jackets feature loud colors and graphics.
REV'IT! Spark Air Jacket
For those times when I don’t feel like wearing a leather jacket or for the times when it is just too hot to do so, I turn to the REV’IT! Spark Air Jacket. With the comfort and look of a regular hoody this jacket is one of my favorites to ride in. Don’t let the looks fool you though, this jacket is all about protection as well, because even though it looks like a regular hoody and is extremely comfortable, it still has a AA abrasion rating, the same as my Matador Jacket and features elbow and shoulder protection. Naturally following my safety first philosophy I upgraded it by adding a level 2 back protector. With the Spark Air being made primarily out of a mesh material it flows a ton of air and stays comfortable even in those 90+ degree days. I especially like this jacket for my shorter and more urban rides as it provides a level of comfort that is unmatched.
REV'IT! Lombard 3 Jeans
Since I’m not really the one to wear leather pants off of the track I was looking for a solid pair of riding jeans. My concern however is that most riding jeans were just too tight for my body type. This is where I found the Lombard 3 jeans to be perfect. They once again met my safety requirements of coming in with a AA abrasion resistance rating but also provided me with a comfortable fit that would allow me to ride in them all day without complaint. I also went in and upgraded the knee protectors to REV’IT!’s own level 2 protectors and added the Safeway belt accessory allowing me to zip them to all of my REV’IT! jackets. I liked these jeans so much that I purchased a second pair in the used blue color. If you are a person looking for riding jeans that don’t fall in to the “skinny” category I can’t recommend the Lombard 3s enough.
REV'IT! G-Force Riding Shoes
The REV’IT! G-Force riding shoes very quickly became my go to favorites for the majority of the riding that I do as they offer great looks, protection and comfort. Also because I chose to non-H2O version, they are breathable making them comfortable during hot, summer rides. The G-Force shoes feature many great features that were clearly well thought out, including an additional anti-slip pad that was added right at the shifting point on the shoe ensuring more secure and comfortable shifts, especially when riding in the wet. If you are looking for a sport style shoe to pair up with some riding jeans these are the ones.
REV'IT! Apex Gloves
From a glove standpoint there are many different levels of gloves, from the minimal to the full on track gloves such as the Apex from REV’IT! I personally think that gloves are one of the most important pieces of gear when riding so whenever possible I wear my full gauntlet gloves as they provide additional pinky, wrist and just overall protection. With additional pads, sliders and reinforced sections I know for sure that my hands are as safe as they can be while riding. Additionally the Apex gloves are made out of the highest quality materials providing the piece of mind that they will last a long time and that they will be comfortable for all day use. The materials used yielded a quick initial comfort with minimal break in time as well as exceptional grip while pushing the limits on the track.
REV'IT! Parabolica Jacket
For those times when I want to be super comfortable like I am in my Spark Air Jacket, but the weather isn’t quite Spark Air warm, I turn to the Parabolica Jacket from REV’IT!. This jacket is again super comfortable, just like a normally hoody but it, like the Spark Air, still provides that AA abrasion resistance rating. The Parabolica Jacket features shoulder and elbow armor and I also took the liberty of upgrading the safety by adding a Level 2 back protector like I do on all of my jackets making the Parabolica perfect for all of those rides around town. Aside from all of the riding benefits I also love that the Parabolica looks like a normal jacket, that a person who isn’t familiar with Moto gear would have no idea that it wasn’t just a casual jacket that one would wear in every day situations. This makes it super convenient when riding my bike to events or places where I won’t have an opportunity to change.
REV'IT! Parabolica Pants
When Im wanting to be extra comfortable, instead of pairing one of my urban REV’IT! jackets (Parabolica and Spark Air) with my Lombard 3 Riding Jeans, I will instead pair them with the Parabolica Riding Pants. Here is the deal, these are not really regular pants, they are rather sweat pants or perhaps even joggers, long story short, they are insanely comfortable and just don’t feel like riding attire at all, they don’t look like it either. This level of comfort is extra insane when you realized that they still offer a AA abrasion resistance rating as well as armor at the hips and knees. If you are the type of rider that doesn’t like the look and feel of riding gear, the Parabolica jacket and pants combo is the perfect gear for you! Look casual while still being safe! I can’t stress enough how casual and “normal” the Parabolica pair looks, I highly recommend it.
REV'IT! Metric Gloves
In continuation of the comfort/more casual theme, I picked up the Metric gloves from REV’IT! as they were not as hardcore as my Apex gloves but still provided a great level of protection. You will notice that they are still not a super short glove as they do cover the wrist providing that extra piece of mind. Though I love my Apex gloves, they are sometimes too hot on those really hot summer days, so I picked up the Metric gloves as they feature much more mesh making them extremely breathable and thus more comfortable in the summer. The unfortunate truth about most summer gloves is that they skimp on protection to address comfort and that definitely isn’t the case here, the Metric gloves provide comfort but stay safe.
Rev’It Jefferson Shoes
After having owned the G Force shoes for a while I decided that I wanted a second pair of riding shoes, but this time around I wanted something a little less sport and a bit more causal. The G Force can work as a multiple bike style shoe, but are clearly meant as a sport bike shoe, the Jeffersons on the other hand are much more causal and don’t even look like a riding shoe making them look right at home on a cruiser or cafe racer, especially when paired with a pair of riding jeans and riding hoodie. Also I’m a huge fan of the grey color way.
Peak Design Everyday Zip
None of my bikes currently or in the past have featured saddle bags or any other type of storage accessories (though I may consider this in the future as I start doing longer road trips and maybe get in to adventure riding) instead I have always relied on a backpack as I don’t like placing, hard, fragile or sharp objects inside the pockets of my jacket while riding. Honestly I have not found a “riding” backpack that has checked all of the boxes for me so I leaned on Peak Design as I have always trusted their bags for my everyday, photo and travel needs. The Everyday Backpack Zip checks all of the boxes as far as features and adaptability are concerned and does very well on the bike too. The included external carry straps also can double as a way to attach a helmet to its exterior and with it being a Peak Design bag I know that it will last and look good for years to come.
Alpinestars Hoxton V2 Jacket
As I mentioned above I typically ride sport/sport naked bikes and the gear that I have closely reflects that, but every once in a while I hop on to a cruiser and my gear just feels out of place. I decided to pick up another jacket, one that fit more of the cruiser vibe. I landed on the Hoxton V2 by Alpinestars as I liked the overall look of the jacket as well as the features included. I upgraded the jacket to feature CE level 2 D3O protectors in the elbows and shoulders and then I added the additional CE level 2 Alpinestars back protector and optional chest armor. This jacket doesn’t get as much use as it’s outside my usual style and more geared towards colder weather but still fits the bill when I’m on a cruiser. With minimal ventilation the Hoxton isn’t the best fit when it comes to summer riding but with the included thermal liner installed it does very well in the cold.
Cardo PackTalk Edge
I decided recently to give my very first bluetooth communicator a try and I went with the Cardo Systems PackTalk Edge. I have heard nothing but good things about Cardo units and so far the PackTalk Edge is living up to all of the hype. The JBL speakers that come with the unit are fantastic, have a clean and clear sound while being more than loud enough. Adding GPS, Music and the ability to communicate in a group setting have added a whole new element to my riding.
CruzTools RTTR2 Tool Kit
The reality is that 99% of the toolkits that come with your motorcycle are incomplete and really don’t give you what you need. This is where CruzTools comes in. I have owned one of their kits for every bike brand I have owned and my current Triumph is no different as the RTTR2 kit is Triumph specific. The kit includes all of the tools that I would need in a pinch, rolls up as small as possible and the best part is that it comes with a no questions asked life time warranty!
Peak Design Mount
There is one brand that has dominated the motorcycle mount game for years now and quite frankly they do a good job from a “keep your phone mounted to your bike” perspective. But here is the issue, their mouths are loud (color), big, bulky and well their phones cases are just not good looking plus they have a giant bulge on the back of them. What’s the point of getting a sleek and slim phone when you add a giant case to it? For this reason for years I didn’t mount my phone to my bike, I just didn’t like how it had a negative impact on my phone for off the bike use (bulk). But then, once again Peak Design came in for the win! They, in typical Peak Design fashion, engineered something that not only works extremely well but also looks great too! The mount is slim and minimal, while the case is honestly one of my favorites regardless of being a bike case or not. With both a bar and stem mount option there is a solution for every bike!