My altered Ultra II Air Mesh kevlar jacket and pants arrived while I was away in California last week. The initial order was very mis-sized, and I had sent the jacket back to have it resized, and the knee armor on the pants relocated.

After almost three weeks of waiting, I was really anxious to give the gear another try. Unfortunately there is going to be a Round Three between myself and Motoport.

I’m going to put pictures of the original cut above the revised jacket Cycleport sent me.

http://gallery.drfaulken.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=4501

http://gallery.drfaulken.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=4659

Definitely an improvement, but the jacket is still too big. Note how the shoulders are still a little too broad, but check out how much material is still left in the chest:

http://gallery.drfaulken.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=4662

Side view:

http://gallery.drfaulken.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=4506

http://gallery.drfaulken.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=4664

The back:

http://gallery.drfaulken.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=4504

http://gallery.drfaulken.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=4666

While I was trying the old jacket on, I cut my cuticle open on the kevlar mesh. A drop of blood found its way to the right chest pocket (the vertical zipper you see in the pictures). Motoport told me that they would take the sleeves off of my old jacket (since they fit well) and put them on a medium-sized body, instead of the original large. I was surprised to see the same blood stain when I got my new jacket (tagged “medium”). When comparing the two pictures it makes me wonder if Cycleport actually gave me a new jacket body or not. The jacket is still so big, particularly in the problem areas, that I am unsure what they did. It seems unlikely that they would sew a different size tag on their jacket, so I will give them the benefit of the doubt.

I was ready to return the jacket. Wayne (the owner) was very nice and patient with me on the phone, as always. I spent about fifteen minutes on the phone with him yesterday and he convinced me to give them another try. I am sending the jacket back to Motoport one last time.

I will probably get the jacket back in mid-September, which is going to be at the tail end of when I would wear the jacket without either of the liners. Adding the very substantial rain liner and quilted liner helps fill the jacket out from the inside, but doesn’t help the jacket look two sizes too big. As my manager at work said, “you look like a fireman.”

Here’s to hoping things get sorted out.

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