The LS2 X-Master suit is … and at that point, I was stuck. It is different to most other touring textiles. Very different. LS2 have not messed about; they have gone all out to produce perhaps one of the most flexible touring suits available.
Massive levels of airflow for days when the temperatures are 30+, and yet you can secure it against damp, drafts and wrap up warm on single-digit days.
To do the LS2 X-Master jacket and trousers justice, I’m going to split this into two halves. This article goes into the features and design choices.
Part 2 will follow when I’ve used it for a few more weeks and taken a long winter ride north. The LS2 X-Master is a textile suit for all seasons, including winter. (Lucky me 😊)
Laminated or Drop Liner
In a world where laminated textiles are typically seen as upmarket and a sign of premium quality, a suit with a drop liner might be considered a backwards step. But there is method in LS2’s “madness”, but more on that in a moment.
In January 2023, FLM announced a laminated jacket priced at £150. At that price, more than a couple of us were surprised, but perhaps not so shocked the first time we were out in serious rain.
There is laminated, and then there is laminated. The amount of overlap at the seams, whether the seams are single or double-stitched, and whether the seams are taped after stitching are just some of the differences.
The price we pay for the convenience and weather protection a high-quality laminated jacket provides is reduced ventilation. Because the waterproof membrane must be laminated to the textile fabric, any vents can only go as far as the waterproof laminate.
The alternative is to open the fabric and the laminate, which means waterproof zips and a path for water ingress.
Excellent ventilation and laminated textiles mostly don’t mix. Ventilation typically means opening the jacket and allowing air to flow in through the main opening.
This is why LS2 chose a removable drop liner for its all-weather, all-temperature textile suit.
Hot Days
The removable liner allows for excessive levels of ventilation. There are two zips on the sleeves: one from the wrist to the elbow and one from the elbow to the shoulder.
The main zip is offset to the left, allowing a ventilation panel to be created in the chest without opening the jacket, thereby maintaining a higher level of protection.
And it just so happens that the pocket on the front is the perfect size to tuck the opened panel into, preventing it from flapping in the breeze.
The back of the X-Master features a large square zip panel that can be opened or completely removed, and with all vents open, the LS2 X-Master effectively transforms into a mesh jacket with armour.
For on-the-go hydration, a sleeve for a CamelBak pouch is located under the rear panel.
The vents on the trousers are similarly excessive. Ankle to knee and knee to hip.
For those of you thinking, “But hang on a minute, there is a drop liner inside the jacket that is going to stop the air getting to me”, LS2 have thought of that too and made the drop liner so it can be worn inside or over the jacket. Same with the trousers.
You can store the drop liner in the map pocket on the back of the jacket. The pocket is detachable and includes a waist strap so you can take it with you without wearing the jacket.
Cold Days
The drop liner hasn’t stopped LS2 from including thermal liners on the X-Master suit, and again, LS2 have thought it out.
The drop liner fixes to the inside of the jacket using double-sided pop studs. The thermal liner can be attached to either the drop liner or the jacket. Your choice.
Then again, I’ve had no issues removing the thermal liner and using my KEIS heated jacket under the drop liner.
The neck width is adjustable, and anything you wear under the X-Master with a high neckline, or the quilted thermal neck tube some of us use, will not choke you out when you fasten the collar.
Pockets
We have already talked about the map pocket on the back of the jacket being detachable.
Most pockets are waterproof, despite the absence of a laminated textile. The front pouch pocket doesn’t appear waterproof, but the two large patch pockets are.
The positioning of the patch pockets on the jacket is slightly different to accommodate the offset main zip, which in turn provides the chest ventilation patch for warmer days.
The two pockets are roughly in line with your arms when standing, and are positioned at the waistline. They are full-size, with a fold-over closure secured by a pop stud and some of the toughest Velcro I’ve ever encountered. A purposeful rip is needed to open the flap.
At first, the placement of the pockets seemed unusual, and when I’m fully wrapped up, bending my arm to reach into them can be a little awkward, but the advantage was that nothing I’ve put in the pockets has ever been uncomfortable.
Even my oversized phone fits upright in the pocket and doesn’t press into my legs or ribs when I fold myself onto a sports bike.
The trousers didn’t escape the “more storage than a set of panniers” approach, with two non-waterproof zip pockets at the waistline and two massive waterproof patch pockets on the thighs.
LS2 X-Master
There is no such thing as a free lunch, and the high level of flexibility in the LS2 X-Master has to be accounted for.
The offset zip on the drop liner and the main jacket don’t fasten the way muscle memory tells us they do. LS2 has designed the zip’s base to be easy to latch (magnetic), but until I program my brain, it is fiddly.
The drop liner adds bulk when worn inside the jacket. It is an excellent addition, keeping out wind and water while retaining extra warmth, but bulkier than laminate.
I did a time test comparing getting dressed and ready to ride in my Rev’IT Laminate and the LS2 X-Master. As you might have guessed, the X-Master takes longer, but that is the key to its flexibility.
I’ve taken the easy way out and put the drop liner in the map pocket, and now it is an even race.
The Bottom Line (So Far)
The LS2 X-Master is a very versatile textile motorcycle jacket and trouser set.
It is currently winter, and the LS2 X-Master is doing a cracking job of keeping me protected from the elements.
Come the warmer days, when I can all but convert it into a perforated jacket, it will make a great touring suit.
In between, there are vents to half-open, thermal liners to remove, and a range of other configurations to explore.
If you are serious about touring and want one suit for all destinations, be they wet, warm, hot, or something in between, the LS2 X-Master is well worth considering, and it isn’t going to break the bank either.
As for me, I get the delight of wearing it on a long ride north in January, a story you can read here. After all, what could possibly go wrong?
