I have a theory. Wax cotton jackets are warmer than laminated textile jackets.
To test this theory, I’ve been using a Richa Scrambler 2, made from British Millerain waxed cotton, that has a fixed waterproof and breathable membrane and an additional removable cotton thermal liner.
My theory that wax cotton is warmer comes from my somewhat cloudy memory of motorcycling before laminated textiles and Keis heated clothing.
Back then, when it became too cold and soggy for leathers and an extra jumper, you switched to your Belstaff.
Granted, I was younger back then, bounced better and was generally more resilient. Perhaps that is clouding my memories. Let’s find out.
Richa Scrambler 2
All of this started while examining a colleague’s Richa Scrambler jacket when he made the mistake of walking into the office wearing it.
As is our way when anyone arrives with something new, there has to be a period of ritual abuse. Not exactly politically correct, but we each take our turn at being on the receiving end.
The outer layer of the Scrambler jacket is made from British Millerain waxed cotton, a fabric developed in Halifax, Yorkshire, in 1880 for use by sailors.
British Millerain pioneered the development of paraffin-based waxed cotton, improving on earlier linseed oil treatments that yellowed, cracked, and degraded over time.
They were also the first to patent the machinery and wax cotton finishing techniques that offered excellent protection from rain and wind while allowing the fabric to breathe.
The base material is also used by Barbour, but with a different, more oily wax, or at least that was the case way back when.
Inside the Richa Scrambler, a soft cotton inner lining sandwiches the fixed waterproof and breathable membrane with the wax cotton outer.
And finally, there is a cossetting and removable winter thermal liner.
Richa Scrambler 2 Jacket
- Made using British Millerain Wax Cotton
- Fixed Waterproof breathable membrane
- Excellent (removable) thermal liner
- Waterproof Napoleon pocket
- Armour in the elbow and shoulders
- Optional 3DO back protector
- Available in Black or Green
- Priced at £199 at the time of writing
Thermal Liner
Usually, removable liners get little more than a mention by reviewers.
They are typically all much of a muchness. A simple but effective, relatively thin polyester “jacket” that attaches to the inside and packs out the outer jacket.
The quilted thermal liner in my REV’IT Neptune 3 is the best laminated jacket liner I’ve had. The extra padding at the neck ensures a good seal, and its thickness makes it stand out from the array of liners I’ve had with other jackets.
That said, if you want to see a liner done with function and form, then take a look at the Richa one.
It is still made from quilted polyester, yet it has a distinct air of quality about it. The quilting has a definite shape, rather than appearing as if it were run through a sewing machine to make it look more than it is.
It is fully finished at the edges—not just stitched and trimmed—but the kicker is in the sleeves.
The cuffs of the liner are ribbed and elasticated – sometimes called a storm cuff – and finish halfway along my forearm.
This may sound like nothing, but I can’t recall a better system for keeping the wind out and the warmth in.
All of the different brands of gloves I have fit easily on the inside of the sleeve, almost reaching the inner cuff, but never overlapping or hampering.
Outer Jacket
The outer jacket design is a crossover between the traditional and the modern world.
The two “square” upper breast pockets with press stud fasteners have been kept. This is where I would have once kept my Marlboros. The traditional lower patch pockets have been replaced with diagonal zip pockets.
The Napoleon pocket is inside the main zip and storm flap, but outside the thermal liner. Only the Napoleon pocket is stated to be waterproof. All of the other pockets are lined and look to be shower proof, but a long day in the rain might result in damp ciggies, if I still smoked.
There is removable armour under the quilting at the shoulders and the elbows, but no mention of what level of protection it offers. I’d take a good guess at it being CE Level 1.
There isn’t a back protector included as standard, not even a bad one, but there is a Richa 3DO available as an extra.
Warmth
Yet, all of that is table stakes for a well-made, comfortable, and stylish jacket. The question we are here to answer is … Is it any warmer?
In a word, yes.
Over the last few weeks, while I’ve been testing my theory using the Richa Scrambler on my daily commute, the temperature in the mornings has been steadily falling.
It started at around 15 °C, and the jacket was warm while pushing the bike out of the garage, to the point where my glasses fogged up.
Once on the backroads, the ambient air temperature was down to 12 °C, which at 60mph is around 9 °C when I factor in the wind chill.
As the weeks have passed, the temperature has dropped, and this morning it was 10 °C on the driveway, 8 °C on the backroads and something like 5 °C after windchill.
My fingers have felt the cold through the Five Gloves I’ve been wearing, but my torso has been warm, never once feeling the bite of the oncoming winter.
Typically, at this time of year, after the sun has had a chance to work its autumn magic, the extra layers needed to stay warm are now excessive, and I end up overheating.
I can’t say I’ve noticed being too warm. Even at around 3 pm, I’ve been comfortable riding back from the office, even on occasions when I should have packed thinner gloves because my hands were cooking.
Bottom Line
If you are looking to extend your riding season into the late autumn, the Richa Scrambler wax cotton jacket looks to be a better choice for staying warm than the afterthought liner found in most textile jackets.
When the temperature drops further, I’ll be putting my Keis heated body warmer (vest) on under the jacket, knowing that its benefits won’t be masked by insufficient insulation.
And does it work if it is raining and cold?
Well, I’ve worn the jacket in the rain and on chilly morning rides, but never both. Winter is coming, so I won’t have to wait long to answer that question.
