There really is no one-jacket-does-all jacket.

I have about 6 jackets. However, I use 3 throughout the year.

I have a brown Schott Perfecto jacket that is my favorite. It gets a lot of use. It's sort of my good weather jacket. It's not waterproof and isn't great in weather under about 50*. Even with the zip-in liner. Poor jacket is starting to wear out somewhat.

My FXRG jacket is my cold weather jacket. It works great under 45*. I have worn it down to about 15* with little more than a t-shirt and a hoodie. The jacket weighs a ton, wears like iron and is holding up extremely well. Better than my Perfecto. What the FXRG is not is a warm or hot weather jacket. Above 50* and the jacket gets uncomfortably warm to me.

My most versatile jacket is my Firstgear Kathmandu. It's waterproof and is the jacket I bring when I travel. Although it's not nearly as warm as the FXRG, with the liner and layers, it can withstand weather into the 30s. I have worn it into the upper 90s with the vents open and it was tolerable as long as I was moving. Its biggest downside is it looks ugly while off the bike. That's not a big deal to me, yet it might to some. But for inclement weather and traveling? It's my one go to.

I have a mesh jacket that has really become sort of useless. I also have a couple of other leather jackets that get no usage.

Unless someone only rides in "good" weather and rarely travels, it's tough to only have one jacket that does it all. Since I ride 12 months a year, in all types of weather, travel and commute daily, I use three jackets throughout the year.

 

It has to be comfortable #1....I have a cheap leather jacket I bought on close out. I works great...I bought my wife a 3 layer bilt jacket from cycle gear, I’ve worn it and it works good...
Fox creek has very nice coats but it must fit right, I went to the store last year and I tried several that didn’t fit like I wanted...
I personally have to try it on but if I had to mail order I would make sure the return/ exchange policy is good.
Look At metric and independent dealers and shops as well.

 

I have two jackets that serve me well. My favorite is a Fox Creek vented racing jacket. But when it is 90+ degrees in the summer, leather is just too hot for me. My other is a Tourmaster Air Intake mesh/textile jacket that I wear during the summer. It has a vest liner and waterproof/windproof liner that allows it to be used in cooler temps. I also have a heated jacket liner that I can use with either and have ridden in temps in the 20s even with the Tourmaster jacket.

If I had to have just one jacket (not sure why that would ever be required) I would probably have to chose a good textile jacket along with a heated liner and gloves just due to the hot weather advantage. If I lived somewhere where it rarely got above the 80s then I would go with leather.

 

Unless you have to have leather, you might consider the Pilot Transurban. I got one a couple of months ago and it really has some good features. Well made, comes with armor, lots of pockets. Some of these fabric jackets are well over a thousand bucks. If you just want to try one for less than $200, you can't beat Pilot.

 

For leather: Fox Creek

For textile: First Gear

For local rides? Almost anything will work fine.

Going cross country in all sorts of weather; hot/cold, wet/dry? The First Gear Kilimanjaro jacket would be extremely tough to beat.

 

Second this.

 

I am going to really try my best to lose some weight. I have really liked this jacket over the years and other than a couple tears in the mesh lining there are no issues with it. It has been a great jacket for cool and cold weather. Anything below 70 really.
I ain't one to quit a garment just cause it's got a little age on it.

 

I've bought my jackets either at the HD dealership or from LeatherUp.com I've been using an Xelement jacket for about 4 years now but I may need to get a better quality jacket soon as it is already showing some wear. Otherwise my HD mesh has done well in the warm months and has the armor in it.

 

I know Leatherup has a good exchange policy, I have bought a helmet from them. Just not really sure about the quality from what I see online. I have seen the exact jacket I have in other branded names and much thinner lighter leather. So it makes me nervous to buy something like that online. Anything that has to fit right I prefer to be able to try on.

 

Another vote for Fox Creek. Hands down the best jacket I've ever worn. I wear the damn thing every day riding or not.

Word of warning though. It's heavy as **** AKA tough as nails.