AGV Sport Sniper Review
Why this jacket has no reviews yet is beyond me. I got mine some months ago in the midst of winter and it had none then, and still doesn’t now. Let’s change that, eh? First off, I want to say the AGV Sport Sniper is a great jacket, especially for the money, and it has met all of my expectations. Now for details: The most important thing for me is the fit. I was hesitant about buying this jacket, and somewhat doubtful about the fit as it was coming in the mail. That reason being I am a smaller man at 5’6 and with a wingspan that doesn’t quite fit into most jackets, th
e sleeves on moto-jackets have always been too long and I struggled to find one that would actually hold the elbow and forearm armor in place where it would protect me. Personally, I have no problems with chest, or shoulder size and fit, but the wingspan would always get me. This sniper jacket has given me hope that there are jackets out there that will fit guys like me, as well as my taller comrades. The elbow piece has no problem keeping the armor in its spot for however long I need it to. So you shorter guys like me look no further if you’re on a budget for a cold weather jacket, this is the one to go for. Now as for the performance of this jacket, it does what it is designed to do, and it does it well. I rode with this jacket in temperatures at right around 30 degrees (F) and had no problems, that is besides my hands and legs, which were still freezing. I definitely recommend this jacket for riding in temperatures ranging from around the high 20’s (F) up to low 70′ as the jacket performed great, and passed my expectation for the various riding temperatures. The only downside is that at those real cold temperatures, even with the wind/waterproof layer and the quilted insert, some of that frigid wind does still creep inside and keep you a bit uncomfortable. It isn’t as bad as when your hands go numb, but it is something that will get to you if you’re like me and don’t have much of a tolerance for cold despite living in a colder state (Massachusetts) for most your life. I’ve found that something as little as a thin sweatshirt will completely eliminate that slight cold wind that sneaks in through the seams. And as for not so cold weather riding, removing the quilted lining and opening the vents will certainly help a lot. That windproof/waterproof lining I was talking about, however, is not removable. This means that the front and exhaust vent system is not one that flows air directly to your skin, mostly because with it being a cold weather jacket, it’s not supposed to. I knew this when I bought the jacket and I was fine with it since I was only in need of something to keep me warm. But despite all this the ventilation system surprised me. I thought that I would be dying of heat exhaustion in this jacket once it was over 60 degrees, but those vents kept me alive at just below 80 degrees. That being said, this jacket is definitely not one that you necessarily want to have on during an 80 degree day, it does get a bit uncomfortable, but know that if you must it is do-able. As for general comfort, you probably couldn’t ask much more from a moto jacket. It does feel a bit bulky off the bike, but is also surprisingly capable of allowing a lot of movement, and won’t hold you back from riding your best. The biggest things to keep in mind when considering buying this jacket are definitely the weather you plan on riding in, your wingspan, and most of all asking yourself if you’re ok with having a non-removable wind and waterproof lining. Overall the AGV Sport Sniper is definitely worth buying for the value you receive, and then some. Probably not a 4 season jacket for most, including me, but I love mine.
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