Watching them felt like catching up with a couple of old school friends you haven’t seen in years. It was familiar and reassuringly comforting in a world that’s been anything but over the past year. And I admit, I’ve caught myself merrily humming the famous theme tune into my helmet on more than one occasion of late. It has a fixed waterproof lining to help keep you dry, and a removable thermal liner for warmth on cooler days. When the weather heats up, there are two chest vents and one exhaust designed to keep you cool, although due to the fixed waterproof liner, these don’t allow for direct venting, which reduces their effectiveness. Italian manufacturer Alpinestars took its name from the Alpine star flower, commonly used as a symbol of the rugged beauty of the Alps. It’s fitting then that the company has established a reputation for making attractive gear that performs well when subjected to the harsh rigours of life in the saddle.

From humble beginnings, Belstaff has grown to become one of the world’s most desirable clothing brands, worn by Hollywood stars, supermodels, and of course motorcyclists. Tucano Urbano also hasn’t provided a thermal liner, so you’ll need to layer up on all but the warmest of days. When the temperature does rise, the Pol 2G has closable, pit vents to help cool you down.On the flipside, there aren’t any vents, so in summer when temperatures soar, you may find yourself overheating. RST has a habit of producing competitively priced motorcycle clothing that performs in the saddle, so it’s no surprise that the company’s gear seems to be everpresent at biker cafes and ride-outs across the UK on any given weekend.

Interestingly, the outer material has been given a water-repellant Hydroscud treatment which provides a wax finish. The Cotec outer is particularly interesting. Marketed as a ‘technologically advanced rethink of traditional waxed cotton’, it’s been developed to offer enhanced breathability, easier maintenance, and better abrasion and penetration resistance. It also offers the weather protection abilities of traditional waxed cotton, though Merlin has gone one step further and added a Reissa waterproof drop liner to ensure waterproofing. I finally got around to watch Ewan Mcgregor and Charley Boorman’s latest television series Long Way Up recently. For those who haven’t tuned in yet, the pair travelled from the tip of South America to Los Angeles on specially adapted Harley-Davidson electric Livewire bikes. Waxed cotton is a tried and tested material used by motorcyclist and sailors before them for more than a century, because it is durable, hard-wearing, and repels water. So, it’s got the pedigree to help keep you dry in the saddle.Style– 8 IN A LINE – Style, comfort and protection at an excellent price. Oxford products Holwell 1.0 The waxed cotton construction is water repellant and kept me dry during brief showers. However, it did start to wet out on longer rainy rides. There’s also no thermal liner, so I’ve been wearing my own thermal mid-layer to stay warm.