Icon Tarmac Jacket

We tried the size Medium in this jacket on Huey and we put an XL jacket on Dewey. These are the sizes they normally wear and both fit great. My advice would be to wear the size you normally wear in men’s clothing.

If you look at Icon’s chest size estimates for each jacket, you might be choosing a size larger than you normally wear (example a person with a 46 chest typically is an XL, but using Icon’s chart you’d buy an XXL). I’m not sure why Icon has always understated the size of their otherwise normally fitting jackets. To help you choose a size based upon your chest and belly measurements, I’ve put together the table below. If you use our estimates of max chest, you’ll probably be choosing the size you normally wear.

Contrary to Icon’s marketing info which says this jacket has an “Icon Sport Fit”, which implies a snug torso and a large taper from chest to waist, I find this jacket to be pretty “relaxed” and therefore belly size won’t be a problem for most. But if you have a bit of a belly, you’ll want to get a measurement and make sure to choose a jacket large enough to work.

Need help measuring? Get it here.

The Icon Tarmac, in my mind is a bit of an urban creature. The shell material is soft, tailored looking and a bit stretch, which is a departure from about 90% of other textile styles on the market. The material is more luxurious because it doesn’t have the wrinkles that more stiff materials might have and it doesn’t swish or make crinkle noises as you move around. The overall styling reminds me of popular adventure/outdoor jackets that people wear every day, but in feeling it, it of course is a heavier material. I can see this jacket being great for city use, or just all around street use. It will be especially good for those that need the jacket to look “normal” and professional off the bike.

The Tarmac is offered with a full compliment of D3O armor for the shoulders, elbows and back. The D3O stuff is great… we sell tons of it as an aftermarket product and people really like it because not only is it very protective, but it is very flexible and comfortable. Its decidedly more “squishy” than lesser “stock” armor found in many other brands and will more easily form around your elbows, etc.

The shell of this jacket is made waterproof by the material itself… not an extra internal layer or removable liner. The selection of zippers are either the waterproof kind or they are cover or backed by plackets to help keep water out. And the collar and tail both have handy integral bungee cords to help keep out water or drafts.

For warmer weather use, the jacket does have a good selection of vents… two on the sleeves and two “pit vents” under the arms. When open, these vents pass air directly through to your body, which give an advantage over jackets that use a full internal liner. The jacket doesn’t have a removable thermal layer so you’ll want to layer your own undergarments under the jacket for colder weather. But being a solid textile shell, it should provide the basic layer to block wind and rain which allows your insulated layers to work.

In addition to the sturdy shell and the full armor set, the jacket has patches of extra tough ballistic nylon on the shoulders and elbows to improve its abrasion resistance should you take a tumble.

Have a look at our photo gallery and see the other features like pockets, reflectives, etc. Also notice how nice the jackets look right out of the shipping bag. Nice! :: Paul, 09-14-17