REV'IT! Defender 3 GTX Jacket

We tried a size Medium and an XL on our Fit Check mannequins Huey and Dewey. Those are sizes they usually wear in an “American” cut jacket. This jacket from REV’IT! fits well enough and it looks sharp, but there is very minimal room left. Many brands from Europe exhibit a fit like this, such as Alpinestars. If you look at REV’IT!’s published size chart (below), you’ll see their estimate of chest size is at least a full size smaller than what you’d find in equivalent US designed clothing.

We measured each jacket and tried them on and we’ve concluded that the fit is just about one-half size smaller than what you would find in ordinary US men’s clothing. The amount the jackets are undersized is not as severe as REV’IT!’s size chart would have you believe. For most people, this means you’ll be able to buy the size you normally wear if you want a snug, European style fit. If you want a looser American fit, or if you are between sizes, choose one size larger. I found the Poseidon 2 to fit a bit more closely than other REVIT 3/4 style jackets. Its primarily a street/touring jacket rather than an adventure style, so that is to be expected. So when in doubt on the size, you’ll probably need to go larger.

Below is the REV’IT!-published chest size for each jacket’s alpha size along with our estimate of max chest and max waist/belly. This particular style is not a “sport” oriented style so there is not a lot of taper from chest to waist, and with a style like this you can effectively tailor the fit of the waist with the side waist adjusters, which makes the jacket look great and fit great, so don’t worry if your waist/belly is smaller than the max. We only list this for those that have a belly so they can know what minimum size they’d have to choose to fit the belly.

Sizing Tip for Those Using Upgraded Armor: Adding upgraded back protection and chest pads will take up some room in the jacket so when making your size selection add to your chest size if you plan on using the thicker back protection and/or chest protectors. I’d advise you to add 1” if you use an upgraded back pad and also an inch for chest pad upgrades. So if you plan on buying both, then add a full 2” to your chest size before making your size selection.

Need help measuring? Get it here

The Defender 3 GTX jacket is REV’IT’s mid-tier adventure/touring jacket. It’s made for serious riders who encounter tough conditions, but it isn’t as beefy as the top tier Dominator 3.

I want to take a minute and go into further details on the difference in this Defender 3 and the next level Dominator 3 GTX. The main difference between the Defender 3 GTX and the Dominator 3 GTX is the waterproofing of the garment. The Dominator is the top level and features 3L GORE-TEX Pro which means that the GORE-TEX membrane is bonded to the outer shell of the garment. With a bonded layer there is no movement between the layers which attributes to wear and eventually failure of the waterproofing, this 3L bonded construction is extremely durable. The Defender 3 GTX uses a removable GORE-TEX liner by contrast. This set up means that the outer shell of the garment is not waterproof on it’s own as you can tell when you compare the venting panels between the two styles this is the case. The Dominator has a full waterproof aquadefence vent while the Defender uses a hook and loop closure that is not waterproof.

The Defender 3 GTX jacket has two large vents on the chest that bring in air and force it around the body to the rear exhaust vents. There are also sleeve vents from the elbow to the arm pit. From the elbow down to the cuff there is a zipper but it opens to a gaiter and not a vent. The main zipper is actually a dual zipper with a mesh panel behind the outer zipper and an offset second zipper so you can open the outer zipper to a full length vent! With the removable thermal and GORE-TEX liners this jacket is very versatile and will work for most weather conditions.

The jacket comes with SEEFLEX level 2 armor in the elbows and shoulders and there are pockets for an optional back protector and chest protectors if you wanted to add them (see related products). The elbows have what REV’IT! is calling “protective print” on them and they are similar to the Armacor fabric they use on the Dominator 3, but they are not as aggressive and do not offer the same level of abrasion resistance.

For storage you get two large cargo pockets with fold-over waterproof flaps, two vertical zip pockets with large pulls, and an expandable rear storage pocket on the exterior. There is also a small information card pocket on the left sleeve (medical info pocket). The interior of the jacket has two storage pockets on the outer shell, and one inside the thermal liner.

The GORE-TEX 2-in-1 waterproof liner works as a layer or a destination liner. The sizing of the jacket can change a lot with the removal of the thermal and waterproof liners so there are plenty of adjustment options. There are two torso adjustment straps on either side of the belly, one on each arm near the elbow, and zippered expandable gussets at the waist/hips.

This jacket is versatile enough to outfit most riders for 3-4 seasons. The styling and materials are rugged enough for most, and the extreme rider looking for something more has the option of stepping up to the Dominator 3. :: Mike, 01/03/2022