Darien Light Jacket
Darien Light Jacket
Darien Light Jacket
Darien Light Jacket
Darien Light Jacket
Darien Light Jacket
Darien Light Jacket

Darien Light Jacket

260-36-Black

Regular price$797.00
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Shipping calculated at checkout.

FREE Back Armor!

Purchase a Darien or Darien Light jacket and get a Standard TF3 Back Impact Armor FREE! Must add back armor to qualifying order to receive. Ends 12/13/2024.


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  • All in-stock Aerostich products and RiderWearHouse Catalog items ordered before 2pm CST will be shipped within 2 business days.
  • If a specific size and color of Aerostich suit is not in inventory, we will notify you with an estimated delivery date. Production time varies.
  • All standard Aerostich items may be sent back within 30 days of receipt for a refund, but the item(s) being returned must be in new condition.

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An ultralight Darien Jacket and pants would make a great urban riding tool (...we said to ourselves). So we build them just this way, using a tough, HT200D Nylon TLTex® fabric. This lightweight Cordura-like material is far tougher than ordinary nylon fabrics of similar weight that offer about a third less abrasion resistance than the regular Darien's stiffer 500D fabric.

On the other hand this lighter weight version provides so much more ease and comfort it's better for many kinds of rugged outdoor activities beyond motorcycle riding.

The Darien Light really comes into its own for commuting and general riding, especially in atrocious weather where it will flat-out work better than whatever you now wear.

The unlined Darien Light Jacket and Pants wear dryer and comfortably across a wide temperature range. Its many integrated features have been rider-proven to work better on all kinds of rides in all kinds of weather.

The Jacket is a lightweight yet hard-as-nails protective system for your upper body that lets you ride in safety and comfort, regardless of harsh conditions. It's light, tough, simple, and practical because that's what works best.

Exclusive features include tough HT200D TLTex® breathable/waterproof outer fabric, removable hard shell TF3 or TF6 foam elbow and shoulder armor, generous 3M Scotchlite™ reflective areas, adjustable anti-flutter sleeve tabs, and removable magnetic collar clasps.

A Darien Light jacket also accommodates a range of optional removable TLTec fleece liners that fit perfectly inside it's breathable/waterproof shell. These liner's vent zippers line up perfectly and fit, feel and work like they were made for a Darien. Which they were.

The optional liners are worn separately beneath an outer Darien Light Jacket they are also perfect alone on cool days for off-the-bike wear. They fold into their own compact zippered pocket and can be attached to your bike or worn on a belt like a fanny pack. With new construction, an optional zip-in liner zipper (#375) is available at no charge.

An optional back pad attaches to all Dariens with pre-installed hook-and-loop. Colors: black, grey, or hi-viz lime yellow. All Darien Light jackets come with black details. 36–56. Choose TF3 or TF6 armor. Made in America

There’s a lot of ‘noise’ in the rider-gear market space the Aerostich Darien jacket occupies, about how ‘new and improved’ similar jackets are. Other companies making these kinds of jackets restyle them and revise them every year or two, telling riders that if three zippers is good, six or seven zippers is better.

What all the ‘noise’ amounts to is fashion and style being presented in the guise of technology which supposedly is rapidly ever-advancing in this area. Except armored waterproof textile jackets are not the same kind of technology as computers, or even motorcycles. Seven zippers are not better than three, if only three are functionally needed. What counts is ease of use, durability, fit and function. The pioneering of this type of gear was done by us twenty and thirty years ago. (Combining lightweight breathable-waterproof highly abrasion-resistant synthetic fabrics, seam-sealing, ergonomically more useful vents and pockets, reflective materials and energy-absorbing foams and plastics.)

Since then, just like added decorative stitching on branded ‘designer’ jeans turns a pair of useful, comfortable and durable work pants like Levi’s 501’s into a fashion, all the noise about new tech in jackets like the Darien is mostly fashion BS masquerading as technological improvements. It’s not real.

Classic black leather ‘zipper’ biker jackets have been popular world-wide for many decades. There are versions at many price points and in some circles this jacket has become a fashion cliché having little to do with actually riding a motorcycle. But for many riders it remains a great equipment choice that has changed only very slightly over the years — because it works so well. You’ll find the original versions of these jackets at Langlitz, Shott and several other pioneering leather companies. Similarly, you’ll find the original British waxed cotton Belstaff and Barbour rider’s jackets and pants still being produced in their original patterns because they remain excellent functional rider’s gear.

The ‘latest-greatest’ is usually more style and fashion based, and original equipment is nearly always more utility-tool based. It does not change from year to year any more than Levi’s 501’s. Many riders are unlikely to admit they are buying ever-changing fashion and style when they believe they are getting some kind of improved technology, but that is a truth. None of the regularly restyled ‘teched-out’ sportswear for riders comes in as many closely-spaced sizes as the Darien does, and none is as functional and equipment-y as a Darien.

The Aerostich Darien is the original advanced technology breathable-waterproof impact-armored synthetic (nylon) textile rider’s gear, and just like the above-mentioned other examples of specialized rider’s clothing, it is similarly more equipment than fashion. For historical reasons.

Dariens are available ‘off-the-rack’ in eleven closely-spaced graded sizes and six colors. Complete repair service and several optional fit alterations insure years of superior service.

Naturally, you want any crash outcome with as little injury as possible. If your garment is destroyed in the process, fine. Like a spent car airbag or crumplable auto-body sacrifices itself. Many experienced riders feel it's better to have something lighter and more comfortably everyday-wearable, even if it means replacing or repairing the garment after experiencing a significant incident.

Aerostich lightweight gear is intended to provide ‘just enough’ for whatever kind of accident scenario can be reasonably foreseen. So there’s a double-layer seat on all suits and pants, and two layers everywhere else one might apply higher abrasion pressure during a spill. Beneath the elbow/shoulder/knee areas there’s also a curved plastic shell over the energy-absorbing impact material. All ‘light’ Aerostich gear also contain a hidden layer of tougher 500D Cordura, located just behind each armor section.

Still, ‘Lights’ are best for moderate speeds. Personally I am ok with them to about 65 mph, rationalizing I’d probably hit the pavement at less because of braking prior to crashing. For riders who spend a fair amount of time at 70 mph and above, which means a lot of freeway time, we still like 500D Cordura garments better. But also note we’ve received many reports about good outcomes after higher-speed crashes in 'Lights'…and zero reports they performed worse than expected.

–Mr. Subjective, 2014

These days there are many other kinds of enduro and 'adventure' armored-synthetic-fiber textile jackets available at price levels from $100 to over $1,500. But the original Darien and Darien Light jackets preceded all of them, and inspired more than a few of the most popular specific models. Since the outset Darien's have been subject to continuous refinements and updates so today they still provide functional performance advantages and set real benchmarks for this type of gear.

Beyond all the specific materials and design details, three fundamental things distinguish Darien jackets from others in this product category:

  1. No separate 'hanging' inner lining. This is a harder way to make an armored jacket, but the advantages are worth the extra effort. Without a lining the Darien wears cooler, flows air better and is lighter weight.
  2. Suit-sized grading. Ten available sizes with a smaller size-to-size interval means you get a better fit you can feel. S, M, L, XL, XXL graded styles offer only five or six sizes covering the same range. And some Darien fit alterations like custom sleeve lengths are also available on special order. Normally all Dariens are sold from inventory in stock in standard graded sizes (38, 40, 42, etc..), and are fully returnable/exchangeable.
  3. Made in USA.

The Darien is a ¾ length design – it’s just long enough to cover a suitcoat and is the perfect length for standing-on-the-pegs dual sporting and adventure riding. For all camping and other rugged outdoor activities, too. But sometimes it feels a little too long, especially if you ride a sport or sport touring bike with the classic lean-forward body position handlebars.

An easy solution for some riders is to roll/fold the jacket front hem up underneath the zipper. After a couple of times it becomes automatic. You don’t even think about it because it takes not even two seconds. Give it a try.

-- Mr. Subjecive, 2014

Cutaway Hem Roll

"I got back to Tucson Monday from my ride to Minnesota. I saw quite a few of these fires and had to detour around Globe, to get to Tucson. (The 2021 ‘Telegraph Fire', one of the largest in Arizona history.) Going South from Superior to Winkelman, it is completely burned out. All bushes are burned to ash and the wood supports for the guard rails are completely burned away.

"My high viz yellow Aerostich Darien jacket has a black hue to it from all the smoke I have ridden around. People at gas stations think I must be a firefighter and thank me for my service and a cashier said ,"no charge" for the fountain drink I was purchasing. I gave up on explaining my jacket and just said thanks. Even though the sky is clear, it seems overcast due to all the smoke from the fires. The afternoon temperature varied between 113 and 115. Between the good ventilation on my Aerostich jacket and an evaporative cooling vest, it was tolerable. Good to be back home in Minnesota’s natural air conditioning. Here is a link to see photographs of the fires."

-- Lewie

The Darien is the world’s first advanced-technology adventure and touring suit.

Recommended for Distance, ADV, and Dual Sport Riders.

Built for hard everyday wear, long trips and extreme adventure and endurance riding. Whether you are heading across town or across Siberia, this is the toughest most reliable single-layer textile jacket and pants available.

Today, after more than 30 years of continuous improvements and careful refinements, the Darien still remains the benchmark for technical motorcycle trip gear.

Need Help with Sizing?
Try our Sizing Tool or give us a call at 800-222-1994.

Dual-Height ULTRASUEDE™ Collar with removable rare earth magnet clasps

The Darien also accommodates optional TLTec fleece liners
that fit perfectly inside this outer jacket. The liner's underarm vent zippers line up, and everything works together perfectly.

Adjustable Waist Belt for additional size adjustment

Additional anti-flutter tabs on each upper sleeves provide for a better fit while riding.

With its oversize two-slider underarm vents and a two-slider back vent, you'll ride cool and protected at the same time

There’s also oversize 3M Scotchlite® reflective areas across the back and chest to enhance conspicuity in low light conditions.

Handmade in America by Sewing Experts

A look inside the Aerostich factory in Duluth, Minnesota to see the handcrafted quality that goes into every Aerostich garment and product, including our motorcycle suits.


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