A Midseason Update of the REV’IT! Race Suit
We have come to the halfway point of my CCS racing season and the perfect time for an update on my experience with the REV’IT! Hyperspeed 2 race suit. If I had to sum up the suit in one sentence it would be: Quality with attention to detail. I know that sounds a tad cliche but after giving it some thought, that is the best way to sum up my experience so far.
REV’IT! has always been a quality brand that puts thorough research and development into their products. As they began to gain name recognition here in the USA, I had riders asking me who they were and I would explain their long-standing presence in the professional paddock all the way up to the MotoGP level. Many thought they were another pop-up custom race suit brand they had never heard of so I was glad to set the record straight.
Quality and attention to detail
Knowing this about REV’IT! I have loved putting the Hyperspeed 2 suit through it’s paces, other than testing crashability. Having a few race suits in my closet now, I have a solid base of comparison given my experience over the past few seasons. At this price point, I wouldn’t call this an entry level suit but when comparing to suits around the same dollar amount, I think REV’IT! has done a few things to make this suit stand out.
As mentioned previously, the attention to detail was apparent with this suit and in this case, little things go a long way. The first item is the soft stretch material around the ankles and wrists. This is important for a couple of reasons. First, from a comfort standpoint, the soft material feels great around my ankles and wrists. Second, with the material being thinner, it doesn’t bind when fitting the suit under my boots or gloves. This increases the feel I have through the boots and gloves and helps alleviate distraction. I’ve used other suits in the past with regular cuffs that would sometimes bind and would cause issues with the suit material pinching around my calves or wrists which compromised my feeling on the controls.
REV’IT! Hyperspeed 2 motorcycle race/track suit. Pics by REV’IT! Sport.
You might think this is something only a seasoned rider like myself would notice but I had a friend try on the suit as he was preparing to do his first trackday and he even commented on how he liked the materials around the cuffs. It may seem like a small detail but it goes a long way on track. You want to be able to concentrate on your riding; a distraction, an irritation, even a small one, can begin to feel big when you’re speeding around a track at triple digit speeds.
Next, let’s examine the suit’s removable liner, which as a general item is not unique. However, the velcro patches on the main suit are larger than the patches on the liner. This means you can dial in the undersuit fitment and help keep the liner more secure. I’ve had undersuits with velcro that came loose while I was riding because the fit had to line up exactly. This sometimes caused the velcro to rub on my bare skin which became uncomfortable and another unwanted distraction. For reference, I also own a high end custom race suit from Vircos and their undersuit has a similar layout with larger velcro panels to help dial in the fit of the undersuit. So the fact that this is standard, on an off-the-rack suit from REV’IT! is a great benefit.
Fantastic undersuit fitment
In addition to the adjustability of the undersuit, I was pleasantly surprised to see REV’IT! included some of their removable SEESMART CE Level 1 armor in the hips. Something you wouldn’t find in other suits that enhances the protective qualities. Hip armor has become more commonplace but not standard, so it was nice to see this included as an added bit of protection. The armor itself isn’t obtrusive and is completely unnoticed when riding.
If you check out my comparison video, I do a more detailed breakdown of how the Hyperspeed 2 suit compares to a similarly priced off the rack suit from Alpinestars as well as a custom suit from Plus. For those who skip the video, the short story is this; the Hyperspeed 2 suit is noticeably lighter than the Alpinestars, albeit the Alpinestars is made to fit the Tech Air race which could add a little bit of weight. However, for my dimensions which are 5’10”, 170 lb, 31 inch waist, 32 inch inseam, the arms and legs are noticeably longer on the Alpinestars and does not seem to flow air. The Hyperspeed 2 suit falls in line between the custom Plus suit and my Alpinestars, which strikes a nice balance.
On track with the REV’IT! Hyperspeed 2 race suit. A great fit and feel for an off-the-rack suit. Photo by Zone Photo.
One small negative I have experienced is the main zipper pull did come off one of the sides so I could not zip up the suit and had to get it repaired. Part of this could be due to the fact I run a chest protector in addition to the Tech Air 5 vest which adds to the bulk. However, I can’t say for sure. I did talk to another rider with the same suit who experienced a similar issue but I did not ask how they have the vest configured. After this issue I did reach out to Matthew over at REV’IT! and he offered to cover the cost of the repair. I am not sure if this is something they would always do but it was nice to see they were willing to help. After taking the suit to a local cobbler and coughing up the small $12 fee to fix the suit, I decided to cover the cost myself.
The fit and finish of the REV’IT! suit feels you have a good value for the money. The one thing I do think would make this a better suit is if it was compatible with the Tech Air Race vest. You can find suits at a similar price point that are made for the vest as the air vest technology becomes more commonplace. I was still happy with the suit being made for the Tech Air 5. I just think at this level, the Tech Air Race is a better option from a safety standpoint, but I have a feeling REV’IT! will be releasing a model at some point to accommodate the race vest some time in the near future.
The suit has become a regular in my staple and other than my full custom race suit, I find myself leaning towards the Hyperspeed 2 when I prepare for a track event. I am normally not one who wears blue as my color scheme, but something about the way the blue pops really appeals to me. The steady stream of compliments and questions I get about the suit also helps. This suit sure is a head turner!
Riding the suit, paired with a set of REV’IT! Jerez 3 gloves. Photo by Zone Photo.
I will continue to compare the suit and ride in it this season and report back with my thoughts and updates. As I said, the small details I have noticed are making the biggest difference. If you have any questions you’d like to have answered please reach out, I am happy to help in any way I can.
Also, a thank you as always to REV’IT! for the opportunity to put the suit through its paces. Hopefully I don’t have to test the crashability of the suit, but I do not take my gear choices lightly. I always say there are two things I never skimp on, tires and my protective gear. I would trust the Hyperspeed 2 suit to hold up and keep me as safe as possible and will continue to do so.
Stay tuned for more!
Ryan “Ryhno411” Nolan
For more info, here are the links to each REV’IT! piece we’ve been reviewing:
*Below is my video update, with a few more thoughts and impressions:
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