REV’IT! Tornado – cool in the heat, flexible when the weather changes

A few words about REV’IT!

REV’IT! is a Dutch brand that develops motorcycle clothing and protective gear for touring, adventure, sport and everyday riding.

The Tornado 4 H2O Ladies is an all-round women’s suit, also available in a men’s version, with large mesh panels in the outer garments to allow plenty of airflow. When the temperature drops or the rain arrives, removable layers can be added.

Both the jacket and trousers are CE-certified to Class AA.

A suit with several layers

The base suit is light and well ventilated, and extra layers can then be added as needed.

The jacket has a removable thermal liner and a waterproof layer/rain jacket, which can be worn either inside or over the jacket. The trousers have a removable thermal liner and a waterproof hydratex Lite membrane worn inside the outer trousers. This gives plenty of flexibility to adapt the suit to different weather conditions and temperatures.

And in practice, that proved to be one of the Tornado’s greatest strengths, especially when it was really hot.

My measurements

I am 172 cm tall, with a 77 cm inside leg and a relatively straight body shape. I normally wear a size 38 or medium.

In the Tornado 4 H2O, I wore a size 42 jacket and size 40 trousers.

Really good in hot weather

This summer has brought plenty of genuinely hot days, and it is in warm weather that the Tornado 4 H2O really shows what it was designed for.

With the removable layers taken out, the large mesh panels allow plenty of air through. That meant the airflow while riding provided welcome cooling as the temperature climbed.

Good in cooler weather

At first glance, the Tornado looks very much like a summer suit, but with the removable layers fitted it worked better in cooler conditions than I had initially expected.

I tried riding with all the layers fitted underneath, including the rain jacket on the inside, to see whether the suit would feel thick or bulky. It actually did not. Despite wearing the thermal liners, the waterproof membrane in the trousers and the rain jacket, the suit still felt flexible. It was naturally a little more substantial than riding in the mesh suit alone, but not in a way that restricted movement or made it uncomfortable.

How I used the liners

After trying several different combinations, I found a set-up that worked particularly well for me. When it was cooler and there was also a risk of rain, I preferred to remove the thermal liner from the trousers but keep the waterproof membrane on the inside.

In the jacket, I kept the thermal liner in place and wore the rain jacket over the outside. That combination provided good protection from the wind and enough warmth without compromising comfort.

One of the advantages of wearing the rain jacket on the outside is that it is very easy to remove when the rain stops or the temperature rises. It also packs down small. For me, wearing it on the outside was more practical simply because it gave me greater flexibility.

Dry in the rain

As mentioned, the rain jacket can be worn either over or inside the outer jacket. Whichever way you choose to wear it, it does its job and keeps you dry in the rain. It also works well as a windproof layer.

The waterproof membrane in the trousers is worn inside the outer trousers.

That means you stay dry, although the outer fabric itself will of course get wet in the rain. However, the large mesh sections help when the suit needs to dry, and my impression was that the outer trousers dried relatively quickly afterwards.

Soft and comfortable

The fit worked well for me and the suit felt soft and flexible.

Despite the various layers, I never found it stiff or cumbersome, and the base suit without liners or membranes is particularly light and easy to move in.

That is a major advantage on warmer days, when you want as much ventilation as possible while still retaining good protection.

With separate protection

I also tried removing the protectors from both the jacket and trousers, including the shoulder, elbow and knee armour, and using my own knee and upper-body protection underneath the suit instead.

It worked well.

That makes the Tornado 4 H2O particularly interesting for riders doing more adventure or gravel riding who prefer separate protection rather than armour integrated into the garments.

In that set-up, the suit effectively works as a ventilated outer shell over your own protective equipment.

Overall verdict

The Tornado 4 H2O is a suit that can be adapted considerably depending on what the day brings.

When it is really hot, you can ride in just the ventilated base suit. When it gets cooler, you can add the thermal liners. When the rain arrives, you can add the waterproof layers.

The downside, of course, is that you need to carry the various layers with you if the weather is uncertain. But the rain jacket is easy to pack, and for me the flexibility outweighed the inconvenience of carrying a few extra pieces. What I appreciated most was being able to choose for myself how to use the different layers.

And if you prefer to wear your own protection underneath, there is room for that too.

Overall, the Tornado 4 H2O comes across as a very flexible suit that offers good value for money.