Merlin are a British motorcycle clothing brand designing and developing their kit in-house, with a range spanning heritage waxed cotton , technical textiles and leather . The Icon Leather Jacket sits within their leather offering and, as the name suggests, focuses on classic styling rather than aggressive race looks.
4.0 Price: £399.99 www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk
5.0 Protection: 4.0 Weather proofing: 4.0 Quality: 5.0 Practicality: 5.0 Looks: 5.0 Value: 5.0 Construction: Leather outer with integrated mesh liner CE certification: AAA Armour: Level 1 D3O shoulder and elbow armour included; Level 1 D3O back protector available but not included
Waterproofing: Not waterproof Thermal liner: Removable sleeveless thermal liner Ventilation: Mesh panels to inner sleeves, underarms, front and rear; zip and button cuff ventilation Type: Connection jacket to jeans zip and 3-point belt loop attachment straps Two external zipped lower pockets Internal liner patch and liner slit pockets Fixed liner sunglasses and liner earplug pouches Fold back collar Diamond quilted shoulder overlays Twin retro stripes Two-point snap stud hem adjustment 8” YKK® jacket to jean connector zip 3 point belt loop attachments straps The Icon has integrated mesh venting panels, aimed squarely at riders who want traditional leather styling but with genuine warm-weather usability. It’s not a race-fit sports jacket with big external armour or sharp lines; instead it has a straighter, more relaxed cut and a clean, understated design.
The emphasis is clearly on ventilation and comfort and I wanted to test it because I’ve never worn a leather jacket before, normally choosing textile or protective denim-style gear, and I was curious to see whether modern vented leather could genuinely cope with hot UK conditions.
The fit is comfortable and unintimidating from the first wear. It’s easy to put on and fasten, and once zipped up nothing feels tight or restrictive. The jacket has a fairly straight cut and hangs naturally rather than tapering tightly at the waist. You can cinch it in slightly if you prefer a closer fit, but I left it loose, which helped airflow.
Freedom of movement is good. In the riding position I didn’t feel any pulling across the shoulders or tightness in the sleeves, and I didn’t find myself adjusting it while riding. The sleeve length works well on the bike and the cuffs feature both zip and snap stud closures. By fastening the studs and leaving the zip open, I was able to channel air up the sleeves very effectively.
The collar is neatly finished and comfortable against the neck, and it helps hold a neck tube in place. Overall, it’s a jacket you can feel good in but forget about once you’re riding, which is high praise.
This is a AAA-certified jacket that comes fitted with Level 1 D3O shoulder and elbow armour, but no back protector which surprised me. I fitted one I had spare, but I would strongly recommend budgeting for a back protector if you don’t have an extra one lying around.
The outer construction combines full leather in key impact areas such as the shoulders and outer sleeves with mesh panels filling the front and back, and on the underside of the arms. In terms of feel, it’s a substantial leather jacket and I would feel confident in the event of a slide.
This is clearly not a winter jacket, but for hot weather it performs impressively well. I rode in temperatures reaching 33°C, some of it in heavy traffic t…