Spada Hanzo "I’d buy this jacket. It’s stylish, comfortable, practical and on the money price-wise"

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The Spada Hanzo leather jacket is the best leather jacket I’ve tested to date. Spada is becoming known for great design, and I reckon this is a fantastic example of fashion meeting function.

It’s AA-rated from a safety perspective, which admittedly isn’t the best on offer, but it makes up for this with loads of pockets, sturdy zips and a fit others can only aspire to.

While a leather jacket is definitely a sunny weather item, this one’s warm enough to work in early springtime temperatures, and when the mercury does start to rise, there’s decent venting on offer too.

This quickly became my go-to jacket to pair with jeans and casual riding shoes, accompanying me on plenty of touring rides as well as during sportier road riding.  

Read on to see why I reckon the Hanzo deserves the full five stars…

How comfortable is the Spada Hanzo leather jacket?

I love the way this jacket fits: wonderfully well around my torso, arms, wrists and shoulders. It has a perforated two-part main zip for additional ventilation, and belt loops plus double zippers to adjust the fit and prevent it bunching when on the bike, preventing other road users from having to see my boxer shorts.

The length of arm is perfect for my body shape, and the YKK zips are pleasingly solid.

The liner feels lovely too, with breathable fabric around the body and satin twill lining in the sleeves.

How practical is the Hanzo?

Considering you’d be forgiven for thinking this is a fashion-first affair, the Hanzo is a very practical jacket. On the outside it’s got two upper pockets, a pair of lower ones that easily fit a disc lock in, and a napoleon pocket on the inside. All of the aforementioned are zipped, and additionally there are two Velcro-secured pockets lower down on the inside of the jacket.

Is the Spada Hanzo a good looking jacket?

I think this is a fabulous-looking jacket for a variety of riding styles. It’s sporty enough to work on a sportsbike, but would also look great on a naked, retro or a sports tourer. The white stripes on the arms add sportiness too.

What’s the quality like?

This feels like a high-quality product in every sense except one: A minor mark on the copybook comes in the form of somewhat frail leather zipper pulls. I’d broken one off within a week of using the jacket, replacing it with a cabletie for a grittier workshop feel.

Otherwise, the leather they’ve used feels supple and substantial without being overly heavy. The zips themselves are solid and I haven’t experienced any catching on fabric or threads.

Does the Hanzo offer good protection?

I’ve awarded this jacket four stars for protection because while the CE certification is AA, which means it’s almost the best for impact and abrasion resistance, (AAA is top) but not quite, it does have five-way Level 2 armour for your elbows, shoulder and back.

We’d always recommend at least AA rating for faster street riding, although it’s not easy finding AAA items these days, and particularly not at this price level.

Is it a good value for money jacket?

This isn’t the cheapest AA leather jacket on sale, but it’s got enough features to make the price seem pretty fair against the competition. Things like the YKK zips, seven pockets and five-way protection help it to stand out.

Other jackets you might want to consider include the RST IOM Brandish 2 that I reviewed last year, the removable hooded Richa Toulon (£329.99) and perhaps the RST Roadster 3 available at £299.99.

Spada offers a two-year warranty on their products and after nearly a year, there’s no indication that this jacket will fail before that.

So what’s the verdict?

I’d buy this jacket. It’s stylish, comfortable, practical and on the money price-wise.

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