• Since 1972, Dainese has been the premier riding gear and safety brand for enthusiasts and racers worldwide.
• The Italian company is trusted by professionals at the highest level—including MotoGP™ who demand safety without sacrificing freedom of movement or speed.
• Dainese’s product line is vast, and its motorsport learnings have helped develop breakthrough riding gear for all motorcyclist levels.
• For seasonal sportbike riders, the Sevilla Air Tex jacket, MIG 3 gloves, Atipica Air 2 shoes, and D-Mach backpack are essentials you don’t want to miss.

Across all motorsports, Germans may be best regarded for their engineering, but it’s the Italians who are most well-known for their passion and style. Still, that Italian reputation is only a place to start for brands that truly aim to make a mark in the industry. Since 1972, Dainese has been the premier riding gear and safety brand for enthusiasts and racers worldwide. It has managed to blend the Italian flair for style, fit, and finish with state-of-the-art technology and exotic materials.

As residents of the Mid-Atlantic, however, our riding season isn’t guaranteed. As a result, most of the year is a gamble—a mix between too hot and too cold—that can either be a motorcyclist’s best friend or deepest foe. I recall several mornings between August and October when I’d be mentally wrestling with whether or not I should take the bike or play it safe. I hate to admit it, but most of the time, I’d choose the latter, making myself feel guilty for the choice to and from work.

I know I’m not alone here. And because all of us have had that internal debate, we thought it best to assemble four pieces of Dainese gear that will compel current (and future) riders to choose the bike more in and between seasons.

SEVILLA AIR TEX

As a lightweight motorcycle jacket, the Dainese Sevilla Air Tex (201735243-631) shell is one of my absolute favorites. “Air Tex” is a perforated, quick dry, mesh fabric that channels air toward the body, which makes it a lifesaver in warmer climates and absolutely perfect in the spring or fall.

The jacket upholds Dainese safety standards with its removable Pro Shape 2.0 certified soft protectors on the shoulders and elbows. I’m happy to report that won’t look like you’re wearing bulky padding; the protection is pretty much imperceptible and doesn’t impede any freedom of movement on or off the bike. The back of the jacket features a pocket sleeve to add a back protector—G1 and G2—for even more advanced armor. Like most Dainese gear, the neck, hips, and cuffs all have adjustments to further tailor your fit.

MIG 3 GLOVES

As a rider originally from Chicago, I’ve more often had to consider adding a liner to my regular glove to deal with that brutal wind. But now that I’ve migrated East, I’ve begun hunting for a new glove that can do it all. I ultimately landed on the MIG 3 Air Tex gloves (201815961-631)—a ventilated mesh pair that makes Philly’s hottest summer days bearable without making its October rides unpleasant. Beyond its vast temperature range, the MIG 3 is constructed from resilient, high-grain leather on its “exposed” parts, soft Amica Suede on the palm, and ventilated mesh on the back. The MIG 3 has pre-curved fingers for comfort and hard Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) for the knuckle protection every rider needs. Beyond protection, the MIG 3 Air Tex gloves integrate Dainese Smart Touch and an Amica suede palm so that you can still browse the ‘gram before or after your ride.

ATIPICA AIR 2 SHOES

Finding the perfect riding shoe is one of the hardest things to find. That is until I stumbled upon the Atipica Air 2 (201775232-B84). These are what Dainese calls a “certified summer motorcycle shoe”. While they are admittedly still way more bulky than your average pair of Vans, the Atipica Air 2 is one of the most stylish motorcycle shoes I’ve ever seen. The “Air” isn’t a reference to any bubbles in the shoe’s design; instead, it’s a nod to the urban shoe’s extreme breathability. Its mesh is offset by protective reinforcements—at the heel and ankle—and asymmetrical Groundtrax® soles for maximum stability and grip on your foot pegs or slippery sidewalks.

Flat-footed riders will appreciate Dainese’s Ortholite® insole, too. You’ll wish you could transfer these into the rest of your closet.

D-MACH BACKPACK

Made by Ogio for Dainese, the D-Mach backpack (201980060-W01) meshes a segment leader’s expertise in carry-alls with the unique demands of Powersports riders. The overall design may appeal to sport bike riders most, but Dainese claims that its waterproof, molded exterior shape allegedly reduces drag. Despite prioritizing aero, the bag is no slouch as a utility pack; you can carry up to 22L of stuff in this thing—including most 15” laptops—and is hydration-ready for those longer rides.

Several details distinguish it from the rest of Ogio’s product line, including strategically placed foam, padding, riding-specific shoulder straps, quick releases, and a removable off-center hip belt designed to avoid scratching your gas tank. I’ll say that it’s easy to settle for a “regular” backpack until you try this on. Although I can’t say I could feel the drag reduction on my five-mile commute to the office, I will say that the D-Mach backpack is incredibly comfortable to wear. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a bag that satisfies every high-speed rider’s criteria first but still craves a usable pack for everyday use.

SAFETY, DELIVERED

We’ve factored daily life into each of these recommendations but first and foremost, Dainese prides itself on producing the most effective safety solutions for its riders. That pursuit also means Dainese is a pioneer of the segment. Case in point, it produced the world’s first sensorless, ultrarapid-deployment airbag suit and jacket systems for motorcyclists. This innovation is balanced by Dainese’s commitment to real-world testing with its athlete pool; it ensures that every product it manufactures is designed around our needs. It’s no wonder, then, that Valentino Rossi and Giacomo Agostini trusted Dainese to propel them to multiple world championships during their careers.

While I’ll never explore the limits of Dainese’s gear like they did, I can ride with extra peace of mind that it’ll keep me safe with an extra dash of Italian style for good measure.

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