Spada Turbine review | Retro flight jacket style with real protection

Date reviewed: September 2024 | Tested by: John Milbank | Price: £349.99 | spadaclothing.com

The original Spada Air Force 1 bomber jacket was one of the Midlands-based brand’s best-sellers, but when ex-Superdry designer James Kent re-imagined it for 2024, he and the team did far more than just pop a new logo on and offer a new colour. The new Spada Turbine on review here is a completely fresh product offering better protection and a full leather construction, yet in a very classic aviator style.

The new Turbine is less of a scooter-style jacket and much more reminiscent of the classic flight coats of the 1930s. James refers to it as the ‘Air Force Elite’, and after wearing it on my R1250GS and a Zontes ZT350-T – not to mention down the pub – I’m sure it’s going to continue to be one of Spada’s big sellers…

Pros & Cons

Construction & fit

“This is about style, not fashion,” said Spada’s designer James Kent. “Things that don’t go out of date.” Of course, the classic flight jacket might not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s a timeless design that’s been very well implemented here in the Turbine.

Made of wonderfully soft leather, this jacket looks, and smells, like quality. It’s the attention to detail that stands out, like the khaki ‘drill’ main lining – a durable woven cotton with a diagonal pattern (or ‘twill’) that’s often used in military kit – and the soft 'shot twill' sleeve lining that’ll likely never be seen, yet has a premium finish intended to help your arms slip through more easily (it works).

Meet the designer

See how James Kent and the team created the Spada Turbine

The sheepskin-style (it’s actually polyester) collar trim is warm and soft, but it can be easily detached thanks to a series of poppers around the edge. Cleverly, the tips of the collar use hidden poppers to stop them flapping in the wind, regardless of whether the collar trim is fitted or not. The rear inside collar popper is a bit cold against a bare neck at first, but it soon warms up.

The traditional ribbed stretch section along the bottom and at the cuffs is a tough-feeling acrylic that fits snugly and comfortably, while the subtle ‘action back’ rear expansion panels stop the arms from pulling up when reaching for the bars.

Protection & Certification

The Spada Turbine is certified to the highest Level AAA under EN17092 for abrasion resistance, seam strength and tear strength, but it also has Level 2 (the highest protection) Type B (the larger minimum size template) armour at the elbows, shoulders and back as standard.

Thumb loops are included in the sleeves, which can optionally be worn to prevent them pulling up in a slide (though they seem plenty secure without to me), and a pair of popper-secured straps that can be looped through your belt to reduce the chances of the back riding up.

Interestingly, while researching alternatives for this jacket, I realised that all the ones I could find have no armour in them, and are intended purely as lifestyle jackets. They’re also sheepskin leather, which is less durable than cowhide.

Armour does more than just reduce the impact force transferred to your bones (potentially turning a more serious injury into a bruise) – it also plays a massive part in the abrasion resistance of the material it’s behind, due to absorbing much of the energy that can tear outer materials as they hit the ground. This is in addition to the abrasion resistance under EN17092, and really is an important part of your protection.

There’s no reason for good-quality leather motorcycle kit not to achieve AAA, and thanks to the Spada team, the Turbine proves a flying jacket can be made without compromising safety.

From April 21 2018, all new motorcycle clothing is deemed to be Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). To meet this legislation, it must be tested to a recognised standard. For more information on the new laws, click here.

All motorcycle clothing sold in the UK and Europe is deemed to be Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This is a good thing for riders as it can help them choose kit that has provable levels of safety because, to meet this legislation, it must be tested to a recognised standard. To fully understand the labels found in all bike kit, click here.

Pockets

The two main waist pockets on the Spada Turbine are a good size, and large enough to swallow a Pixel 7 Pro upright, but not on its side. They’re secured with poppers, which are definitely in keeping with the style, but can be a little awkward at times to resecure, especially with gloves on. Having a Velcro closure hidden under the flap, with dummy poppers would perhaps make these a little easier for use on the bike.

Behind these pockets are two vertically-zipped hand pockets. As the design means these sit a little higher than normal, they’re not as comfortable as they could be, but they are in keeping with the style. The metal zips also feel a little cold against the wrists, and a plush lining would be lovely.

Ultimately, these pockets are what they should be for this style, but some tweaks could maybe make them even more useful on the bike, without ruining the look.

On the left arm is a small, zipped pocket, with space on the front to slide a pen in (though it’s not quite deep enough for the clip to engage) and another for cards or similar. Of course, nobody’s likely to ride around with a pen on their sleeve, but – combined with the subtle but classy metal Spada badge – it does look cool.

Inside is an unsecured Nelson pocket and two large Velcro-topped pockets that are ideal for shoving your gloves in when walking around.

Long-story short… there’s plenty of space for your keys, phone and wallet (and you’ll likely be in riding jeans with this anyway), but don’t expect the ultimate convenience you’d have with a dedicated motorcycle commuting jacket.

Fastening

The main zip is a chunky metal YKK with a handy leather tag. It looks great, and is set back from a roll of leather, but it could still have the potential to scratch your tank’s paint, so check how you sit on the bike when wearing this. The chances are it won’t be an issue unless you’re laying over a sportsbike.

Inside the lower back are two popper-fastened loops that can be passed through your belt to reduce the chance of this pulling up in a slide.

Adjustment

There’s very little adjustment in the Spada Turbine, but I’ve found it’s not been necessary. There is a secondary flap behind the main zip that allows you to add 4cm of spread (handy if you’ve had a blow-out fry-up), but this is mainly there for ventilation…

Ventilation

Vent zips would be out of keeping for a jacket like this, but cleverly the additional flap is perforated, allowing air inside. There’s no 3D mesh or exhaust venting, so this will be limited, but that’s not unusual at all for a classic-style leather motorcycle jacket; the full height chest vent is a real bonus and a very clever idea.

The only minor downside is that when the vent flap’s not being used, the metal zip on the edge can be a little cold on the skin (if you have a low-neck tee-shirt) until it warms up.

As with any leather jacket, it could get a bit much in very hot weather, but it’s not really a problem while you’re moving and the chest vent does help. You’ll perhaps want to pop the sheepskin-style collar off, but even that’s not too hot in most cases.

Warmth

The Spada Turbine is basically a leather jacket with a quality, single-layer liner. It’s comfortable through most of the summer and into the Spring and Autumn, being a great jacket for evening rides.

Layering up won’t be a problem if you want to, and the leather keeps the wind off so with the chest vent closed you should be able to get comfortable for most of the year.

When off the bike, a popper-held strap can be removed from the back of the neck (under the collar), and fastened at the front to keep the collar upright and closed.

Liner

The drill lining looks great and feels comfortable, while the shot twill sleeves are smooth and easy to get into. None of it feels sticky, plus it has a close-up attention to detail that really adds to the premium feel.

Three alternatives to the Spada Turbine jacket

I couldn’t find any other flying jackets intended for motorcycle use and with this level of protection, but if you’re in the market for a stylish bit of kit and want some other options, try these…

• Goldtop ’72 Easy Rider £429 | Goldtop makes some stunning AAA-rated leather jackets, so whether it’s this one (which is what Tom Hardy wore in the 2021 Venom film), or one of the many other classic styles, it’s well worth checking them out online, or better still calling into the welcoming Bishop’s Stortford shop. Read the full review of the Goldtop ’72 Easy Rider here.  

• Merlin Monty £379.99 | A classic-look, wax-cotton jacket could be a great alternative, and the Merlin Monty, with D3O Level 1 armour throughout (including the chest) is an excellent option. Read the full review of the Merlin Monty here.

• Genuine original flight jacket | Having the real deal might look good, but with old, sheepskin leather and no armour the protection will be extremely limited. Keep the antique jackets for the pub. Another option is the beautifully-made Goldtop Battle of Britain 1940 flying jacket, but this isn’t CE-certified, and the company stresses that it should be worn with a suitable armoured undergarment on a motorcycle.

These are just three of many alternatives – you can find all the Helmets we’ve tested here (link to the relevant section of reviews) and be sure to regularly check for the discounts available through Bikesocial membership.

Spada turbine jacket review: Verdict

Spada has done a great job with the Turbine, creating an iconic flying jacket look that also has AAA abrasion resistance, tear strength and seam strength, along with Level 2 impact protection.

Comfortable, great attention to detail and excellent performance mean if you want this aviator jacket style on your motorcycle, this is the very best option and comes highly recommended.

Do you own this jacket? Tell us what it’s like, or ask us questions about it at bikeclub.bennetts.co.uk.