Gear Review: Merlin Miller Jacket, TCX WP Boots & Nitro X582 Helmet, First Impressions

Link International recently hooked Zane up with some new riding gear, check out what he thought of the Merlin Miller Jacket, TXC WP Boots & Nitro X582 Helmet... Words: Zane Dobie

Since I’ve been out testing a wider variety of bikes, I’ve had to look the part. My usual full-face lid and material jacket looked out of place while testing the 2022 Harley-Davidson Fat Bob I had in for review this month, so Link hooked me up with some new gear…

My usual full-face lid and material jacket looked out of place while testing the 2022 Harley-Davidson Fat Bob I had in for review this month, so Link hooked me up with some new gear…

Merlin Miller Jacket
Starting with the Merlin Miller jacket, this was my first gear from the brand and I was pretty stoked with the quality. The Miller jacket is made from “supple cow-hide leather” and welcomes another choice for people looking at getting a full-leather jacket without the typical shiny leather look.

The Merlin Miller Jacket is my first from the brand.

RRP of $599.95.

Trying it on for the first time and it’ll definitely need some breaking in, the leather is quite stiff but as is my experience with these kinds of jackets, a few rides and they’re sweet! Another noticeable difference from my other jackets is the weight! If you’re moving from a conventional material jacket then you’ll notice the difference in weight between that and the Miller jacket. I was actually quite surprised despite being ready for some weight difference.

I opted for my usual XL and it fit well, I probably should’ve gone a size down as I found it a little bit wider than my other jackets, arm and torso length was spot on in XL. With the being said, I noticed the top strap restraining movement a little bit but this should get better as I break in the leather a bit more.

Cuff zippers.

Removable Liner.

Hidden armour.

D3O LP1 Shoulder And Elbow Protectors.

Overall style is tops, honestly one of the best looking jackets in my collection. There are also plenty of pockets, which are out of the way of the tank on most bikes. This is an issue I’ve had with a few other jackets, the pocket buttons or zippers always seem to be in the prime spot to scratch your tank…

Despite the full removeable liner, it isn’t the warmest jacket. While it has been freezing down here in Southern NSW, I would keep something like this for the summer months or chuck a jumper on underneath. I felt coldest on my arms where the liner thinned off so it could be something for Merlin to look at when they update the Miller! You can pick one up now for an RRP of $599.95 here.

The Nitro X582 is my first brand new open-face helmet and I was honestly shocked at how they could make a lid like this at such a low price. Starting at $139, the X582 is peanuts for a branded lid.

Nitro X582 Retro Helmet
The Nitro X582 is my first brand new open-face helmet and I was honestly shocked at how they could make a lid like this at such a low price. Starting at $139, the X582 is peanuts for a branded lid.

Taking it out of the box for the first time and it looks awesome! I went with XL for this helmet as well and it was a much tighter fit than a few other brands. While the fit was snug, it didn’t push the arms of my glasses up against the side of my head like other brands do. There is a pull down visor but it’s next to impossible to use with my glasses. I managed to get it past my frames by pushing them hard against my face, but it wasn’t sustainable.

Pull down visor.

Retro colour scheme.

Out on the road and the X582 is well above it’s price range, it seemed to seal off my ears and not let in too much wind noise and kept the rest of my head warm. The lid weighs in at just 1100g (in medium) so it felt essentially weightless when out on the bike.

Topping the whole package off is the simple yet effective retro colour schemes (there are three to chose from) and the easy ratchet chin strap, replacing the conventional double D buckle set-up, making the lid more accessible to new riders.

Padded chin strap.

Ratchet strap…

Overall, a pretty comfortable helmet, I’m looking forward to putting in a few more KM with it when the weather decides to clear up. If you’re looking for a simple open face I would definitely be looking at the Nitro X582, you can’t go wrong at $139. Grab yours here.

Link hooked me up with a new pair of shoe-like riding boots. The TCX Ikasu WP boots come in at an RRP of $249.95 and have a number of sizes available.

TCX Ikasu WP Boots
I’ve been wearing the same pair of riding shoes/boots now for around three years. They held up well but they’ve started falling apart a little bit. Link hooked me up with a new pair of shoe-like riding boots. The TCX Ikasu WP boots come in at an RRP of $249.95 and have a number of sizes available.

Taking them out of the box for the first time and they’re a little different compared to my past riding shoes, they look a lot closer to a piece of riding gear rather than something that can blend in to everyday clothing, like my old pair were. There’s a single zipper up the front and no laces for ease of putting on. I’m not a huge fan of this style as I like my road gear to blend it like normal clothing but TCX have put function over form with this particular model I chose.

TCX Ikasu WP boots.

Front zipper instead of laces.

Slipping them on and they’re comfortable out of the box. The amount of ankle support is awesome so there’s absolutely no chance of your ankle being an issue in the event of a crash. They will need a bit of breaking in though, while the support is great, the flex in the centre of the shoe is minimal, making you waddle like a penguin in them. The soles felt great on the footpegs, plenty of grip…

After wearing them all day for the first time, I got home and put my normal shoes on and it felt like I had forgotten how to walk. Just the increase in weight from my usual shoes and the minimal flex across the whole shoe meant I had to really think hard about how to walk normally for a minute!

Grippy sole.

Available now…

Overall, a great shoe and another product you can’t go wrong with for the price, if you’re not too worried about having a fashion item. You can grab a pair here.

I’ll be spending plenty more time in them, and once they break in after a few months I will give you an update on them, along with the rest of my new casual gear.

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