Raven Soft Shield Review: The Protection I Actually Want to Wear

The Raven Soft Shield has become one of those pieces of motorcycle gear that I rarely think about anymore, and I mean that as a compliment.

It is practical, easy to put on, extremely well ventilated and comfortable enough that I actually want to use it.

That last part matters more than I initially expected.

There is an important compromise, though. This is not the setup I would choose if maximum road protection was the only priority. I often wear the Soft Shield underneath an ordinary hoodie, which means abrasion protection is very limited compared with a proper motorcycle jacket or an abrasion-rated hoodie.

I know that, and I still really like using it.

What is the Raven Soft Shield?

The Raven Soft Shield is essentially a close-fitting armored shirt designed to provide impact protection while remaining lightweight and breathable.

I use mine with all of the original protectors installed, including the chest protector.

That gives me protection around the chest, back, shoulders, elbows and forearms without needing to wear a traditional motorcycle jacket.

The important distinction here is impact protection versus abrasion protection.

The armor is there to help absorb and distribute forces if I hit the ground or something else during a crash.

The mesh surrounding it is not something I would rely on to protect my skin during a long slide across asphalt.

That distinction is especially important with the way I normally use it.

Why I like it so much

The biggest advantage of the Soft Shield is simply how easy it is to live with.

I put it on, make sure the armor is sitting where it should, and then throw whatever I want over it.

That's basically it.

It does not feel like putting on a heavy motorcycle jacket every time I want to go for a ride, and once I'm on the bike I retain a huge amount of freedom of movement.

The mesh construction also makes it extremely airy.

On warm days, that makes a massive difference.

There is very little material trapping heat around my upper body, especially compared with a traditional motorcycle jacket.

For the kind of casual riding I do, that combination of protection, airflow and comfort works extremely well.

My favourite setup for really hot weather

One thing I have done repeatedly during the hottest days is wear the Soft Shield directly against my bare upper body with an oversized T-shirt over it.

It might sound like a strange setup, but I absolutely love riding like that.

The amount of freedom is difficult to describe until you've tried something similar.

Air moves straight through the shirt, my arms feel completely unrestricted, and I do not have a thick outer layer trapping heat around my body.

It is probably one of the most comfortable setups I've used in genuinely hot weather.

Of course, there is a very obvious compromise.

There is basically no abrasion protection

If I slide down asphalt wearing the Soft Shield underneath a normal T-shirt or hoodie, I am under no illusion that the fabric is going to protect me like proper motorcycle clothing would.

It won't.

A normal hoodie or T-shirt provides very little meaningful protection against abrasion.

For me, the Soft Shield is primarily about impact protection.

If I come off the bike, I would much rather have armor covering my back, chest, shoulders and arms than have nothing there at all.

The armor should help absorb and spread some of the force from an impact.

That does not mean it can guarantee that I avoid fractures or other injuries.

If I hit the ground hard enough, things can still break.

And if I end up sliding across asphalt while wearing an ordinary T-shirt over it, I fully expect that to hurt.

A lot.

That is the compromise I am consciously making.

Why I still prefer it

Motorcycle protection is always a balance between protection, comfort and what you are actually willing to wear.

At one extreme, I could ride everywhere in a full leather suit.

That would obviously provide significantly better protection.

At the other extreme, I could ride in a normal T-shirt with no armor at all.

The Raven sits somewhere in between for me.

When I wear it underneath a hoodie, I get proper armor around several important areas of my upper body while still being able to dress relatively normally.

More importantly, I actually use it.

I think that is something people sometimes overlook when talking about motorcycle gear.

A technically excellent piece of equipment does not protect you if it stays at home because it is too hot, uncomfortable or inconvenient to wear.

The Soft Shield removes a lot of that friction for me.

Comfort is one of its biggest strengths

The close-fitting construction keeps the armor against your body without making the whole thing feel particularly restrictive.

The protectors sit where they should, while the mesh and stretch material allow the rest of the shirt to move with you.

The straps around the arms also help keep the elbow and forearm protection in position.

Once I have a hoodie or oversized T-shirt over it, I mostly stop thinking about the armor underneath.

For protective equipment, I think that is a very good thing.

It feels more like something I wear as part of my normal riding outfit rather than a separate piece of bulky protective equipment.

I keep all of the armor installed

I run the Soft Shield with all of the original protectors in place, including the chest protector.

Personally, I do not see much reason to remove protection from something I am specifically wearing for protection.

The back, chest, shoulder, elbow and forearm protection give me coverage around many of the areas I would expect to take an impact if I came off the bike.

That is ultimately why I wear it.

It gives me a level of impact protection that I simply would not have if I were riding around in an ordinary hoodie.

Would I rather crash while wearing a full set of proper motorcycle leathers?

Absolutely.

Would I rather crash wearing the Raven underneath my hoodie than wearing the hoodie by itself?

Also absolutely.

The airflow is excellent

This is probably one of the least surprising things about the Soft Shield.

It is basically built around mesh.

Of course it is airy.

But just how noticeable that becomes during summer riding is one of the reasons I have become so attached to it.

At speed, you get airflow across almost your entire upper body.

When temperatures climb, that can be the difference between being comfortable and feeling like you are slowly cooking inside your riding gear.

The downside is equally obvious.

Once temperatures start dropping, the airflow that felt amazing during summer suddenly becomes something you need to block with additional layers.

For me, that is not really a complaint. It is simply part of what the product is designed to do.

What I don't like

Most of the drawbacks are consequences of the concept rather than problems with the Raven itself.

There is very little wind protection.

There is no proper abrasion-resistant outer layer.

It becomes cold very quickly if you are not wearing something suitable over it.

And because the armor needs to remain in the correct position, getting the right fit is important.

If the shirt is too loose and the protectors can move around, you are losing one of the main reasons for wearing it in the first place.

For my use, none of those things have been deal-breakers.

Would I replace it?

Right now, I honestly don't see myself replacing the Raven Soft Shield.

It fits the way I ride too well.

It is easy to put on, comfortable, extremely well ventilated and gives me impact protection without forcing me into the look or feel of a traditional motorcycle jacket.

The one thing that could potentially replace it is a proper armored motorcycle hoodie with meaningful abrasion resistance.

That would solve one of the biggest weaknesses of my current setup.

The problem is that I still haven't found one that I think looks good enough, feels interesting enough and preserves the same sense of freedom I get from the Raven.

Until I find one, I am perfectly happy continuing to use the Soft Shield.

My verdict

I am very happy with the Raven Soft Shield.

It is not maximum protection, and I do not think it should be treated as such.

If you wear it underneath a normal hoodie or T-shirt like I often do, abrasion protection is still going to be a major weakness.

What it does give me is practical impact protection in a package that is incredibly easy to wear.

It is comfortable.

It is extremely airy.

It gives me freedom of movement.

And most importantly, it is protective equipment that I genuinely want to put on before riding.

For me, that combination is difficult to beat.

I don't see mine going anywhere anytime soon.