REV'IT! Eclipse 2 vs Alpinestars T-GP Air
The two mesh jackets we rank first, side by side. Both flow serious air, both ship CE armor, and they are cut for two different riders — which is what actually decides this.
If you have been reading our mesh jacket roundup or best jackets page, these are the two you have probably narrowed it to. The REV’IT! Eclipse 2 is our mesh pick for most riders: polyester mesh with PWR|shell reinforcement panels, CE shoulder and elbow armor, a regular fit with room to layer. The Alpinestars T-GP Air is the sport answer: open mesh with reinforcement panels, the same CE shoulder and elbow armor, and a close, forward-cut fit.
They flow comparable amounts of air and they protect on the same principle. What separates them is cut, price band, and how they behave over a jacket-and-layers season rather than a single hot afternoon. The spec comparison is below, then the honest read on who each one suits.
How this is funded: we earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which gear we recommend, and we’ll tell you plainly when to skip a pick. Full disclosure.
The all-rounder
REV'IT! Eclipse 2 Mesh
The mesh jacket to beat for hot-weather value: huge airflow from a premium brand, CE armor at the shoulders and elbows included, and a back-protector pocket ready to upgrade. Genuinely breezy without feeling flimsy.
Price as of September 4, 2026. #ad How we’re funded
The sport fit
Alpinestars T-GP Air
A sport-cut mesh jacket from Alpinestars with a huge open-mesh chassis and CE armor at the shoulders and elbows. Built for aggressive summer riding where airflow and a close fit both matter.
Price as of September 4, 2026. #ad How we’re funded
| Spec | REV'IT! Eclipse 2 Mesh | Alpinestars T-GP Air |
|---|---|---|
| Shell construction | Polyester mesh with PWR|shell panels | Open mesh with reinforcement panels |
| Armor included | CE shoulder and elbow | CE shoulder and elbow |
| Back protector | Pocket — insert sold separately | Pocket — insert sold separately |
| Fit | Regular; size up over layers | Sport; runs snug |
| Airflow character | High, with solid reinforcement zones | Very high, open across the torso |
| Best suited to | Commuting, touring, upright bikes | Sport riding, forward-leaning position |
| Price tier | Mid | Premium |
The fit difference is the whole comparison
A sport-cut jacket is patterned for a rider leaning forward: shorter at the front, longer at the back, sleeves pre-curved and set forward at the shoulder. Worn upright it rides up at the front and pulls across the shoulders. A regular-cut jacket is patterned for a rider sitting upright: worn in a tuck it bunches at the stomach and the sleeves pull short at the wrist.
This is not a comfort footnote. Armor placement depends on the jacket sitting where it was designed to sit. A shoulder protector patterned for a forward lean, worn on an upright rider, sits behind the point of the shoulder rather than on it. Buy the cut that matches your bike, and the rest of this comparison is detail.
- Sportbike, forward lean: T-GP Air.
- Naked, adventure, cruiser, upright commuter: Eclipse 2.
- Both bikes in the garage: Eclipse 2. A regular cut worn in a tuck is a mild annoyance; a sport cut worn upright is actively uncomfortable.
Airflow: both are genuinely mesh
Neither of these is a “vented textile” jacket with a few zips. Both are mesh constructions where the air passes through the fabric across most of the torso, which is a completely different experience in traffic. The T-GP Air is the more open of the two by construction; the Eclipse 2 puts more solid PWR|shell material into the reinforcement zones.
That trade goes exactly the way you would expect: the T-GP Air is cooler standing still, the Eclipse 2 has more abrasion material on the areas that hit the road first. Neither difference is dramatic, and both are far cooler than any three-season jacket with the vents open. What neither will do is cool you when the air is hotter than you are — see motorcycle gear for hot weather for why airflow stops helping above roughly body temperature.
Armor: identical on paper, and both incomplete
Both jackets ship CE-rated shoulder and elbow protectors and both have an empty back-protector pocket. That is the industry norm and it is worth stating plainly: neither jacket protects your back as supplied. A foam comfort pad, where one is fitted, has passed no impact test.
Budget for a CE Level 2 back insert with either jacket. It costs a small fraction of the jacket, it drops into the existing pocket, and it covers the area with the least natural protection. Our CE armor guide explains what Level 1 and Level 2 actually measure and why Level 2 is not automatically the right answer everywhere.
Rain, and the thing neither of these does
Mesh is holes. Neither jacket is waterproof, neither pretends to be, and if rain is a regular part of your riding you need either a packable oversuit in the tail pack or a second jacket — see waterproof jackets. Some mesh jackets in the wider market ship a zip-in rain liner; both of these are purer hot-weather designs and expect you to solve rain separately.
Price, and the value question
The T-GP Air sits in the premium band and the Eclipse 2 in the mid band. For a rider on a sportbike that premium buys a cut that actually fits, which is worth paying for. For an upright rider it buys a jacket that fits worse, which is not.
If the T-GP Air is out of budget and you ride a sportbike, the honest move is not to buy the Eclipse 2 in a smaller size to fake a sport fit — a jacket too tight to layer under is a jacket you stop wearing in spring. Look at the value end of the mesh ranking instead, and put the saved money into a back protector.
The short version
Buy the Eclipse 2 if you sit upright, if you ride more than one bike, or if you want a mesh jacket with more solid reinforcement material and room to wear a layer underneath in spring. It is the pick we would make for most riders and it is our top pick on the mesh roundup for that reason.
Buy the T-GP Air if you ride a sportbike in a genuine forward lean, if maximum airflow standing still is the priority, and if you want the closest-fitting of the two. On the right bike, it is the better jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cooler, the Eclipse 2 or the T-GP Air?
The T-GP Air, marginally, because its construction leaves more open mesh across the torso where the Eclipse 2 uses solid PWR|shell reinforcement material. The difference is most noticeable standing still in traffic and largely disappears once you are moving. Both are genuine mesh jackets rather than vented textiles, which is a much bigger step than the gap between them.
Do either of these come with a back protector?
No. Both ship CE-rated shoulder and elbow armor and both have an empty back-protector pocket — which is the industry norm and worth knowing before you order. Neither jacket protects your back as supplied. A CE Level 2 back insert costs a small fraction of either jacket and drops straight into the existing pocket, and we would treat it as part of the purchase rather than an upgrade.
Can I wear a sport-fit jacket on an upright bike?
You can, and it will be uncomfortable in a way that matters. A sport cut is patterned shorter at the front, longer at the back, with sleeves pre-curved and set forward — worn upright it rides up at the waist and pulls across the shoulders. Beyond comfort, it moves the armor: a shoulder protector patterned for a forward lean sits behind the point of your shoulder when you sit up. Buy the cut that matches your riding position.
Are mesh jackets safe enough for highway riding?
A good mesh jacket with CE armor and solid reinforcement panels on the shoulders, elbows and forearms is a reasonable highway jacket, and vastly better than the alternative most people choose in July, which is no jacket. It is not as abrasion-resistant as leather or a heavy textile — the open mesh areas are the weak point by design. The independent MotoCAP program is the only place publishing comparable protection ratings on garments, and it is worth a look before you buy any summer jacket.
Is the Alpinestars T-GP Air worth the extra over the Eclipse 2?
On a sportbike, yes — you are paying for a cut that puts the armor where it belongs and does not fight your riding position, and that is not a cosmetic difference. On an upright bike, no: you would be paying more for a jacket that fits you worse. This is one of the clearer cases on the site where the more expensive product is the wrong purchase for a large share of the people considering it.
Which sizes should I order?
The Eclipse 2 runs a regular fit and REV'IT! expects you to be able to wear a thin layer underneath, so most riders take their normal size. The T-GP Air runs snug in a sport cut, and riders between sizes generally go up. With either jacket, the fit check that matters is the armor: the shoulder protector should sit on the point of your shoulder and the elbow protector on the point of your elbow when you are in your riding position, not standing in a shop.
Sources
- MotoCAP — Independent Motorcycle Clothing & Helmet Assessment — Independent Australian lab rating protective clothing and helmets for protection and comfort (accessed July 21, 2026)
- SHARP — UK Government Helmet Safety Ratings — UK Department for Transport independent helmet safety star ratings (accessed July 21, 2026)
Keep reading
Best mesh motorcycle jackets
The full hot-weather ranking, from premium sport shells to sub-$150 value picks.
See the mesh picksBest motorcycle back protectors
CE EN 1621-2 Level 2 inserts and vests — the upgrade both of these jackets need.
See the back protectorsMotorcycle gear for hot weather
What mesh actually does, and why airflow stops cooling you above a certain temperature.
Read the hot-weather guideHow to choose a motorcycle jacket
Material, armor, fit and weather in the order that actually matters.
Read the buying guide