For commuters, and high-mileage motorcyclists, staying dry is often a key, even the key, issue. The Nivala has what is known as a 3-layer, Gore-Tex Pro Shell, laminated construction. This is the gold standard as far as waterproofing is concerned. Basically, a garment constructed in this way will never wet out.

Gore tells manufacturers how to put their products together. And they insist upon this because they have a brand to protect. Leaking garments are not good for their brand reputation. And as Gore guarantees its membranes to be waterproof for life, they need to make sure they are incorporated into garments in the correct way.

And so, in our view, any suit that has ambitions to be considered as coming from from the top drawer has to come with a Gore-Tex membrane; and in truth probably a 3-layer, laminated one.

If there is a problem with 3-layer, laminated jackets and pants it’s that they can be a bit stiff and crunchy. They are not always particularly comfortable. But the secret ingredient with the Nivala is that the outer material is infused with stretch. And in our view this is the crucial difference. Many manufacturers produce 3-layer, laminated suits, but if you’re going to be sat on the bike for many hours comfort becomes a hugely important consideration. You need to be comfortable and relaxed on the bike, and the Nivala does a better job of helping to ensure that this is the case than any other laminated suit out there.

In the winter you want to stay warm, and with its removable 90% duck-down/10% duck-feather inner jacket and pants, the Nivala becomes perhaps the warmest suit on the market. Only swapping out the down jacket for something electric would improve your position. (Oh, and by the way, if you don't want the down layers we'll buy them back from you at their retail value).

So how about the summer? Well, the Nivala has reasonable venting. You get vents up the flanks, in the sleeves, at the shoulders and on the back. We have seen better venting, but the reality is that no suit does everything, and in the hottest weather even the best vented laminate gear is going to cause you to become hot and sweaty. When you get much above 25 degrees Celsius, any waterproof suit is going to be uncomfortable, regardless of how effective the venting is. Especially when you're riding at slower speeds.

Frankly, on really warm days, you’ll probably need a different kind of outfit; preferably one without a membrane at all. And so we reach a position whereby we think it’s more important that a waterproof, commuting outfit should keep you warm and dry rather than cool. If it does the former in all conditions, you have a right to be pleased. If it doesn’t keep you cool in the height of summer, well we think it might be asking too much to expect any waterproof outfit to do this as well.

In terms of other stuff, you've got more than enough pockets, inside and out. You get adjusters at the collar, on the sleeves, at the cuffs, and at the hem. In the neck, there’s a concealed storm collar. At the sleeve ends, you get GTX cuffs. And there’s 3M reflective stuff everywhere you look.

The trousers, as you might imagine, mirror the jacket in terms of materials and construction. So that's a Gore-Tex 3-layer, laminated membrane, Rukka's AirCushion and Antiglide systems in the seat, and long zips that allow all but the most bulbous, off-road boots to be accommodated. Importantly, the trousers come in three leg lengths. Rukka's long leg length, by the way, is very long!

Protection is the another major consideration on a suit like this. If you’re going to be spending a lot of time on the bike in all conditions, then you will want to know that you are well protected if it goes wrong. And here there is a conversation to be had with regards to the Nivala. It is only A rated under EN17092 for abrasion resistance. This A rating might seem disappointing, but not all is as it first appears.

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