Welcome to T-Rat! I am a big fan of Joe Rocket mesh jackets myself…. FTG

 

I am a big fan of Joe Rocket mesh jackets myself

Ive got one of these I bought used from eBay. No idea the ratings. I really like it and its great in warmer weather. The arms and collar region are a durable solid material and somewhat rain protective.
The chest and back are mesh that breathe well. Mine has removable pads in arms, shoulders and back and not overly bulky. Ive the black/silver and its sort of reflective.
Thanks for the photo/reminder....I might buy a new one!

 

I suggest that you try them on before making a decision. Different brands fit differently and the one that looks the best online might not fit. You want one with adjustments on the arms and waist to cinch it snug. Once you decide on the model to get, color does make a difference. My first mesh jacket was white/gray with black trim. My second was mostly black and I noticed a difference in how much hotter the black jacket was when the sun was shining due to heat absorption. Lighter colors will be cooler (temperature wise cooler, style wise is your call). I am partial to Olympia brand.

 

The only one locally that I like the look of will be the Helstons Daytona mesh in brown. Looks good in pictures but not much i can find on reviews of real world pictures of people wearing it.

I’m kinda leaning towards brown. You are right on black being hot.

 

I have a Merlin Shenstone Air. Looks a lot like the Chigwell, but with slightly different styling. Also AA rated with D30 back, shoulder and elbow armor. It's part waxed cotton and part mesh. Not sure what the thinking was behind creating a jacket that's 50% water repellant and 50% screen door, but I don't care. I dig it. It also came with a removable waterproof/windproof liner. Nice to have the option to start out with the liner on a cool morning and lose it as it warms up.

 

Very cool! I like that its CE AA rated and comes with D30 armor. How to you clean/wash it for sweat?
Also how do you find the cutting? It looks kinda baggy round the arms and torso from pictures I’ve seen.