Mulholland returns the meaning of “cool” to a simpler time when it was universally understood.
Guy Pickrell
July 29, 2024 9:53am ET
7 min read
When I was a kid, the motorcycling icons I thought were cool, naturally cool, like James Dean and Steve McQueen, didn’t wear jackets with loud logos and colorful colors and TPU sliders. They wore jackets like Mulholland, and somewhere along the line I forgot about that.
The problem is, as we grow up, we start to believe that only name brand “bike jackets” that look like them are truly useful. And while the classic, cool looking jackets are often motorcycle inspired jackets, they do absolutely nothing to protect us while riding our bikes.
For the past decade, I’ve innocently discounted all cool-looking jackets, believing them to be all about form over function. But not the Aether Mulholland. The combination of my non-cognitive bias against classic good-looking jackets, the $650 price tag, and a relatively unknown brand makes it hard to convince most people to shell out for one.
But, for the record, I’ll say I’ve put 30,000 miles on the Mulholland. That may seem like a long time, even for a motorcycle journalist, and it is. But the Mulholland is not a $650 motorcycle jacket.
Three or four jackets for $650.
Style Icon
I don’t want to over-extend how stylish this jacket is, but not giving it the recognition it deserves would be like treading softly around the elephant in the room.
Style-wise, it’s never too much or too little. You’ll never be accused of wearing too much, because this jacket has a clear purpose. And trust me, no one will ever think you’re wearing too little. Likewise, its obvious functionality puts an end to any arguments that you’re “going for a look.” This jacket commands attention, so I feel at ease.
Guy Pickrell
The Mulholland is eye-catching but not flashy. It stands out best when worn over black or blue jeans and a white t-shirt. That’s my riding outfit, so it suits me perfectly. It’s a simple outfit, but with this jacket it becomes something special and exudes a quiet confidence.
But it took me a while to get over the feeling that I was putting on something special every time I put on the Mulholland. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t lose anything, but eventually, like any other motorcycle jacket, I found myself reverting to my old style. And instead of thinking about how special it was, I was reminded with compliments and stares.
In fact, the Mulholland has a strong presence just for looks. The bike is my only mode of transportation and I would avoid social gatherings because I didn’t want to sit there in a Dainese suit or any other jacket that would make me stand out in every way. Now, going out is fun and easy. I look good, I feel good and I’m with my friends.
But once I got on my bike and started logging some miles, I realized there was much more to it than its stylish appeal.
Guy Pickrell
Attention to detail
Small details, like the Aether branding on the right shoulder and left hip, are minimal to the outsider, but when you live with the Mulholland, or “live in the Mulholland,” as I describe my time with the jacket, the rider-centric features are apparent throughout. These details and their purpose become more apparent the more you wear the Mulholland.
Guy Pickrell
Guy Pickrell
Guy Pickrell
Honestly, I’ve never really thought that three pockets was enough, but this jacket has made me appreciate — and actually use — seven pockets.
When I drive, I put my toll change in one pocket, my toll receipt in another, my wallet and keys in another, and my phone in another. In Mulholland, I feel like an organized social worker. It’s worth noting that there are eight toll roads between my apartment and the nearest beach, and my fumbling around for coins, bills, and toll receipts tends to annoy drivers who pass me just before I get to the register.
The reliable snap closure is half the reason the pockets get so much use: they’re quick to open and close, but you can rest assured that everything will stay in place even when you tug.
You’ll find my phone in my pocket because I’m pretty fussy about not scratching my screen, so the soft liner on the outside pocket helps calm my OCD mind, whether it’s for my phone or my sunglasses. And this is another thing I’ve gotten into in Mulholland: sunglasses.
Guy Pickrell
Guy Pickrell
Guy Pickrell
Riding a bike with sunglasses in your pocket is something I’ve never done before, but it really speaks to the essence of Mulholland: you’ll be wearing them after the ride, so you need to carry them with you. The theme is clear: style, practicality, protection.
A motorcycle jacket without protection is a no-no
I’ve done wheelies on an MT-09, stoppies on a Street Triple (both on a closed course, of course), and lane splits on a bagger, all on the Mulholland. I wouldn’t do any of this if I didn’t feel like I had the right protection, but the protection it offers is almost like you’re being told to believe in magic.
The centerpiece of Mulholland’s defensive arsenal is CE Level 1 Ghost Armor from D3O on the back, shoulders and elbows. To call this “Ghost Armor” is an understatement. You would never believe this armor was CE Level 1 if it wasn’t from a reputable company like D30.
Robbie Bacon
Robbie Bacon
Robbie Bacon
I’ve had countless friends try this jacket on, and no one believed me at first when I told them there was armor inside. You have to dig around to find the padding. I don’t even take my jacket out before a flight anymore, because I’m usually fast asleep in my Mulholland with noise-canceling headphones on during the flight.
The other side of this jacket is that it’s a travel companion, something I can’t say about any other motorcycle jacket I’ve owned. But protection is more than armor.
Armor protects us from spills and crashes. While we never want that to happen, we always need protection from the elements. And the Mulholland and its waterproof, three-layer, heavy nylon fabric have made me instinctively pull it out of my overflowing gear closet on multiple occasions. The only drawback to the laminated exterior is breathability, but the Aether does its best to combat this.
There are two zippered underarm vents and two zippered exhaust vents in the back. I wouldn’t call them groundbreaking, but they do work. I tested them during rides in temperatures over 100 degrees. What was even more useful for me were the sleeve gussets.
When you pull back on the zipper, it feels like your forearm is connected to a RAM air duct.
Robbie Bacon
Robbie Bacon
I put this jacket on for 900 miles last weekend. Temperatures ranged from 55 to 96 degrees, with occasional light rain, and I rode it around town, on the highway, and rubbing pegs on twisty roads. Was it a little cold at times? Yes. Was it too hot at times? Sure. But overall, I couldn’t have asked for more from a jacket with no extra liner.
Once again, the multifaceted jacket makes an appearance.
Spread the word
The only time I wouldn’t recommend buying the Aether is if you’re riding through canyons or in very hot temperatures – the Mulholland is not a bike made for that, and that’s one of its best features.
I’ve tried to fit Mulholland into one neat box with an easy-to-communicate concept. Here are the main contenders:
A jacket that you’ll be happy to wear when you meet your girlfriend’s parents for the first time and then go out for drinks with your friends afterwards. A jacket that you can wear in an Uber to the airport, on the plane, and then on the way home. A jacket that makes you want to say “yes” when you hop on your bike to meet your friends at a restaurant because you don’t want to look like a Power Ranger all night.
The problem was that I couldn’t shoehorn this character into one of those boxes because he kept encroaching on the others. That’s when I realized this character filled all those other boxes and more. But perhaps the following situation best characterizes Mulholland.
As I write this, I’m on a plane to Ireland, en route to my sister Liz’s wedding. I regret not wearing Mulholland. Liz decided to have her three-day wedding on the picturesque, iconic, and most importantly, rainy west coast of Ireland. And I couldn’t have asked for a more waterproof, stylish, and easy-to-throw-over-everything jacket. It would have kept me warm on the flight and given me more confidence as I made my way through six airports, caffeinated and dehydrated.
And if I meet another biker at the wedding, I’ll bring my favorite riding jacket because he or she happens to have a spare bike.
Guy Pickrell
So far the only problem I have found with this model is the brand name. Maybe you don’t know the brand name. But I’ve run more miles in this model in 3 months than most people run in a year and I’ve had no issues. In fact, the fit is great.
So I’m here to spread the word that Aether’s Mulholland exceeds expectations and should be on more riders’ shortlist as a one-jacket wardrobe accessory.
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