Pando Moto Commando UH AAA Jacket Review: Better than Mesh?
Evan Rally
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I’ve worn more “summer” motorcycle jackets than I can count. Vented ADV jackets, armored hoodies, mesh street jackets —you name it. And every single one had the same problem: at a stoplight, you’re baking. Even when they flow air at speed, there’s always a hot spot somewhere, creating a soupy sweaty mess.
So when I picked up the Pando Moto Commando UH, I was skeptical. Another AAA-rated mesh jacket? Either uncomfortable or unsafe, so which one is it?
Neither.
I ride in 100°F+ Thai heat in this thing, stopping at intersections, weaving through traffic, and I’m as comfortable as I am in a t-shirt. The mesh actually works—even at low speeds. And it’s equally comfortable on longer rides. Built with some of the toughest abrasion-resistant materials out there, packed with CE Level 2 D3O armor, and designed to be worn alone or as a protective underlayer.
But trust me on these:
- If you think mesh can’t flow enough air, you haven’t worn this jacket. Even at a stoplight, breezes cut through and keep you cool.
- There is not just “AAA material” in this jacket—the entire garment passed the CE 17092 AAA certification, meaning the seams, stitching, and entire construction can withstand slides up to 75 mph / 120 kph.
- It fits under almost any jacket without snagging, making it a versatile layer for urban riders, commuters, and even e-bike or casual riders.
If you’re tired of mesh jackets that still leave you sweaty, or if you want the highest level of abrasion and impact protection in a featherweight package, you’re going to want to see what makes this jacket different. Let’s break it down.
CE AAA jacket built to survive highway slides. Can be worn alone over a simple t-shirt or base-layer, or under another casual jacket to assume any style.
Buy from Pando Moto with code ROAD15 for 15% off.
- Material 15x stronger than steel
- Wear over a t-shirt, under a jacket
- Excellent airflow
- CE Level 2 armor at elbows, shoulders
- Back protector sold separately
What I Love
When it comes to motorcycle gear, lab-tested specs don’t always tell the full story. So I put the Pando Moto Commando UH through the trifecta torture test: city commuting, overnight rides, and scorching midday errands in Thailand.
What I was hoping for was a garment that would fade away, something I could wear casually on the bike that would add as little time and fuss to my day as possible. Happy to say I found exactly that, with a few exceptions that I’ll get in to.
Flows Air like Nothing Else
I first took the Commando UH out for a quick ride to lunch in the middle of the afternoon here in Chiang Mai. Temperature? A sticky 95°F (35°C) without a cloud in the sky. Normally in a standard mesh jacket, I’d feel my back start to sweat the second I stopped at a red light. Even in a thick cotton t-shirt! But this jacket? It was almost like I wasn’t wearing one at all.
Pando did a number on this design on two fronts: The 3D Cordura mesh across the chest and inside the arms lets air flow through even at a standstill. I felt light breezes cutting through the fabric while waiting at a light—something I’ve never experienced with any other armored mesh jacket.
Even the main Balistex fiber that makes up the bulk of the protection in this jacket is so lightweight and stretchy you can see light come through it – yet it will withstand a slide at 75mph. The upside for me at the stoplight is no back sweat.
But beyond airflow, I noticed something else that made this jacket the perfect choice for a quick errand or lunch: how easy it is to slip on and off.
This is the kind of jacket you forget you’re wearing – instead of forgetting to wear!
Easy to Layer
Next up, I took this jacket on a 200km overnight trip into the mountains north of Chiang Mai, Thailand. Temperatures dropped to around 60°F (15°C) at night, and for the first time in a while, I was actually cold while riding in an armored jacket. That’s how much air this thing flows.
Keep that in mind – you are going to want to layer another jacket over this, unless you’re riding in Florida.
The good news? Layering is effortless. I threw my denim jacket from Lusso Leather over the Commando UH and kept on riding comfortably. Unlike some armored shirts, which feel tight or restrictive under another jacket, this one works seamlessly as an underlayer—even with sturdy CE Level 2 armor.
There aren’t any points that snag, and the stretch of the fibers used throughout makes it easy to toss on and take off another layer. A lot of armored jackets feel stiff or bulky when layering, but this one moves like a second skin. The thumb loops are easy to pull over your gloves and keep the sleeves solidly in place too.
The Commando UH is as good on its own in the heat as it is layered under a heavier jacket for cooler rides. It’s on par with the Bowtex Elite and Knox Honister, but flows more air than the last Bowtex iteration I have (from 2023).
Smart Design and Sturdy Build Quality
When it comes to motorcycle gear, there’s a big difference between a jacket that “feels” protective and one that’s actually tested for high-speed crashes. When you look at the Pando Moto Commando UH, your initial reaction might be the same as mine: the material looks the same as a pair of yoga pants.
But when you hold the garment, you can feel just how strong the material is and how much care went in to construction and design. All that came together to earn this piece a AAA rating in the CE 17092 rating standard, the highest possible rating which certifies the garment as protective for abrasion up to a 75 mph / 120 kph slide on asphalt.
Knockoff brands throw high-strength materials into a jacket and call it “protective.” But here’s the problem: if the seams split open or the zipper fails, all that tough fabric means nothing. Pando Moto didn’t just use Balistex UHMWPE (15x stronger than steel) for abrasion resistance—they built the entire jacket to exceed CE AAA certification.
What does that mean in reality?
✔️ Certified for a 230ft (70m) slide at 75mph (120km/h)
✔️ Tested to hold up better than that CE AAA standard: to 300ft (90m) at speeds up to 84mph (135km/h)
✔️ Triple-stitched seams tucked inside the garment to prevent splitting on impact
✔️ Sturdy zipper which also had to survive the rigors of a highway slide to get that CE AAA certification
While most riders (hopefully) never have to put that to the test, it’s reassuring to know this jacket isn’t just a “better than nothing” mesh layer—it’s engineered to save your skin if things go sideways.
But abrasion resistance is just one half of the equation—the other is impact absorption. The Commando UH comes with D3O CE Level 2 armor in the elbows and shoulders, and if you’ve never used D3O before, it’s worth understanding how good this stuff is.
D3O is a soft, flexible material under normal conditions, but the second it takes an impact, it stiffens up instantly to absorb and disperse energy. To test this, I did a hammer impact test on my hand with the armor on top. I didn’t do a control test because, well, I like having intact hand bones. With the armor on top, my hand returned to the world unscathed. I also tested hitting a piece of fruit—let’s just say the results were very different. Check those out on the video on the It’s Better On The Road YouTube channel.
And unlike many armored jackets with loose-fitting sleeves, the armor stays locked in place thanks to the bi-stretch fiber throughout this jacket that hugs the wearer tight, no matter the riding position. In a crash, that means your protection stays where it needs to be.
Beyond safety, the Pando Moto team put a lot of thought into user-friendly design in this garment. For instance, behind the zipper at the top you get a little tab to keep that zipper from grabbing your shirt or otherwise not zipping up nicely. That material extends over the top of the zipper and to the front, keeping your neck from rubbing against the top of the zipper. That’s the kind of design accent I expect on a jacket in this price range.
And finally you have the MOLLE System over the abdomen – personally I’m not a frequent user of Molle bags, but I can see the appeal. If you want to attach an extra pouch for cameras / phone / wallet to the front of the jacket, or even a holster, you have plenty of options for placement on the front of the Commando.
Pando Moto even sells a pouch that fits this jacket, allowing you to attach a phone case, tool holster, or even a small hydration pack. Whether you use it or not, it’s a nice option to have.
Now let’s get in to the drawbacks on this jacket.
What I Dislike
No piece of gear is perfect, and while the Commando UH does a lot right, there are a few things I wish Pando Moto had done differently. None of these are deal-breakers, but they’re worth considering depending on your riding style and what you expect from a protective jacket.
No Belt Loops
One of the first things I noticed after putting this jacket on was the lack of belt loops. For a lightweight armored layer that’s designed to be worn both alone and under other jackets, in my opinion this is a big omission.
Why does this matter? In a crash, a jacket without belt loops can ride up, leaving your lower back and stomach exposed to the pavement. Pando Moto tried to address this with a silicone grip strip at the hem, but let’s be honest—that’s not going to do much at high speeds.
For a jacket that’s otherwise so well thought out, I wish they had followed Bowtex’s lead and added reinforced loops to attach to a belt or riding pants. It’s a small fix that would have dramatically improved security in a slide.
A Shorter Fit
If you’re over 6 feet (183cm) tall, you might find this jacket a little on the short side. It’s not dramatically cropped, but it doesn’t have the extra length that I prefer in a riding jacket—especially compared to the Bowtex Elite, which runs longer in the torso.
Especially for taller riders on sportbikes, you may want to look at other options that are cut for the sport riding position with a longer tail.
Mesh – Airflow VS Protection
This is the one real concern I have with the Commando UH. The chest and inner arms are made from highly breathable mesh, which makes it one of the coolest AAA-rated jackets you can wear. And that mesh is Cordura, a super strong fiber used in many high-end motorcycle jackets that are CE AA or AAA rated.
But here’s the issue: the chest and inner arms aren’t categorized as “Zone 1” slide zones, meaning they’re not held to the same standard as the back and outside of the arms when it comes to abrasion resistance for that CE AAA certification. So if that mesh does happen to slide on asphalt while you’re going under 75 mph / 120 kph, there’s a chance it could tear open and compromise the rest of the jacket.
Now, to be fair—the CE rating is designed this way precisely because sliding on your chest or inner arms is highly unlikely in a crash. And, the material Pando Moto used here still had to hold up in the overall garment CE AAA certification.
I reached out to Pando Moto about this choice of material on the chest – here’s what they said:
“The front and inner area of the arms are in CE Zone 3 for jackets which means in a crash these areas are low risk. This fabric is tested for Zone 3, which is carried out at 28 mph / 45 kph. This fabric passed the test with 2 seconds for time to stop and 11.5 meters of slide distance.”
It’s a tradeoff—incredible airflow versus an extra safety margin. And while I love how well this jacket breathes, it’s something to keep in mind if you prioritize maximum abrasion resistance. This is one reason Bowtex uses Dyneema throughout their entire garment.
Need to Know
Before you pick up the Commando UH, there are a few key things you should know to get the most out of this jacket. These aren’t necessarily pros or cons, just important details that could affect how you wear and use it.
BYO Back Protector
While the Commando UH comes with CE Level 2 armor for the elbows and shoulders, it does not include a back protector. However, it does have a large pocket designed to fit one, and Pando Moto makes a Quatroflex CE Level 2 back protector designed to fit perfectly in this jacket.
If you’re planning to use this as your main riding jacket, I highly recommend adding the back protector. It’s a small upgrade that makes a big difference in overall safety. Or even better, use an abrasion-resistant airbag like the Tech Air 3 over top!
Get the Quatroflex CE Level 2 back protector here (use code ROAD15 for 15% off):
Quatroflex M-XXL – Premium CE Level 2 back armor for maximum protection.
- Four-layer impact-resistant memory foam
- Lightweight at just 250g
- Fits most PANDO MOTO jackets (M-XXXL)
- Not compatible with older M65 Camo & Capo Cor Shirt models
Wear a T-Shirt Underneath
The Commando UH is designed to be a second skin, but I still found it most comfortable with a t-shirt underneath. If you’re riding in extreme heat, you can wear a moisture-wicking t-shirt to stay extra cool.
Pairs with the Pando AAA Leggings
One of the best ways to complete a lightweight yet fully AAA-rated riding setup is to pair this jacket with Pando Moto’s AAA Leggings. If you want a setup that flows air, feels comfortable, and still meets the highest safety standards, this combo is hard to beat.
The leggings offer full lower-body protection while staying slim enough to wear under jeans or riding pants. If you’re considering the Commando UH, check out the Pando AAA Leggings as well (I reviewed them here) – they’re a great match.
Perfect leggings for casual riding and summer heat without sacrificing protection. CE AAA rated up to 75mph highway slide on asphalt.
Wear jeans, hiking pants, pajamas on top - I don't care, it's your style not mine.
Get 15% off when you buy direct on Pando Moto's site with code ROAD15.
- Super flexible and breathable
- Zippers and loops at ankles for secure fit
- Included CE Level 2 hip and knee armor
- None
Get 15% Off This Jacket
If you’re looking to get the best deal on this jacket, buying directly from Pando Moto is the way to go thanks to our discount code ROAD15, which gets you 15% off your order.
CE AAA jacket built to survive highway slides. Can be worn alone over a simple t-shirt or base-layer, or under another casual jacket to assume any style.
Buy from Pando Moto with code ROAD15 for 15% off.
- Material 15x stronger than steel
- Wear over a t-shirt, under a jacket
- Excellent airflow
- CE Level 2 armor at elbows, shoulders
- Back protector sold separately
Comparisons
When looking at lightweight, highly protective motorcycle underlayers, three big names come to mind: Pando Moto, Knox, and Bowtex. All three brands make AAA-rated gear that balances comfort, flexibility, and top-tier protection, but they take slightly different approaches.
Since I have firsthand experience with Pando Moto and Bowtex, I’ll speak to those two. There’s no outright winner—the best choice depends on your riding style and priorities.
Both the Pando Moto Commando UH and the Bowtex Elite are AAA-rated armored layers designed to be worn alone or under other gear. They offer excellent protection for city riders, commuters, and anyone looking for a lightweight alternative to bulky armored jackets.
So what’s the difference in their jacket products?
✔️ Bowtex has belt loops, Pando Moto does not. Bowtex has the edge here—their belt loops attach directly to your riding pants, reducing the chance of the jacket riding up. Pando Moto uses a silicone grip strip instead, but in my opinion that’s not as secure as a loop system. That said, Bowtex’s loops may not stay intact in a crash and there is no loop on the rear – only on the left and right sides.
✔️ Though both are CE AAA rated, Bowtex uses Dyneema throughout the entire garment. I’m not a material scientist so I can’t wax poetic about the differences between Dyneema (used by Bowtex) and Balistex (used by Pando Moto), but what I can say is that Pando uses a Cordura Mesh on the chest and inner arms (unlikely to be slide zones in a crash) that doesn’t need to pass the same abrasion test as the slide zones on the outer arms and back. Whereas Bowtex uses the same Dyneema material that passes on those critical slide zones throughout the entire jacket. On the other hand…
✔️ Pando Moto flow air much better than Bowtex. If you’re riding in hot climates or want maximum ventilation, Pando Moto’s full-mesh chest and arm construction allows significantly more air to pass through than Bowtex. While Bowtex is breathable, it doesn’t flow air nearly as well as the Commando U – it’s especially noticeable to me when at a stop.
Ultimately, you can’t go wrong with either brand.
Be Careful With Knockoff AAA Gear
One thing to watch out for when shopping for protective gear is knockoff products that claim “AAA-rated” materials—but haven’t actually been tested as a full garment.
Some cheaper brands advertise “AAA fabric”—but that doesn’t mean the jacket itself has passed AAA testing. CE AAA certification isn’t just about the fabric—it tests the entire construction of the jacket, including seam strength, stitching, zippers, and overall durability in a slide.
If the stitching fails or the seams burst open on impact, the jacket is worthless—no matter how strong the fabric is.
This is where Pando Moto and Bowtex stand out—the full garment is certified, not just the material. When shopping for protective motorcycle gear, always look for full CE AAA certification on the product itself—not just claims about the fabric used.
Pando Moto Commando UH Jacket: Worth It?
After testing the Pando Moto Commando UH in the real world—from scorching city streets to long-distance rides—I can confidently say this is one of the best armored layers available for riders in hot climates, or city commuters looking for layering flexibility.
It does exactly what it’s designed to do: offer full CE AAA protection while being as invisible as possible. The ventilation is unmatched, the armor stays in place, and the fit and stretch make it comfortable to wear all day—whether on its own or as a protective underlayer.
Who Should Buy the Commando UH?
- ✅ City riders & commuters who want lightweight, flexible protection without bulk.
- ✅ Hot weather riders looking for the best airflow possible in a CE AAA-rated jacket.
- ✅ E-bike & scooter riders who need extra abrasion resistance on short urban rides.
- ✅ Anyone who layers their gear—this fits under anything without restricting movement.
For me, this jacket solves a major problem. Living in Thailand’s heat, I’m often tempted to ride in just a t-shirt. This changes the equation. It’s so light and breathable that there’s no excuse to go unprotected anymore.
Pando Moto absolutely nailed the balance of protection, comfort, and airflow in the Commando UH. If they add belt loops in a future version, it’ll be near perfect. But even as it stands, this is one of the best mesh motorcycle jackets you can buy if you ride in the heat or just want something lightweight that isn’t going to disappear in a slide.
Get the Set
Pair the Pando Moto Commando UH jacket with the leggings for a full set of abrasion protection. I also own the leggings and love them.
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CE AAA jacket built to survive highway slides. Can be worn alone over a simple t-shirt or base-layer, or under another casual jacket to assume any style. | CE AAA leggings you can wear anything over top of. All day comfort with airflow that can keep you cool in the most punishingly hot conditions. |
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CE AAA jacket built to survive highway slides. Can be worn alone over a simple t-shirt or base-layer, or under another casual jacket to assume any style.
- Material 15x stronger than steel
- Wear over a t-shirt, under a jacket
- Excellent airflow
- CE Level 2 armor at elbows, shoulders
- Back protector sold separately
CE AAA leggings you can wear anything over top of. All day comfort with airflow that can keep you cool in the most punishingly hot conditions.
- Super flexible and breathable
- Zippers and loops at ankles for secure fit
- Included CE Level 2 hip and knee armor
- None