Whether or not you are a fan of Ewan McGregor’s acting (an oeuvre that ranges from Train Spotting to Star Wars); and regardless of whether you’ve seen any of the previous Long Way™ series of made-for-TV motorcycle adventures, there is no arguing that this is a damn nice jacket.

Squint, and it looks like every other 4-pocket Belstaff Trialmaster variation.

But look closely, and try it on, and it’s quickly apparent that this thing is the real McCoy. Erm, McGreggor. Whatever—did we mention it’s damn nice?

/// What's up with "Long Way?"

After his groundbreaking reality TV motorcycle documentaries, Long Way Round (2004) and Long Way Down (2007), McGreggor and his best friend Charlie Davidson recently got the band back together to tackle "Long Way Up." The boys got backing from Harley to use its electric Livewire motorcycles to travel—up—from the tip of Argentina to Los Angeles. The series is currently streaming on Apple TV.

In addition to support from the HD, Belstaff jumped in to outfit the duo with a new range of custom technical apparel, and a subsequent spin-off lineup of unabashedly branded merch’ ranging from a $1,675 Gore-Tex “G-Wagon” jacket, to t-shirts, jumpers, fashion-weight unarmored leather jackets, and other not-necessarily-motorcycle-related chotskies.

While the G-Wagon looks amazing, the stratospherically priced Gore-Tex adventure jacket seems a bit rich for a recession. For that price, one can buy a complete KLIM Carlsbad jacket/pant combo and have cash left over for extras.

But we couldn’t resist bringing in a limited quantity of this one-off waxed cotton original.

/// Now for the Main Course: Meet the McGregor!

For those familiar with Belstaff's playbook, the McGregor Pro bears many familiar touches. It sports the same four-pocket, 3/4-length silhouette as the looong-running Trialmaster jacket, the same precision stitching and plush corduroy trim at the hems and collars, and the same D3O shoulder/elbow armor complement as Belstaff’s standard-bearer, the current Trialmaster pro.

Beyond its basic outline, this limited-edition Ewan McGregor signature edition has a few tweaks that elevate the famously solid jacket into cult jacket collector territory.

The McGregor is lined with the same pattern of Scottish plaid cotton that’s been used to make generations of McGregor kilts. But the mods go deeper than just that.

The other most obvious upgrade over a standard Belstaff: sturdy waxed leather patches reinforcing the jacket’s elbows and shoulders. This is a smart move if you want to be able to, say, dump your 550-pound electric Harley in the dirt without shredding a perfectly good and expensive jacket.

Other worthy bullet points: the belt—which can easily be removed or tied behind the wearer's back—is made of standard black waxed cotton backed on one side with a dark matte 3M reflective fabric. When lit up at night by an approaching vehicle's headlight, the belt glows fiercely...like a light saber.

A studied try-on of the McGregor Pro vs. the standard Trialmaster Pro reveals a few subtle but key differences that confirm this signature edition jacket is more than just a pure branded merchandise hustle. Also it confirms McGregor, who has logged tens of thousands of motorcycle miles—on and off camera—knows a thing or two about the nuances of good gear.

Either Ewan is a genius detail man, or some junior designer at Belstaff deserves a bonus, because from the instant one dons the jacket and feels the added weight of the leather, the experience is different than a standard Trialmaster. Zip it up, and you’ll notice an intuitively placed pull-tab built in at the bottom of the center-front zipper, perfectly positioned to hold onto while engaging the heavy duty brass zip, which itself is bestowed with an oversized pull equipped with knurled roller at the edge for a satisfying action that's easy to use even with gloves.

Snap the storm flap down and you’ll notice another thoughtful touch—discreet recesses behind the interior snaps: perfect perches for a thumb to get behind and batten down the flap single handedly.

Like the standard Trialmaster Pro, waterproofing duties are twofold. The first layer of defense comes from the waxed treatment of the 12oz heavy duty cotton—in this case, supplied by the storied Scottish textile company, Halley Stevenson.

The second layer of waterproofing is an invisible seam-sealed breathable/waterproof membrane sandwiched between the waxed shell and the tartan interior sleeve liner.

*Note: the 12oz waxed cotton spec is different than the standard Trialmaster, which has a very stable, almost plasticized feel to it. By comparison, the McGregor has more of an old school feel in the hand. In fact it's almost wet to the touch. So don’t go sitting on any white linen couches with it. 

On the road though, especially in inclement weather, this jacket swaddles the wearer in protection and comfort. The heavy waxed cotton and leather combo repels water, provides a sturdy abrasion resistant shell, and builds patina from Day One.

And like any other Belstaff product, this jacket is built to last and worth the coin, even in a recession. 

• Leather shoulder and elbow patches
• Traditional Belstaff corduroy and cuffs
• Traditional Belstaff water resistant envelope pocket construction
• Center front interior rain gutter, with a “trapped tape” design for ease of fastening
• Pocket for back protector (D30 Viper size Large, Level 1 or 2)
• Vintage style branded trim throughout, including snaps zips and breathers
• 3M reversible reflective belt
• D3O L1 armor at elbow and shoulder