Definitely worth it! I hit the deer last June going 75 miles an hour on interstate 70. no road rash pictures. Show the jeans without any holes in them from sliding down the highway about 150 feet. They were cut off in the trauma center however.
https://preview.redd.it/rpukbvfl7e7d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b99b1e8e1469dec5f26a071436305f105311e40c
Friendly reminder to please post a review for those jeans on RevZilla or whatever you got them on. Nothing makes me want to buy a pair of armored jeans more than reading reviews of actual successful injury prevention. People who post their pictures post-accident in a follow-up review are heroes.
I'm on the hunt for a pair of armored jeans, and the thing that would absolutely sell one to me is seeing a review like that. I'm perfectly fine seeing them totally *shredded*, trash ribbons, nothing-but-armor-pads if the rider got to walk away clean. That'd be a pair that did their job.
Jeans are:
BULL-It SR6 street jeans.
Here is the link for them at Revzilla:
[https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/bull-it-sr6-straight-jeans?sku\_id=1210541](https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/bull-it-sr6-straight-jeans?sku_id=1210541)
I bought additional hip armor and knee armorRevzilla
One more thing, I also was wearing a Klim airbag vest I believe it saved my life
https://preview.redd.it/i1952wzjle7d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c88fbc90234329b86f0e4289c098b11538037ad4
When my bike went over the head or the gearshift went through the side of my boot and broke my fibula. I lost consciousness slid on my stomach about 150. feet. When I went over the airbag deployed, and I was sliding on it for the distance as far as I can tell. Later, when I check my helmet, there wasn’t the mark on it except for some scrapes on the visor. The airbag had lifted my helmet up and supported my head along with completely protecting my ribs and torso. The EMTs, who picked me up told me that just the week before they had brought a woman in who would also hit a deer in the same section of interstate and she was dead. Her ribs were flayed and they weren’t sure, but her neck may have been broken.
Here is a picture of my boot, where the Peg went through the side. Fortunately, the inner liner of the TCX fuel boots kept it from impaling my lower leg.
https://preview.redd.it/4dyerxm5wf7d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b42b0b5bbf0c407831b34c0ecda7611f3298370f
Total injuries from this accident were broken, left fibula, and a broken right radius. I am very fortunate and will never ride without being fully geared up.
Thank you for writing your story. Very sorry you went through that but happy you’re in one piece. Maybe I need to give this piece of gear another look. Do you think it would also help you on the dirt (where you fall a lot at lower speeds)? Or does it really make most sense for street?
Considering they make airbags now for a horseback riders, I would assume they would be good for the dirt. My airbag is the Klim Ai rally and it has modes for street, off-road and track. While it does require a subscription, you can pause the subscription when you’re not riding and it is always being updated with better and better data to make it more effective.
That sounds awesome. I will look into it. I don’t mind paying a subscription if it has that versatility. My next long trip is in August and I might pull the trigger at last. Thanks again!
The klim airbag vest comes with 3 different modes you can set for your style of riding. Road, Adventure and Race. So I would absolutely say it will help when riding on dirt.
Thanks. Been on the fence about one myself. I’m just not crazy about the heat retention and whether it’s convenient for off road riding (will it inflate when it shouldn’t etc)
I use a Hit-Air mesh airbag jacket. (Japanese, they invented the first moto airbag jacket). It is mesh and breathable in summer. I’m in Florida and wouldn’t ride without it.
They have various levels of technology. some are as simple as a cord that pulls a pin on a compressed air tank, and some of them have advanced gyros and stuff that detect crash input and engage. Obviously cost will fluctuate wildly. I haven't heard of accidental discharges being an issue, but the cord based ones deploy later and depending on the nature of your crash (say you hit a tree while off roading) you might already impact something before reaching the end of the cord and gain no benefit. The electronic ones aren't fool proof, but if it detects a sudden deceleration it'll typically deploy at least partially right as you've passed the handlebars based on what i've read and seen.
As for heat, I'm in Texas. It gets real hot (think 95F-100F) and humid (100% humidity is common during summer here. You know it's bad when it feels like your walking through thick moist air aka "the soup"). I ride with an armored mesh jacket. it lets air in from areas that statistically do not suffer injuries. As a result it is a lot cooler. It's still pretty warm, but it is at least tolerable for me. My worst part is my armored jeans which have no mesh. I'm sure mesh jeans exist, i was just an idiot and bought solid ones because they looked cool and i got them half off on a closeout sale on revzilla.
Hey man thanks for the info. I’ll take a serious look at these - leaning towards Klim’s stuff because, well, Klim.
Yeah I know that heat well. If you’re moving you can survive it. But forget about the stop-go commute. I hang up my helmet for a couple of months a year.
ehhh don't assume you'll survive it easily with pants. many armored pands don't have as good of ventilation as jackets usually do, and your basically bear hugging an oven with your legs. Some bikes have a shell to protect you, but my honda magna definitely cranks out heat and the kevlar pants catch it and keep it locked in. My legs usually sweat pretty bad. Since my pants are black and lack any vents it is probably the worst combo possible, but i just wanted to share my experience with heat issues and armored pants.
TLDR just find pants that are not black and have a vent or 2. Always wear quality socks and underwear that are sweat wicking. It makes a huge difference. I can recommend Darn tough socks 100% since they don't hold sweat at all even while inside a boot.
Yeah I agree, believe me I’ve learned every trick in the book living in this sauna! Honestly at some point I just give in and say forget it, it’s not worth it. It’s funny because everyone’s “riding season” is through summer. Mine is almost all the months except summer.
Needed it for a while, I broke my right arm and left leg so crutches were not practical. Both were clean breaks and healed in the eight weeks. It usually takes with no real after effect.
Wow - I am surprised how those held up. I've eyes those types of pants suspiciously before - reluctantly bought a pair of Khaki ones for the DGR this year.
I've owned three pairs of bull-it jeans, first pair I somehow tore through the mesh and seat of the pants, second were defect and got them replaced, so far on the third which hasn't had any problems so far!
I wrecked in some armored jeans a few years back. The kevlar definitely held up. They're not as important as basically all the rest of the gear, but if you still wanna fork over the cash after buying everything else, yeah, they're worth it.
free healthcare or not there is only so much the doctors can fix. Lets not update humpty dumpty to be a song about you and how the Australian doctors couldn't piece you back together again after one too many motorcycle wrecks.
My insurance paid $110,000 for skin grafts on my hip because I wasn't wearing my armored jeans the day that I crashed after work.
Worth it? I wear them everyday now. I like Klim K52 jeans
The outer denim was deleted almost immediately, and I was rubbing against the kevlar during the slide. It wasn't a bad crash but I would have had a bad scrape without the kevlar, nevermind saving my joints from impact damage with the CE pads as well.
Kevlar Jeans yes, Regular jeans don’t hold up any better then your bare skin. The armoured Hoodies are….okay you’re better off with a Full Cow Leather/armoured Jacket with vents. Check out First MFGs Jackets and Jeans.
Have to say I wasn’t sure how good the armored hoodies were until I recently wrecked and slid a good ways at like 40-50 mph on asphalt, had on an alpinestars chrome whatever riding hoodie that I had bought from a friend literally like 2 days before. Barely had a scratch, and the jacket barely looks wrecked in!
After they knew I was okay my buddies were like bro what is that hoodie cuz I need to buy one lmao
Please, please decide on gear **immediately**. I got in an almost life-changing accident on my electric longboard with no helmet or arm protection on. My reasoning was "I'm just holding out to make sure I get the best choice of gear". I might not have almost lost an eye if I had checked out one of the three helmets in my Amazon cart a week ahead of time.
You can always return something and get something new within 14 or 30 days. Please get some form of gear right now. Especially at your age and experience level, it's just not worth potentially losing limbs or senses because you haven't decided yet. Take it from me.
Well you had the right idea. just needed the discipline to wait and you weighed that risk and lost the bet. Amazon helmets are notoriously bad due to many of the fakes or BS helmets that are built cheap to prey on people who don't know any better. Stick to known brands and always look for a CE rating. Be careful with amazon or similar stores, as it's been proving that there are very convincing fakes that have no actual quality but LOOK real. Unless you are willing to buy 2 and saw one in half to verify it actually has the proper construction to be a functional bucket, you best stick to stores that actually curate their product lists. Bear in mind at one point amazon was selling actual radioactive material, namely thorium, that was mixing into various "alternative healing" products. It took the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission getting involved after a tip from a youtuber who tested random things and got an insanely high reading off of these odd products. If that can slip past amazon, a cheap knock off motorcycle helmet can just as easily and i believe a few of those have been spotted and busted as well.
I had a very minor crash 2 weeks ago (laid it down turning), and my hip still hurts. My armored jeans just arrived, and I'm not riding without them! I do agree with the other comment that they're lower on the "need" list.
Same thing happened to me except I was wearing my Atlantis suit. The armour on my shoulders and hips worked faultlessly to cushion the impact and I felt no pain at all.
I never ride without them.
Whenever I'm on the bike it's armored jeans, jacket, gloves and lid.
You could be the safest, most skilled rider in the world ( Fuck knows I defo ain't!) but you might get side swiped, hit a patch of oil /gravel or simply lose it on a corner due to bad traction, I'd much rather have to drop another couple of hundred on new jeans than spend weeks picking bits of toad out of my legs or endure the agony that is a skin graft.
I'll second this.
Pebbles sprinkled on road + motorcycle = yeowch. I instinctively put out my hand and foot to break my fall without even realizing I did it. $100 gloves and $300 boots were worth every penny. Not a scratch on me.
Full gear here and I'm quite comfy. Jeans\\khakis + leather jackets (airbag equipped) when commuting. Full leathers (airbagged) when canyon carving. I like my skin =)
Took a spill as a young lad on my bicycle while wearing shorts. Under 15mph and the rash on the hip\\waist\\back was no joke. Tore my palms up pretty good too.
Anything is better than going down in just jeans.
Armored jeans are ok but can fit wierd and het hot.
I like zip on overpants. A lot of them now have vent/ mesh panels that help with heat.
I also love zip on overpants. They often come with rain liners so I can ride in any conditions, and I can throw them on over whatever I'm wearing so I arrive at work in work clothes, etc. still clean and protected. I'm still trying to find the perfect pair, after my original well vented ones from Joe Rocket finally died and the replacements are not the same, but it's my go-to protection for my legs.
Real motorcycle gear including a good FULL FACE helmet, armored jacket, gloves and pants are all worth it. Do your parents a favor and wear all of it whenever you ride.
I went down during training in my Atwyld moto jeans (for any women reading this thread) and they didn't even tear or mark. I was going 35 but had a bad lowside and went down directly on my leg and knee. Just bruises.
I fell at 30mph, cheap kevlar lined jeans with pads. You still get a burn where the contact is, but the kevlar held and I didn't lose any skin. Actually they held enough that I still wear them, only scuffed up the denim.. actually now I think about it, normal jeans would have parted instantly on contact. I'll have to get the label and search the brand.
Get the gear, the jeans are the easy part. The good ones look exactly like normal jeans but will be AA or AAA rated. The jacket has the same deal. Plenty of them look just like good jackets but have the protection built right in
Comfort is mostly about fit. None of my gear is uncomfortable except for my armored dainese jeans while walking around. That's unavoidable due to the knee armor, but they're comfortable while riding.
I replaced all my normal jeans with riding jeans. Some look like riding jeans with accordion material at flex points while others look quite normal. The only comfort concern may be heat as the kevlar lined jeans are warmer. However, my dainese are made with abrasion resistant materials, so there is no extra layer of kevlar.
You only have to armor the parts of your body that you don't want sandpapered off when you dump the bike and go sliding along the asphault at 75mph.
The alternative is road rash full of dirt, sand, and pebbles. We're not even talking about blunt force trauma yet if a vehicle hits you or if you hit something like a guardrail, car, tree, or bridge abutment.
The key to comfort is trying on the clothing until you find what fits well. You can find pants with pockets inside for hip and knee pads or armor. Cotton/denim catches on the slightest thing and tears open, leaving your skin exposed. Leather and some synthetics wear down like skin, except it protects your skin from the same. There are lightweight mesh and synthetic jackets with good reinforcements in key areas like elbows and shoulders.
You don't need any gear at all until you wipe out. Then on the way down you'll wish you had it. EMTs and paramedics who respond to bikers down report a lot of injuries to extremities. Invest in some good gloves and boots, too.
I've wiped out at low speeds - never mind the details - and it's not fun.
Be safe and have fun. Welcome.
Couple of weeks ago I got rear ended so hard I ripped off the windscreen with my nuts. I wasn't wearing gloves but I had a jacket and pants. I didn't hit any of the armored points and the hardest hit I took was to my hands, which hurt and ached for a week or two but otherwise all good.
Anticlimactic, maybe, but I wouldn't go without pads and gloves up to 100F on the highway, 80-85F local. And that's cause for any higher temps my car has AC and I love it.
Okay I got to ask this. What is the thought process on wearing everything else but fucking gloves? It drives me nuts when I see people out there with full riding gear on and no gloves. Do ya'll not like touching things?
I ride with gloves because I like the skin on my hands to stay on my hands. However, if all things were equal I wouldn't wear gloves. I think it's more comfortable to ride without them.
If you must know, I was cooking Salmon a couple of days before, got splashed with oil on my knuckle and I had a giant blister on my left index finger. If the blister had been anywhere else I would've probably been wearing a kilt or riding topless.
My buddy low sided at about 20-30mph and slid out in some cargo jeans. No broken bones or fractures but some road rash which took a month and a half to heal. Looked pretty hellish to deal with.
I like mine. Pando Moto and tobacco motorwear, plus some Bowtex leggings I wear under regular pants occasionally. I wear a mesh jacket instead of a hoodie. Looks pretty cool with jeans.
He also made a video about how he takes the armor out of his gear because it's not protective enough.
Note, he doesn't *replace* the armor, he just *takes it out*.
I no longer watch Fortnine videos. Fucking idiot.
His argument was basically "those injuries won't kill you", which is a very stupid argument that he already made in some of his previous videos.
he also grossly misrepresented stats by same note "the stats don't definitely show it saving you from death, therefore I ride with no armor"
I have John Doe AAA rated kevlar jeans with CE lvl2 impact armour pants that I got here in Canada, and a pair of AAA kevlar 21oz denim jeans with no armour that I got in Japan.
I haven't tested them out yet and hopefully never will.
Yes Armor jeans and armored jacket is a must
Road rash is a bitch. Having armored clothes is like a insurance policy Obviously you never wanna go down, but when you do, you can at least have a chance with walking away and laughing about it insted of being a human crayon
https://youtu.be/Jds4mKvPCzY?si=KdgDR7enAJzoFoG4
Always recommend getting a pair or two. Picked up a pair at a thrift store for $6. Still wear them for local tomfoolery if I can’t be assed gearing up.
Best brand by far is Dragons, although they are extremely thicc. By far my favourite pair of winter jeans and occasionally pick them outta the wardrobe if I’m heading out for a few drinks on a cold night. Riding or not.
I have jeans. They are cooler than my textile pants and still provide protection. I wear the jeans for commuting around town. If I’m gonna go out for a road trip or a hoon I’d put in the textile ones. My textile pants offer more protection and armour than the jeans I bought. Your mileage may vary.
A pair of armoured motorcycle jeans are good to have
I appreciate that the heat can be an issue, but if you can bear it, please gear up for your own safety. A woman I know came off her bike at 40mph in regular jeans, they did nothing at all and surgeons had to remove a substantial amount of flesh as a result when patching her up.
They're both worth it from a safety perspective. Humans both weren't designed to, and don't, slide sympathetically on road surfaces.
They feel not worth it some of the time but the second you need them they become literally lifesaving.
I feel like gear is one of those inevitable things everyone buys if you ride long enough. It just takes some people one "holy fuck I wish I was wearing better gear" slide first. Be smarter than those guys. (I was one of those guys)
To add to this, Any actual legit name brand Should do fine.
Scorpion sells their covert pros for like $150. Not CE rated but someone posted on Reddit about how they have slid 90 feet on asphalt at 75mph and didn't even rip through the cordura, And if it had, Theres a full lining of kevlar underneath as backup.
Make sure you get at bare minimum AA, better yet AAA slide rated jeans and a jacket.
A rating means up to 30mph
AA is up to 50
AAA is highway speeds and above
I have a lot of moto gear. I have two pairs of armored jeans but I rarely choose them. They are just so hot. Also, they only pass for normal if you're sitting in a restaurant. If you went to a BBQ/Cookout or something the pads would make them stand out.
I tend to choose mesh pants or moto pants instead. The KLIM Men's Switchback Cargo Pants are my default pick.
The hoodie on the other hand is great for chilly weather. When the conditions are right it's so perfect. An icon Mesh AF jacket is my hot weather pick.
I've been using the Draggin' Jeans since the early 2000's. Motorcycle Consumer News (The U.S. MCN-R.I.P.) rated them very well for what they are (which sounds like damming with faint praise, but isn't). I wear Knox undergarment riding short with built in armor with them, since these don't have any built in.
I wear the Klim Fifty 1 riding jeans. They are comfortable but I can’t speak to their ability to protect me. The reviews seem really positive though. Personally I would not ride without the proper protection so hopefully you get the advice you need and gear up.
I wear the Bohn mesh armored pants under regular jeans. This way I can use several pairs of jeans for riding, rather than buying several pairs of armor jeans.
From the reviews I read from other people, yes they are worth their cost. And nice thing is some of the armored jeans today actually look decent. I remember looking at some like 13-14 years ago and they all looked like dad jeans and fit pretty poorly. Both pair I have look good off the bike. Have some extra stitching is about the only way you can tell they're motorcycle jeans.
I had a car make a left in front of me. T-boned at 30mph. A huge steak got carved out of my leg and my knees don't work the same. Was wearing regular jeans. Had an armored jacket, and just got the wind knocked out of me for my upper body. Definitely wish I had armored pants.
It's a piece of gear that I see most riders overlook. That and proper shoes. I also don't agree with it being less important. If it has a chance to hit the pavement, it should be protected in some way shape or form. Normal pants are not going to protect shit. It sucks wearing them in the summer because your nether regions get really really hot, but it is what it is. I'll
I wear riding jeans, dont remember what kind. I have an armored textile jacket, and when its hot i have an armored hoodie and an armored flannel.
Honestly just go try shit on at cycle gear (or whatever you have) and get SOMEthing to cover up all your skin with actual motorcycle-specific clothes. Dont let perfection be the enemy of good. Get stuff now, before you ride again. Then as time goes on you can do all the research save the cash etc etc. But if youre doing research while riding in regular jeans and a t shirt, youre kinda missing the point entirely.
And get a full face helmet. Most head impacts are on the chin/lower face, so cover that shit up. Plus, bugs and rocks and broken teeth dont taste good.
Yes and these are the best I've had: Trilobite Parado Circuit (AAA rated monolayer).
https://www.trilobitemoto.com/products/mens/trilobite-661-parado-circuit-slim-blue-level-2-ce-aaa-detail
I have yet to find a pair of riding jeans that are comfortable. They always squeeze me behind the knee. Need to find some that have a curve already built into them.
Get an armored leather jacket or a Joe Rocket mesh or the like. Cotton sucks, doesn't breathe, doesn't stop rain or wind, doesn't protect in a slide.
Any regular pant will disappear in a slide. At that point, you become a human crayon, and you're painting the pavement red. You crashed your bike as a kid, right? 5-10x that.
I bought the eclipse trousers from rev'it. Its a kevlar mesh trouser and I dont even get Hot in the summer with These trousers. I mean always try your gear with the bike you got but please always war something that prevents you from getting flayed.
Yeah they are. Just look at the safety rating. A is the least protective and AAA the most protective. I'd recommend getting gear that's at least AA if you're going to go in the highway but A is fine for slow rides trough town.
I have kevlar jeans from Alpinestars which are AA rated and revvit ASTRO shoes when I go to school so I don't look like a power ranger.
As long as you pick gear that fits you well it will be comfortable and I'd rather be a little less comfortable but safe than the other way around.
Armoured jeans are certainly worth it. I have a pair of Joe Rocket Jeans that I really like. Not sure about an armoured hoodie or how it would stack up to abrasion.
Personally I prefer a textile jacket with armour inserts and whichever set of riding pants I feel that day so I can layer for whatever the weather throws at me. Whatever you do for a top layer though, just make sure it is vented if you live in a warmer climate. For me that is anything over 20°C (68° Bald Eagles). I also have to give you credit OP for immediately considering proper riding gear, that is something that I did not do as a teen and it could have ended poorly.
Any gear is better than no gear. I flipped over my bike handle bars due to braking hard (car pulled out across me...)
I had no gear....if I had knee pads and boots I would have walked away... instead I was in absolute agony and the rehab was long and painful before walking/squatting again without pain.
So yeah dont be the squid guy just cause it's hot outside
They sure work a lot better than not having motorcycle jeans!
They're a compromise like everything is though. The slide resistant areas are relatively small, generally just the knee, hip and butt areas. But they usually use a tougher jean material with triple stitching on the outside seams. Normal jeans will tear like paper on asphalt, but riding jeans will survive a while.
Of course the safest will be leather or an advanced textile pant, but those cost money and are bulky and heavy.
I just bought some cheap jeans while wearing my riding jeans. I threw them on and they are so much lighter and thinner, to the extent I can definitely feel how fragile they are in comparison.
I have a pair of jeans with kevlar. Hot is what they are. I believe if you let yourself get too hot you are more likely to have that wreck you are getting hot dressing for. I never wear them in summer.
Definitely worth it! I hit the deer last June going 75 miles an hour on interstate 70. no road rash pictures. Show the jeans without any holes in them from sliding down the highway about 150 feet. They were cut off in the trauma center however. https://preview.redd.it/rpukbvfl7e7d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b99b1e8e1469dec5f26a071436305f105311e40c
Friendly reminder to please post a review for those jeans on RevZilla or whatever you got them on. Nothing makes me want to buy a pair of armored jeans more than reading reviews of actual successful injury prevention. People who post their pictures post-accident in a follow-up review are heroes.
Totally agree.
I'm on the hunt for a pair of armored jeans, and the thing that would absolutely sell one to me is seeing a review like that. I'm perfectly fine seeing them totally *shredded*, trash ribbons, nothing-but-armor-pads if the rider got to walk away clean. That'd be a pair that did their job.
Jeans are: BULL-It SR6 street jeans. Here is the link for them at Revzilla: [https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/bull-it-sr6-straight-jeans?sku\_id=1210541](https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/bull-it-sr6-straight-jeans?sku_id=1210541) I bought additional hip armor and knee armorRevzilla One more thing, I also was wearing a Klim airbag vest I believe it saved my life https://preview.redd.it/i1952wzjle7d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c88fbc90234329b86f0e4289c098b11538037ad4
Can you elaborate on the air vest? Why do you feel it saved your life?
When my bike went over the head or the gearshift went through the side of my boot and broke my fibula. I lost consciousness slid on my stomach about 150. feet. When I went over the airbag deployed, and I was sliding on it for the distance as far as I can tell. Later, when I check my helmet, there wasn’t the mark on it except for some scrapes on the visor. The airbag had lifted my helmet up and supported my head along with completely protecting my ribs and torso. The EMTs, who picked me up told me that just the week before they had brought a woman in who would also hit a deer in the same section of interstate and she was dead. Her ribs were flayed and they weren’t sure, but her neck may have been broken. Here is a picture of my boot, where the Peg went through the side. Fortunately, the inner liner of the TCX fuel boots kept it from impaling my lower leg. https://preview.redd.it/4dyerxm5wf7d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b42b0b5bbf0c407831b34c0ecda7611f3298370f Total injuries from this accident were broken, left fibula, and a broken right radius. I am very fortunate and will never ride without being fully geared up.
Thank you for writing your story. Very sorry you went through that but happy you’re in one piece. Maybe I need to give this piece of gear another look. Do you think it would also help you on the dirt (where you fall a lot at lower speeds)? Or does it really make most sense for street?
Considering they make airbags now for a horseback riders, I would assume they would be good for the dirt. My airbag is the Klim Ai rally and it has modes for street, off-road and track. While it does require a subscription, you can pause the subscription when you’re not riding and it is always being updated with better and better data to make it more effective.
That sounds awesome. I will look into it. I don’t mind paying a subscription if it has that versatility. My next long trip is in August and I might pull the trigger at last. Thanks again!
The klim airbag vest comes with 3 different modes you can set for your style of riding. Road, Adventure and Race. So I would absolutely say it will help when riding on dirt.
watch professional motorcycle racing crashes and you'll see firsthand how good the airbags work.
Thanks. Been on the fence about one myself. I’m just not crazy about the heat retention and whether it’s convenient for off road riding (will it inflate when it shouldn’t etc)
I use a Hit-Air mesh airbag jacket. (Japanese, they invented the first moto airbag jacket). It is mesh and breathable in summer. I’m in Florida and wouldn’t ride without it.
Good to know. Hot and humid af here as well!
u/oracle427 - SpitesCorner just did a review on an airbag system designed to be used offroad. Check it out youtube.
Hey man thanks I just watched the review. Gotta admit that ticks every box. I’m seriously considering it.
Thank you. I will check it out.
They have various levels of technology. some are as simple as a cord that pulls a pin on a compressed air tank, and some of them have advanced gyros and stuff that detect crash input and engage. Obviously cost will fluctuate wildly. I haven't heard of accidental discharges being an issue, but the cord based ones deploy later and depending on the nature of your crash (say you hit a tree while off roading) you might already impact something before reaching the end of the cord and gain no benefit. The electronic ones aren't fool proof, but if it detects a sudden deceleration it'll typically deploy at least partially right as you've passed the handlebars based on what i've read and seen. As for heat, I'm in Texas. It gets real hot (think 95F-100F) and humid (100% humidity is common during summer here. You know it's bad when it feels like your walking through thick moist air aka "the soup"). I ride with an armored mesh jacket. it lets air in from areas that statistically do not suffer injuries. As a result it is a lot cooler. It's still pretty warm, but it is at least tolerable for me. My worst part is my armored jeans which have no mesh. I'm sure mesh jeans exist, i was just an idiot and bought solid ones because they looked cool and i got them half off on a closeout sale on revzilla.
Hey man thanks for the info. I’ll take a serious look at these - leaning towards Klim’s stuff because, well, Klim. Yeah I know that heat well. If you’re moving you can survive it. But forget about the stop-go commute. I hang up my helmet for a couple of months a year.
ehhh don't assume you'll survive it easily with pants. many armored pands don't have as good of ventilation as jackets usually do, and your basically bear hugging an oven with your legs. Some bikes have a shell to protect you, but my honda magna definitely cranks out heat and the kevlar pants catch it and keep it locked in. My legs usually sweat pretty bad. Since my pants are black and lack any vents it is probably the worst combo possible, but i just wanted to share my experience with heat issues and armored pants. TLDR just find pants that are not black and have a vent or 2. Always wear quality socks and underwear that are sweat wicking. It makes a huge difference. I can recommend Darn tough socks 100% since they don't hold sweat at all even while inside a boot.
Yeah I agree, believe me I’ve learned every trick in the book living in this sauna! Honestly at some point I just give in and say forget it, it’s not worth it. It’s funny because everyone’s “riding season” is through summer. Mine is almost all the months except summer.
All I want is the Helite backpack to be in stock. I'm totally sold on airbags being the full face helmet of our generation.
Did you need the wheelchair in the background as a result of the accident?
Needed it for a while, I broke my right arm and left leg so crutches were not practical. Both were clean breaks and healed in the eight weeks. It usually takes with no real after effect.
Got it. Thanks for the reply. Hope you’re doing ok.
Makes me feel better both my armored jeans are Bull-It.
What jeans are those, and where did you get them from?
I, too, would like to know this.
Bull-It Jeans but not sure which ones. I'll definitely be getting a pair.
I would also like to know
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I put the brand original post
Thanks
Wow - I am surprised how those held up. I've eyes those types of pants suspiciously before - reluctantly bought a pair of Khaki ones for the DGR this year.
I've owned three pairs of bull-it jeans, first pair I somehow tore through the mesh and seat of the pants, second were defect and got them replaced, so far on the third which hasn't had any problems so far!
I wrecked in some armored jeans a few years back. The kevlar definitely held up. They're not as important as basically all the rest of the gear, but if you still wanna fork over the cash after buying everything else, yeah, they're worth it.
If anyone needs any convincing always remember a set of armored jeans are WAY cheaper than a hospital bill for a slide.
If Im getting taxed in Australia for free healthcare I might as well use it right? 👀
Over here crying in American
Still cheaper than tatoo artist who will cover scars.
free healthcare or not there is only so much the doctors can fix. Lets not update humpty dumpty to be a song about you and how the Australian doctors couldn't piece you back together again after one too many motorcycle wrecks.
My insurance paid $110,000 for skin grafts on my hip because I wasn't wearing my armored jeans the day that I crashed after work. Worth it? I wear them everyday now. I like Klim K52 jeans
honestly armored jeans aren't even unconfortable, why would you not wear them?
It's honestly least annoying part of motorcycle gear to wear
I had one pair and didn't want to wear the same pair for a week
More pairs. Duh
already done my friend 😂
Saved my skin in a low speed (15mph) tumble, so there's that
eh at that speed a jeans would have saved your skin too, at such speeds you don't really slide. at those speeds pads do a lot more to prevent injury
The outer denim was deleted almost immediately, and I was rubbing against the kevlar during the slide. It wasn't a bad crash but I would have had a bad scrape without the kevlar, nevermind saving my joints from impact damage with the CE pads as well.
Kevlar Jeans yes, Regular jeans don’t hold up any better then your bare skin. The armoured Hoodies are….okay you’re better off with a Full Cow Leather/armoured Jacket with vents. Check out First MFGs Jackets and Jeans.
Have to say I wasn’t sure how good the armored hoodies were until I recently wrecked and slid a good ways at like 40-50 mph on asphalt, had on an alpinestars chrome whatever riding hoodie that I had bought from a friend literally like 2 days before. Barely had a scratch, and the jacket barely looks wrecked in! After they knew I was okay my buddies were like bro what is that hoodie cuz I need to buy one lmao
Please, please decide on gear **immediately**. I got in an almost life-changing accident on my electric longboard with no helmet or arm protection on. My reasoning was "I'm just holding out to make sure I get the best choice of gear". I might not have almost lost an eye if I had checked out one of the three helmets in my Amazon cart a week ahead of time. You can always return something and get something new within 14 or 30 days. Please get some form of gear right now. Especially at your age and experience level, it's just not worth potentially losing limbs or senses because you haven't decided yet. Take it from me.
I appreciate you sharing your story! Strength and health to you.
Well you had the right idea. just needed the discipline to wait and you weighed that risk and lost the bet. Amazon helmets are notoriously bad due to many of the fakes or BS helmets that are built cheap to prey on people who don't know any better. Stick to known brands and always look for a CE rating. Be careful with amazon or similar stores, as it's been proving that there are very convincing fakes that have no actual quality but LOOK real. Unless you are willing to buy 2 and saw one in half to verify it actually has the proper construction to be a functional bucket, you best stick to stores that actually curate their product lists. Bear in mind at one point amazon was selling actual radioactive material, namely thorium, that was mixing into various "alternative healing" products. It took the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission getting involved after a tip from a youtuber who tested random things and got an insanely high reading off of these odd products. If that can slip past amazon, a cheap knock off motorcycle helmet can just as easily and i believe a few of those have been spotted and busted as well.
Meanwhile regular skateboarders are like “pads? Never heard of em’”
I tripped walking on the sidewalk recently in jeans and was bleeding from a scraped up knee.
Yes.
I had a very minor crash 2 weeks ago (laid it down turning), and my hip still hurts. My armored jeans just arrived, and I'm not riding without them! I do agree with the other comment that they're lower on the "need" list.
Same thing happened to me except I was wearing my Atlantis suit. The armour on my shoulders and hips worked faultlessly to cushion the impact and I felt no pain at all.
I never ride without them. Whenever I'm on the bike it's armored jeans, jacket, gloves and lid. You could be the safest, most skilled rider in the world ( Fuck knows I defo ain't!) but you might get side swiped, hit a patch of oil /gravel or simply lose it on a corner due to bad traction, I'd much rather have to drop another couple of hundred on new jeans than spend weeks picking bits of toad out of my legs or endure the agony that is a skin graft.
No matter what you wear, ALWAYS wear boots and gloves, good gloves. If you ever fall, the first thing you do is put your hand out.
I'll second this. Pebbles sprinkled on road + motorcycle = yeowch. I instinctively put out my hand and foot to break my fall without even realizing I did it. $100 gloves and $300 boots were worth every penny. Not a scratch on me.
You say comfort, but your choice sounds more like you want to look cool. Fuck that. Get real gear.
So much this.
Full gear here and I'm quite comfy. Jeans\\khakis + leather jackets (airbag equipped) when commuting. Full leathers (airbagged) when canyon carving. I like my skin =) Took a spill as a young lad on my bicycle while wearing shorts. Under 15mph and the rash on the hip\\waist\\back was no joke. Tore my palms up pretty good too.
Anything is better than going down in just jeans. Armored jeans are ok but can fit wierd and het hot. I like zip on overpants. A lot of them now have vent/ mesh panels that help with heat.
I also love zip on overpants. They often come with rain liners so I can ride in any conditions, and I can throw them on over whatever I'm wearing so I arrive at work in work clothes, etc. still clean and protected. I'm still trying to find the perfect pair, after my original well vented ones from Joe Rocket finally died and the replacements are not the same, but it's my go-to protection for my legs.
Ask yourself if skin is worth it? Mine is. I've had road rash before wearing riding pants and I'd rather not do it again.
Real motorcycle gear including a good FULL FACE helmet, armored jacket, gloves and pants are all worth it. Do your parents a favor and wear all of it whenever you ride.
They're only worth it if you like having skin and intact bones
I went down during training in my Atwyld moto jeans (for any women reading this thread) and they didn't even tear or mark. I was going 35 but had a bad lowside and went down directly on my leg and knee. Just bruises.
be careful of the hoodie. If it is loose at your waist it will come up and then it is pointless.
I fell at 30mph, cheap kevlar lined jeans with pads. You still get a burn where the contact is, but the kevlar held and I didn't lose any skin. Actually they held enough that I still wear them, only scuffed up the denim.. actually now I think about it, normal jeans would have parted instantly on contact. I'll have to get the label and search the brand.
Atgatt….no compromises
Get the gear, the jeans are the easy part. The good ones look exactly like normal jeans but will be AA or AAA rated. The jacket has the same deal. Plenty of them look just like good jackets but have the protection built right in
I watched videos of people shaving their flesh down to a stump. I now wear gear no matter the temp.
Loose gear shifts when you fall. The armor won’t be where it needs to be.
Comfort is mostly about fit. None of my gear is uncomfortable except for my armored dainese jeans while walking around. That's unavoidable due to the knee armor, but they're comfortable while riding. I replaced all my normal jeans with riding jeans. Some look like riding jeans with accordion material at flex points while others look quite normal. The only comfort concern may be heat as the kevlar lined jeans are warmer. However, my dainese are made with abrasion resistant materials, so there is no extra layer of kevlar.
The feel of the kneepads is funky for a bit but you get used to it. Sometimes I will work an entire shift in my armored pants.
You only have to armor the parts of your body that you don't want sandpapered off when you dump the bike and go sliding along the asphault at 75mph. The alternative is road rash full of dirt, sand, and pebbles. We're not even talking about blunt force trauma yet if a vehicle hits you or if you hit something like a guardrail, car, tree, or bridge abutment. The key to comfort is trying on the clothing until you find what fits well. You can find pants with pockets inside for hip and knee pads or armor. Cotton/denim catches on the slightest thing and tears open, leaving your skin exposed. Leather and some synthetics wear down like skin, except it protects your skin from the same. There are lightweight mesh and synthetic jackets with good reinforcements in key areas like elbows and shoulders. You don't need any gear at all until you wipe out. Then on the way down you'll wish you had it. EMTs and paramedics who respond to bikers down report a lot of injuries to extremities. Invest in some good gloves and boots, too. I've wiped out at low speeds - never mind the details - and it's not fun. Be safe and have fun. Welcome.
Only when you fall off. And you will fall off if you ride long enough. Sometimes your mistake, sometimes others
My 2c: Run your hands across asphalt and see how rough it is. Now imagine your skin sliding on it. Yeah, get some reinforced jeans.
Couple of weeks ago I got rear ended so hard I ripped off the windscreen with my nuts. I wasn't wearing gloves but I had a jacket and pants. I didn't hit any of the armored points and the hardest hit I took was to my hands, which hurt and ached for a week or two but otherwise all good. Anticlimactic, maybe, but I wouldn't go without pads and gloves up to 100F on the highway, 80-85F local. And that's cause for any higher temps my car has AC and I love it.
Okay I got to ask this. What is the thought process on wearing everything else but fucking gloves? It drives me nuts when I see people out there with full riding gear on and no gloves. Do ya'll not like touching things?
I ride with gloves because I like the skin on my hands to stay on my hands. However, if all things were equal I wouldn't wear gloves. I think it's more comfortable to ride without them.
Yea I got nice gloves I've gone down to n dirt bikes with out gloves its not a good time
I’ve gone down running and fucked up my hands. Maybe a lot of people never grew up in the country and fell on gravel.
If you must know, I was cooking Salmon a couple of days before, got splashed with oil on my knuckle and I had a giant blister on my left index finger. If the blister had been anywhere else I would've probably been wearing a kilt or riding topless.
My buddy low sided at about 20-30mph and slid out in some cargo jeans. No broken bones or fractures but some road rash which took a month and a half to heal. Looked pretty hellish to deal with.
I like mine. Pando Moto and tobacco motorwear, plus some Bowtex leggings I wear under regular pants occasionally. I wear a mesh jacket instead of a hoodie. Looks pretty cool with jeans.
You probably also want to try them in shop rather than buying online to make sure protectors line up.
Fortnine made a great video about armoured jeans, search it out on Youtube
He also made a video about how he takes the armor out of his gear because it's not protective enough. Note, he doesn't *replace* the armor, he just *takes it out*. I no longer watch Fortnine videos. Fucking idiot.
Ya I’m only saying the jeans one was interesting, not a fan
His argument was basically "those injuries won't kill you", which is a very stupid argument that he already made in some of his previous videos. he also grossly misrepresented stats by same note "the stats don't definitely show it saving you from death, therefore I ride with no armor"
Yep
Ask yourself, "Is roadrash worth it?"
I have John Doe AAA rated kevlar jeans with CE lvl2 impact armour pants that I got here in Canada, and a pair of AAA kevlar 21oz denim jeans with no armour that I got in Japan. I haven't tested them out yet and hopefully never will.
i have them too, very confortable but kinda pricy. Otherwise i have 0 complains about the product. quality has a price.
Yea, so long as they fit well
Yes they are!
Kevlar w/armor jeans - yes. Hoodies aren’t very good at protection. Way too loose.
Yes Armor jeans and armored jacket is a must Road rash is a bitch. Having armored clothes is like a insurance policy Obviously you never wanna go down, but when you do, you can at least have a chance with walking away and laughing about it insted of being a human crayon https://youtu.be/Jds4mKvPCzY?si=KdgDR7enAJzoFoG4
All protection gear are worth it
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My father claims that if I go down nothing Is saving my skin and I've tried to explain it to him but he doesn't want to hear my side
So thank you for the Information and I'm totally buying a pair asap
Always recommend getting a pair or two. Picked up a pair at a thrift store for $6. Still wear them for local tomfoolery if I can’t be assed gearing up. Best brand by far is Dragons, although they are extremely thicc. By far my favourite pair of winter jeans and occasionally pick them outta the wardrobe if I’m heading out for a few drinks on a cold night. Riding or not.
I have jeans. They are cooler than my textile pants and still provide protection. I wear the jeans for commuting around town. If I’m gonna go out for a road trip or a hoon I’d put in the textile ones. My textile pants offer more protection and armour than the jeans I bought. Your mileage may vary. A pair of armoured motorcycle jeans are good to have
I find my Kevlar jeans to be more comfortable on the bike than normal jeans. Could be they are cut differently.
I appreciate that the heat can be an issue, but if you can bear it, please gear up for your own safety. A woman I know came off her bike at 40mph in regular jeans, they did nothing at all and surgeons had to remove a substantial amount of flesh as a result when patching her up. They're both worth it from a safety perspective. Humans both weren't designed to, and don't, slide sympathetically on road surfaces.
They feel not worth it some of the time but the second you need them they become literally lifesaving. I feel like gear is one of those inevitable things everyone buys if you ride long enough. It just takes some people one "holy fuck I wish I was wearing better gear" slide first. Be smarter than those guys. (I was one of those guys)
Do they work? It depends on which ones you buy. No name shit from Amazon? Probably not. AA rated from a legit brand like Alpinestars or Rev'it? Yes.
To add to this, Any actual legit name brand Should do fine. Scorpion sells their covert pros for like $150. Not CE rated but someone posted on Reddit about how they have slid 90 feet on asphalt at 75mph and didn't even rip through the cordura, And if it had, Theres a full lining of kevlar underneath as backup.
Make sure you get at bare minimum AA, better yet AAA slide rated jeans and a jacket. A rating means up to 30mph AA is up to 50 AAA is highway speeds and above
I have a lot of moto gear. I have two pairs of armored jeans but I rarely choose them. They are just so hot. Also, they only pass for normal if you're sitting in a restaurant. If you went to a BBQ/Cookout or something the pads would make them stand out. I tend to choose mesh pants or moto pants instead. The KLIM Men's Switchback Cargo Pants are my default pick. The hoodie on the other hand is great for chilly weather. When the conditions are right it's so perfect. An icon Mesh AF jacket is my hot weather pick.
No vs Yes is useless without coupling to related association with past road rash.
I've been using the Draggin' Jeans since the early 2000's. Motorcycle Consumer News (The U.S. MCN-R.I.P.) rated them very well for what they are (which sounds like damming with faint praise, but isn't). I wear Knox undergarment riding short with built in armor with them, since these don't have any built in.
I wear the Klim Fifty 1 riding jeans. They are comfortable but I can’t speak to their ability to protect me. The reviews seem really positive though. Personally I would not ride without the proper protection so hopefully you get the advice you need and gear up.
Jeans are, haven't looked at the hoodies. I had a little crash and due to wearing good pants with armor and all, no injury.
I wear the Bohn mesh armored pants under regular jeans. This way I can use several pairs of jeans for riding, rather than buying several pairs of armor jeans.
From the reviews I read from other people, yes they are worth their cost. And nice thing is some of the armored jeans today actually look decent. I remember looking at some like 13-14 years ago and they all looked like dad jeans and fit pretty poorly. Both pair I have look good off the bike. Have some extra stitching is about the only way you can tell they're motorcycle jeans.
I had a car make a left in front of me. T-boned at 30mph. A huge steak got carved out of my leg and my knees don't work the same. Was wearing regular jeans. Had an armored jacket, and just got the wind knocked out of me for my upper body. Definitely wish I had armored pants.
It's a piece of gear that I see most riders overlook. That and proper shoes. I also don't agree with it being less important. If it has a chance to hit the pavement, it should be protected in some way shape or form. Normal pants are not going to protect shit. It sucks wearing them in the summer because your nether regions get really really hot, but it is what it is. I'll
I didn't like the feeling of the kevlar panels inside the jean on my skin. I prefer jeans under leather
Injuries are uncomfortable. Sometimes for the rest of your life.
I wear riding jeans, dont remember what kind. I have an armored textile jacket, and when its hot i have an armored hoodie and an armored flannel. Honestly just go try shit on at cycle gear (or whatever you have) and get SOMEthing to cover up all your skin with actual motorcycle-specific clothes. Dont let perfection be the enemy of good. Get stuff now, before you ride again. Then as time goes on you can do all the research save the cash etc etc. But if youre doing research while riding in regular jeans and a t shirt, youre kinda missing the point entirely. And get a full face helmet. Most head impacts are on the chin/lower face, so cover that shit up. Plus, bugs and rocks and broken teeth dont taste good.
How much is your skin worth? Not much it seems
Its worth a lot but my father claims that armored clothes will not save my skin
https://preview.redd.it/wx3dr5ifpg7d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c4538c94afd8a63c3ce5d1a5aded18e90f42f1bb Buy the damn jeans!
Will do 🫡
Jeans, maybe. Hoodies? Nah, get a jacket.
Revit jeans, CE AAA rating. Yes they’re worth it.
Yes and these are the best I've had: Trilobite Parado Circuit (AAA rated monolayer). https://www.trilobitemoto.com/products/mens/trilobite-661-parado-circuit-slim-blue-level-2-ce-aaa-detail
I have yet to find a pair of riding jeans that are comfortable. They always squeeze me behind the knee. Need to find some that have a curve already built into them.
Get an armored leather jacket or a Joe Rocket mesh or the like. Cotton sucks, doesn't breathe, doesn't stop rain or wind, doesn't protect in a slide. Any regular pant will disappear in a slide. At that point, you become a human crayon, and you're painting the pavement red. You crashed your bike as a kid, right? 5-10x that.
I bought the eclipse trousers from rev'it. Its a kevlar mesh trouser and I dont even get Hot in the summer with These trousers. I mean always try your gear with the bike you got but please always war something that prevents you from getting flayed.
I prefer separate armor under pants. Bohn is really nice and light, but still ce 2. I feel like the protection stays in place better.
Yeah they are. Just look at the safety rating. A is the least protective and AAA the most protective. I'd recommend getting gear that's at least AA if you're going to go in the highway but A is fine for slow rides trough town. I have kevlar jeans from Alpinestars which are AA rated and revvit ASTRO shoes when I go to school so I don't look like a power ranger. As long as you pick gear that fits you well it will be comfortable and I'd rather be a little less comfortable but safe than the other way around.
Armoured jeans are certainly worth it. I have a pair of Joe Rocket Jeans that I really like. Not sure about an armoured hoodie or how it would stack up to abrasion. Personally I prefer a textile jacket with armour inserts and whichever set of riding pants I feel that day so I can layer for whatever the weather throws at me. Whatever you do for a top layer though, just make sure it is vented if you live in a warmer climate. For me that is anything over 20°C (68° Bald Eagles). I also have to give you credit OP for immediately considering proper riding gear, that is something that I did not do as a teen and it could have ended poorly.
Any gear is better than no gear. I flipped over my bike handle bars due to braking hard (car pulled out across me...) I had no gear....if I had knee pads and boots I would have walked away... instead I was in absolute agony and the rehab was long and painful before walking/squatting again without pain. So yeah dont be the squid guy just cause it's hot outside
I got some Alpinestars ones barely used and cheap on eBay. They’re great. I’d check used.
They sure work a lot better than not having motorcycle jeans! They're a compromise like everything is though. The slide resistant areas are relatively small, generally just the knee, hip and butt areas. But they usually use a tougher jean material with triple stitching on the outside seams. Normal jeans will tear like paper on asphalt, but riding jeans will survive a while. Of course the safest will be leather or an advanced textile pant, but those cost money and are bulky and heavy.
I just bought some cheap jeans while wearing my riding jeans. I threw them on and they are so much lighter and thinner, to the extent I can definitely feel how fragile they are in comparison.
You can get riding jeans that have the abrasion-resistant fibers woven into the whole of the jeans fabric. All of it's a slide zone!
I have a pair of jeans with kevlar. Hot is what they are. I believe if you let yourself get too hot you are more likely to have that wreck you are getting hot dressing for. I never wear them in summer.
Cars have roofs and doors and stuff. You got a whatever you’re wearing. Get the gear.
How comfortable does de-gloving your skin and having gravel scraped out of the wound and repeated skin grafts make you?