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These Motorcycle Pants Are Perfect for Life On and Off the Bike
It's time to grab some motorcycle pants that deliver as much style as protection.
By
Bryan Campbell
Cycle Gear
Motorcycle commuters know all too well about sacrificing style and office-appropriate appearances in the name of safety. Over-engineered motorcycle pants providing the best protection also pack about as much subtlety as Godzilla sneaking into a coffee shop. Then again, the alternative is worse: regular jeans or other ordinary pants provide barely any more protection than wearing nothing at all.
Thankfully, there is a middle ground, a happy medium: motorcycle pants that offer just as much style as they do on-road protection. These are a few of our favorite examples of that class : motorcycle pants fit for life both on and off the bike.
(Two quick notes: we've sorted the five pants below in ascending order of price, to make it easier to parse through. Also, we hope you like jeans.)
If you're looking for an affordable pair of riding pants that'll do the important work of keeping your legs safe without looking obnoxious, you'd be hard-pressed to better than these Street & Steel pants. Beneath that understated exterior are removable CE knee protectors and aramid-reinforcement in the seat, hips and knees.
At first glance, the Alpinestars Copper Out Riding Jeans don’t look any different than standard Copper jeans. Look closely, though, and you’ll see one small detail that makes a massive difference: Above the knees are zippered pockets for easier, external access to the knee armor, meaning you don’t have to take off your pants every time you want to remove the Bio Flex knee armor. (It’s one of the more novel innovations in riding jeans, and is starting to become quite a welcome trend.)
In addition to the 13-oz denim construction, Alpinestars also added triple stitching and Kevlar reinforcement in the seat and knees for extra abrasion resistance.
Your typical pair of riding jeans tend to be made from incredibly stiff, thick denim in the name of abrasion resistance — but that usually translates to a dearth of comfort. The Rev’It Brentwood Jeans curb that by using 12.5-oz Cordura denim, which stretches and provides more freedom of movement but doesn’t sacrifice protection against slides.
The Brentwood Jeans come with the industry-standard removable CE-rated Seesmart knee pads; that said, while it is capable of accommodating hip protectors, that armor is sold separately.
One common tactic in adding abrasion resistance and impact defence to riding pants is, simply, adding layers. But while more of the right materials adds protection, it also brings bulk.
The Moto Steel 9 Jeans by Pando uses a single layer of denim reinforced with 25% Dyneema, so the only extra bulk comes from the optional CE rated knee pads — which can be removed from the exterior for quick transitions from bike to office.
Aether's Mojave Pants are geared towards adventure riding, but like most of Aether’s apparel, they’re minimalist enough to look at home pretty much anywhere. Made with Halley Stevensons cotton canvas and a straight, slim cut, the Mojave Pants deliver a classy look, but hidden inside are pockets for CE-rated armor.
Unlike the rest of the pants on this list, the Mojave has more than just the standard five pockets; luckily, subtle seam-sealed zippers save you from the fashion faux pas of the cargo-pant look.
The internet's favorite pan features a modular design that includes a detachable wooden spatula, domed lid and a nesting steamer tray. This thing can cook anything you want, from sauces to omelets.
The Killshot OG SP offers all the low-key design appeal of its better-known counterpart, with some serious throwback flair added in for good measure. And right now, they're only 65 bucks.
The time for using cheap towels has long since passed. Once you switch to towels that feel good after dozens of washes, you'll never go back. Onsen knows exactly how to make the perfect towel.
Engineered for homes with pets, the Dyson V8 Animal captures dust, animal hair and allergens, and deep cleans carpets. Keep your house in order and pet hair at bay.
One of the most important things when packing is efficiency and organization. These packing cubes from Eagle Creek are one of our picks for the best packing cubes you can buy.
Weighted blankets have been proven to reduce stress and anxiety and help you sleep better. Now, you don't need to worry about overheating because this one is optimized for a cool night's sleep.
The Spot from Black Diamond is our pick for the best headlamp you can buy. It is simple, extremely effective and has all of the small features that make a headlamp worth having.
AirPods Pro have been hovering around $200 for a while now, which is a great deal. Competition is now fierce in this headphone category, but the quick pairing and native integration with Apple devices still make the AirPods Pro tough to beat.
Since many of us are going to be spending our days away from the comfortable chairs and desks of our office for a while longer, it may be time to actually invest in a nice chair for the home office.
Nike is revolutionizing running and running shoe tech with its NEXT% series — these are the ultimate runners for daily training. These rarely go on sale, so pick some up while you can.
Dyson makes some of the smartest home appliances around, including its exceptional fans and air purifiers. This one has both — a combo that will come in handy for allergy season and as temperatures warm this spring and summer.
It is just about time to start hanging out outside, thank goodness. This Adirondack chair takes one of the most classic outdoor chair silhouettes and twists it just a bit to make it distinctly DWR, which we love.
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