Leg protection?

[Caffeine]

What "gear" is most widely used for leg protection?   I've looked at kevlar-denim jeans, and they look good for avoiding road rash, but they don't have much to offer in the way of padding.  

Racing leather pants look like they would do the job, but I don't want to spend the whole day wearing them when I'm out on the bike, and changing in/out of them and storing them while not being worn could be a problem.

"Over-the-pants" leather pants look interesting, but I never see them in the shops.   Plenty on eBay.   Would you buy your "normal" waist size, or a couple sizes bigger?   Does anyone have any experience with them?

I'm not interested in chaps.   Those are fine for the bedroom, but that's another thread for another time.   :mrgreen:

[NightRyder]

Not that I have any leg protection (I don't count snowboard pants..) but I do have an opinion. And I am here to share it with you.  :mrgreen:  Lucky you.

The leather over pants are cool. A friend has some. The legs zip down and open up. Get your normal size, he got one larger, and says it tends to fall off.

Actually has these. http://www.newenough.com/tour_master_decker_pant_page.htm

Nice and heavy duty, and the armor seems good too.

[Alphamazing]

Over-pants leathers are nice, but what about if you're going somewhere like a restraunt? Dealing with them and the removal and storage (as mentioned earlier) is a serious problem. Leather doesn't exactly fold well. It's bulky, and in Texas it gets really f%$king hot. Leather and heat don't exactly mix.

In a different thread someone mentioned motocross-style knee armor. Anyone tried that before?

[NightRyder]

Oh, right the Caffine lives in Florida. Bah, get some mesh over pants if you can't take the heat.  Or should I say, If you can't stand the heat, what are you doing living in it? (me? im freazing)

[Alphamazing]

Or should I say, If you can't stand the heat, what are you doing living in it? (me? im freazing)

College. And life. And I love it here. But 110 degree heat doesn't bode well for leather pants.

[Badger]

I wear FirstGear overpants, usually over my work clothes.  I fold them up and stuff them in my backpack when I get where I'm going.  They're nice and warm (even without the removable liner), and advertise as "waterproof", although I haven't run them in hard rain yet.  I do plan on getting a regular pair of riding pants next spring for those times when I'm just riding around and don't have to be dressed for my destination.

[Roadstergal]

I bring pants to work and wear riding pants.  A backpack or saddlebags is more room than you need for that.

[Alphamazing]

They're nice and warm (even without the removable liner), and advertise as "waterproof"

Warm != good here. That's why I'm looking for someone's opinion on the knee armor or some really REALLY REALLY breatheable over pants. RG showed me some ones by First Gear, but they were still too warm.

RG:
I's gots no moneies for luggage, and a backpack can be a hassle sometimes, especially if, like I mentioned earlier, you're going to a restraunt, theater, or place where changing isn't the easiest thing in the world. That's why I'm so interested in the armor.

Icon makes some stuff called Field Armor (http://www.newenough.com/armor_icon_field_armor_leg_page.htm) which looks interesting. Anyone tried stuff like that before?

[Jazzzzz]

Icon makes some stuff called Field Armor (http://www.newenough.com/armor_icon_field_armor_leg_page.htm) which looks interesting. Anyone tried stuff like that before?

By the time you get the lower leg armor and the shorts, you could buy something that's actually CE rated from Bohn.  Take a look at some of these:
http://bohnarmor.com/catalog/products.php?id=17  If you dig around google or eBay for a while you can probably find a reseller selling the Bohn stuff for less than MSRP.  It ain't exactly cheap, but I'd trust it a lot more than I'd trust the Icon field armor.  No matter which one you choose, unless you wear very loose jeans, you will look a little bulky, like you're wearing kneepads and diapers.

The Bohn armored adventure shorts are on sale at Bohn for $89.  The pads are sewn into a thin, air permeable fabric that should be semi-tolerable in Florida heat.

I agree that the overpants can be a hassle - mine are bulky as hell when I stuff them into a backpack when I get to skewl - but my plan to get around that is to buy a big tail bag that coverts to a duffel, like the Cortech bag, or buy and mount a hard case from eBay so I can just stash them at the bike as soon as I get off.

[Alphamazing]

I don't intend on getting the shorts, just knee armor. The Icons look comfortable, moreso than the A* ones I've seen. I'm interested in JUST the knee armor. No silly shorts. I want the knee armor because it is easily removable, too.

[Jazzzzz]

I don't intend on getting the shorts, just knee armor. The Icons look comfortable, moreso than the A* ones I've seen. I'm interested in JUST the knee armor. No silly shorts. I want the knee armor because it is easily removable, too.

It's still designed to be worn under your pants, where it won't be so easy to remove.  Regardless, if you don't have room to hide overpants, what are you going to do with a pair of inflexible shin/knee guards?

If you're dead set on that path, get some MX stuff.  I have seen that Icon field armor in person and it does not look like it would hold up to any sort of abrasion.

[Alphamazing]

Regardless, if you don't have room to hide overpants, what are you going to do with a pair of inflexible shin/knee guards?

Knee armor is easier to stuff into a pack than overpants. Smaller, but still protective. I'll go look at some motocross stuff next time I go out to the shops. I saw that Bohn has some knee armor that straps on. $30. I'll look around for prices.

[Badger]

They're nice and warm (even without the removable liner), and advertise as "waterproof"

Warm != good here. That's why I'm looking for someone's opinion on the knee armor or some really REALLY REALLY breatheable over pants. RG showed me some ones by First Gear, but they were still too warm.

I have the FirstGear HT overpants...they also come in an "air" version that is supposedly ventilated.  :dunno: I haven't tried them.

I's gots no moneies for luggage, and a backpack can be a hassle sometimes, especially if, like I mentioned earlier, you're going to a restraunt, theater, or place where changing isn't the easiest thing in the world. That's why I'm so interested in the armor.

I just strap my backpack to the seat under my cargo net.  If you have to leave it out, keep a padlock to the backpack and secure it to the passenger grab bar.

As for changing, the overpants zip up all the way to the hip.  I've stripped them off in the parking lot before.  It takes but a moment, and they come off easily (even over boots).  

Here's another option (scroll down to the textile jeans/cargo pants).  I have no experience with them, but from the pics they appear relatively save for "out and about" wear.

[Alphamazing]

Yeah, I can't leave a backpack out on my bike, even if it is padlocked to the grab rail. There are a lot of places where I wouldn't want to leave anything on my bike. Some people here would just vandalize it if they couldn't open it. Rip it apart, cut it, write on it, whatever. Backpacks are easy to cut into as well, which means all someone needs is a knife to get to the overpants I'd theoretically have in there.

Also, if I'm riding to class, it's hard to store books, notebooks, and materials in a backpack as well as overpants.

My dad has a pair of the Fieldsheer mesh overpants. He says they are too hot over jeans. The perforations are useless for airflow, and they only serve to restrict air.