well, reading Stephen's post made me think about pants, once again. i am pretty well covered ankle to waist, but i have no pants.
can anyone recommend pants that protect well and will not make me go insane at 80*F+. an added bonus would be pants that protect well, are breeze-through AND can be worn over regular clothing (pants/shorts)
Quote from: crash................ but i have no pants.............
Gets a little chilly eh? :dunno:
:cheers:
ya, regular jeans just dont cut it. i have a pair of flow thru levis that prove that.
-ash
Quote from: crashi am pretty well covered ankle to waist, but i have no pants.
Um...what? You're covered ankle to waist, but have no pants. How are you covered? I'm just not understanding.
Anyway, I have the JR Phoenix pants, and they're pretty comfortable, fairly easy to put on over jeans, and flow tons of air, being mesh. They have some big armor pads on hips and knees. I have no idea of their abrasion resistance having not tested it myself, but 3rd hand accounts recall their holding up fairly well, but being essentially disposable. One crash = trash can. I would think that at a fairly sane city speed, they'd be fine, but I wouldn't wear them on a racetrack.
Take that as you will.
I know a guy with some of these:
http://www.webbikeworld.com/bohn-body-armor/
no crash report though
I always used to wear chaps but I don't know how well they would work when riding a sport-type bike. But they are easy to put on and take off and stash. I guess it's all up to the individual...like the ones who like to ride in nothing but sandals, shorts, tank-top and helmet. In that situation a pair of jeans would beat bare skin. Love the meek 500, Canada, and this forum.
C.......
I use Draggin' Jeans. For the most part they are just denim, so they are pretty cool (not good in the winter) and comfortable off the bike. The kevlar in the butt and knees will presumably stop road rash, and there is CE armor in the knees. The only thing I worry about is that there isn't much hip protection. They seem like a pretty good compromise.
Leather. No substitutes.
If you don't like the heat, twist the wrist.
Instant air conditioning. ;)
I just bought the Joe Rocket Blaster pant two weeks ago, and although they are warmer than long johns and jeans in the cold, they vent pretty darn good for the warmer temps that I've already seen
Quote from: gobstopperQuote from: crashi am pretty well covered ankle to waist, but i have no pants.
Um...what? You're covered ankle to waist, but have no pants. How are you covered? I'm just not understanding.
err, you know what i mean :) covered everywhere BUT waist to ankle :)
what is the mesh made of? textile, or more plastic-y?
Quote from: GSRiderLeather. No substitutes.
If you don't like the heat, twist the wrist.
Instant air conditioning. ;)
that's not very practical for commuting. as it is, i get to work pretty sweaty
crash, I commute with my Teknic 'thunder' leather pants worn over a pair of regular shorts in the summer, in Florida. I also wear my Teknic 'lightning' jacket (also leather) and alpinestars web waterproof street boots, and leather gloves that cover over the wrist. (fingers cut at tips to adjust for my stupid size hands...)
Flow is fairly good in the pants, the back of the calves are just a thin material that lets airflow cool you. much the same as the jacket, which has perferations in the back, and zippered vents in each arm near the bicep.
Once at work, I pull my armor off, and have my t-shirt and shorts ensemble, shoes are a bit of a problem, the boots look silly with shorts. (as an auto tech, I change into a uniform anyway, switch to my work boots)
Practical? Considering I'm protecting against the day someone pulls out in front of me during my 40 mile twice a day commute.... yeah, I'd say it's very practical. :)
cummuterguy, do you like your jacket?
i have the teknic spider and it bunches up around my waist/over my hips when i ride =/
i think the perfect thing would be some mesh pants with built-in armor that can be worn over pants and have a removable liner to make them wind/waterproof.
any ideas?
Hey, I need some pants. What do you guys think of Fieldsheer highland (http://fieldsheer.com/05/fs_files/interface_fr_files/product_files/textile%20pants/highlandpant.html) pants? Does anyone have experience with these?
Quote from: BluebellylintHey, I need some pants. What do you guys think of Fieldsheer highland pants?
damn expensive :?
crash, the First Gear HT Air overpants are pretty close to what you describe. I just got a pair this spring. It's part mesh, has a removable liner, and has some armor/padding in the knees. They fit over jeans no problem, big zippers up the sides make 'em easy to get in and out of. At $180 they are pricey, but they seem flexible enough to make it worth it.
jeff
Quote from: BluebellylintHey, I need some pants. What do you guys think of Fieldsheer highland pants? Does anyone have experience with these?
I have a pair of fieldsheer AonicAir pants. They're leather/mesh (leather on the "contact areas") with GP-stlye armor in the knees, dual-density in the hips and some shin padding. They are very cool, even on the hottest summer days.
I'm not sure if they still make that model, though.
I actualy found the Fieldsheer highland pants at brocktoncycle.com (http://www.brocktoncycle.com/eshopprod_cat_1137-9170_product_95381.Fieldsheer_Highland_Textile_.htm) for $89.99 (good deal) :thumb:
Yeah not bad at $90 but did you see the sizes? Dang..only XXS, XS and small....sheesh, who would fit in an XXS? ;o)
Quote from: Jeff Pcrash, the First Gear HT Air overpants are pretty close to what you describe. I just got a pair this spring. It's part mesh, has a removable liner, and has some armor/padding in the knees. They fit over jeans no problem, big zippers up the sides make 'em easy to get in and out of. At $180 they are pricey, but they seem flexible enough to make it worth it.
jeff
those seem to fit my bill. what is your preliminary review, jeff? sturdy? comfy? do they feel like they will do their job at least once? (i will gladly buy another pair if one saves my ass in a crash)
BTW, does anyone know where you can buy good cotton socks anymore? Everything is Lycra, Polyester, yadda yoda blabba. And try out a set of chaps...you might like 'em. Love the mighty 500, Brazil, and this forum.
C........
Quote from: crashcummuterguy, do you like your jacket?
i have the teknic spider and it bunches up around my waist/over my hips when i ride =/
No problems with bunching on my lightning jacket, but I guess that is more of a body type vs. fitment thing. I did think it was a bit tight in the chest when I first got it, but it's just fine now.
Quote from: BluebellylintHey, I need some pants. What do you guys think of Fieldsheer highland pants? Does anyone have experience with these?
http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15457&highlight=Was wearing the highland pant and zero conditions jacket from fielsheer when I wrecked. See link above. Held up well and I am still wearing them. Just some minor scuffs on the pants at the knees. They have good padding and armor, but are still comfy on the bike and ok to walk around in. They are not going ot be good for summer though. I can wear them until it gets about 70- 75 outside and then they are too hot. Great in the cold though.
And they can be found reasonably priced too.
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/item.aspx?style=11909&department=113&Division=1Matt
crash,
I'm happy with the pants so far. They're definitely comfortable, though it takes a bit to get used to overpants in general I think. They sit kinda high on the waist and are pretty long - but they're made to fit "right" when you're sitting on the bike, not for walking around in. FWIW order the same size as your regular pants, the sizes are already adjusted so they'll fit over your other clothes. It's nice to wear 'em over my khakis to work, then just zip 'em off when I get there.
The quality of the pants is quite good. The material seems sturdy enough for a fall, everything is double stitched, no areas with any poor fit or loose stitching. The exterior layer is partially a dense mesh, part solid fabric. The solid parts look properly located to provide extra protection on the areas where you'd be sliding in a crash. The inner layer is a loose mesh, and there's a waterproof, windproof, breathable liner that zips out.
The only thing lacking is the armor. There's some padding in the knees, and the coverage is good, but it's not CE or anything. In fact I'm not even sure if it's dual-density stuff like in my JR jacket. Like anything short of race leathers it's a compromise. This shortcoming could be solved by some of that funny Bohn armor, or some extra knee pads or something. Maybe First Gear makes some add-on armor? :dunno:
I definitely like that these seem to be 3+ season capable. Just wear some shorts under 'em in the summer, or put the liner in and wear pants for when it's cooler.
jeff
sorry.. read this just a bit late. I've also got the FirstGear HT Overpants
Quote from: Jeff Pcrash,
I'm happy with the pants so far...
Ditto on all the comments. Just a few more points :
Quote from: Jeff PThe only thing lacking is the armor.
Yes! So I ordered some dual density CE armor from New Enough, along with the pants. It fits and works perfectly.
http://www.newenough.com/firstgear_ht_overpants_page.htmTake a look at the optional core comp CE armor link at the bottom.
The only big concern I have is how lose the pants fit (yes, I ordered the right size). I guess this is the nature of overpants, but still, I'm a little worried that in a hard fall the pants may slip down. If I could do it over again, I'd get the Tour Master Decker pants :
http://www.newenough.com/tour_master_decker_pant_page.htmThey're leather and have the hip/knee armor, and they look like they'd be less likely to slip. I think they're around the same price as the HT Overpants. Of course you'd probably be a bit warmer in the summer.
The JR Phoenix mesh is made from some fancy ballistic nylon, so technically it's 'plasticky', but it's fairly smooth against the skin, so wearing it with shorts won't rub you raw. Might not be great in a crash against bare skin...
When it gets cooler here (read: Thanksgiving to Valentine's Day), I wear my Phoenix pants over jeans with my non vented jacket (JR Meteor 4.0, IIRC).
When it's warm (rest of year) I wear my Phoenix pants over some very thin nylon fishing pants and my Phoenix jacket over a Tshirt.
Quote from: miloI use Draggin' Jeans. For the most part they are just denim, so they are pretty cool (not good in the winter) and comfortable off the bike. The kevlar in the butt and knees will presumably stop road rash, and there is CE armor in the knees. The only thing I worry about is that there isn't much hip protection. They seem like a pretty good compromise.
Yep a good compromise. Having gone down I can say I will never compromise again. My Icon pants were much like the draggin jeans both being reinforced denim. They get a big thumbs down in my crash test. From this point forward, I'm going with a 2 piece zip-together suit.
Has anyone tried the Icon Field Armor (newenough link (http://www.newenough.com/armor_icon_field_armor_leg_page.htm))? Thoughts?
I've been going back and forth on what to get for leg protection for some time now and just can't decide which is best (or, rather, which is the best compromise). Comfort and ease of use are high as I have to plan for daily commutes in the Atlanta heat but don't want to find myself wishing for better protection in the event of a tumble.
Thanks to all for their advice, experiences, etc .. it's definitely helpful and appreciated. :thumb:
for those of you interested in slightly more casual pants, here's the ones i've run across. keep in mind, i have no experience with any of these. some of these are likely only marginally better than regular jeans. personally, i intend to get either the bmw pants or the draggin' jeans zip-off cargo pants.
bmw
summer pants $180, cordura 500, zip off legs, knee pads
icon
barrier $90, denim, no armor, insulated
recon $80, denim, no armor
superduty $90, cotton, aramid knees, no armor
joe rocket
atomic jeans $80, cotton, hip & knee armor
stage 1 pants $90, cordura, reinforced, hip & knee armor
steel jeans $70, denim & reinforced nylon, no armor
draggin jeans
cargo pants, $100, drill, kevlar lined, optional armor
zip off cargo pants, $125 drill, kevlar lined, optional armor
giali
cargo pants cotton w/ kevlar lining, zip off
also checkout http://www.motoport.com they make some rather plain looking gear but their products seem like they will protect exceptionally well. they have a number of mesh kevlar products that look partictularly interesting, but pricey. it's your hide though, after all.
Quote from: secondgen7Has anyone tried the Icon Field Armor (newenough link)? Thoughts?
I've been going back and forth on what to get for leg protection for some time now and just can't decide which is best (or, rather, which is the best compromise). Comfort and ease of use are high as I have to plan for daily commutes in the Atlanta heat but don't want to find myself wishing for better protection in the event of a tumble.
Thanks to all for their advice, experiences, etc .. it's definitely helpful and appreciated. :thumb:
I think the most common abrasions and impact injuries are on knees and hips, those icons won't help the hips at all. These look interesting
http://www.webbikeworld.com/bohn-body-armor/ but have not heard any crash reports.
yeah, if i end up getting the FG HT Overpants, i'll be ordering the knee (http://www.newenough.com/armor_firstgear_core_comp_page.htm) and hip (http://www.newenough.com/armor_firstgear_hiprotech_armor.htm) armor. yay $40 overhead =/
i've got the icon field armor leg armor and they are alright.
like was said before, they provide no hip protection but the leg protection is pretty good.
i understand that they should be tight to avoid slipage in case of impact, but these things are unbelievably tight on the legs, my legs at least. i think the "universal fit " doesn't really fit this product, but with a little mcguyverability you can make them more comfortable and less tight.
they would be excellent in combination with something that provided hip protection.
oldskool
i got the icon field armor leg and short
both feel alright...i got skinny calves so that part of the armor leg kinda loose but the leg strap is secure...if you wear em long enough while riding the knee cap kinda gets irritated with the hole in the knee padding
Quote from: oldskool
i understand that they should be tight to avoid slipage in case of impact
...i was concerned about it slipping out you know on the event of a crash...well i did weird test on it (imagine JACKASS stuff :roll: )..it held up ok
..the armor shorts looks like it'll keep your behind rash free too...but i feel some sort of padding would be really great to preventd butt being bruised
i should gone with the Firstgear HT overpants :thumb: coz it looks very protective and well made but i wanna wear different lookin pants everytime i ride...
Quote from: my_celica_is_jealousi got the icon field armor leg and short
both feel alright...i got skinny calves so that part of the armor leg kinda loose but the leg strap is secure...if you wear em long enough while riding the knee cap kinda gets irritated with the hole in the knee padding
Quote from: oldskool
i understand that they should be tight to avoid slipage in case of impact
...i was concerned about it slipping out you know on the event of a crash...well i did weird test on it (imagine JACKASS stuff :roll: )..it held up ok
..the armor shorts looks like it'll keep your behind rash free too...but i feel some sort of padding would be really great to preventd butt being bruised
i should gone with the Firstgear HT overpants :thumb: coz it looks very protective and well made but i wanna wear different lookin pants everytime i ride...
I agree on the wearing something different .. that's one reason I like the idea of the leg armor .. can wear it under my reg. work clothes. I'd definitely combine it with something for the hips/butt though.
That Bohn armor looks very interesting .. I hadn't seen it before.