ted
Dum vivimus vivamus
Hi Folks,
I bought my first BMW, an '88 K75S, back in early 1995. That same year I bought a very well used (greenish) Grey 1987 Aerostich Roadcrafter suit off the IBMWR list. The bike only lasted a few years before I traded up to a K11RS, which I then wrecked while wearing a brand new 2-piece Roadcrafter (grand prize '98 GMR!). Both the bike and the new suit were total losses, but I wasn't and after a few years I started riding again, back with the old bulletproof Roadcrafter. Flash forward 17 years spent revolving between the old reliable Stich and a 2-piece BMW Kalihari suit, I decided to buy a pair of the Aerostich Protekt Jeans.
The price was $117, the knee armor was $30, and I added a standard belt for $9. I was instructed by the helpful folks at Aerostich to buy the same size as my old school button fly Levi 501s (38/30). This is the same size I wear my khaki pants as well so if you don't have a pair of classic 501's you can just use your regular pants size. I added a few bags of zipper repair kits for the now 30-year old Roadcrafter and hit order.
A few days later the pants and pads showed up and I instantly regretted my sizing decisions. They were HUGE, stiff as a board, and didn't appear to be anywhere close to being able to fit. I turned them inside out and into the wash they went, warm/cold extended cycle, then into the dryer on medium. When they came out they looked and felt better, but still much more was needed so I ran the circuit again. And then a third time, this time was the charm and they fit OK. The fourth time (even though the water from the wash cycle was still a thick dark blue) I would say they were finally over the hump. They were soft, comfortable, and finally fit close to the fit of the similar sized classic 501s and a right proper 38/30. The one instant and very obvious difference was the rise (bottom of the crotch to top of the pant) on the Protekt being somewhat shorter than the fit on old-school button fly Levi 501s.
Tuesday and Wednesday the Protekt jeans, BMW Kalihari jacket, CBTs and I took a long ride and covered about 800 miles - about 1/2 being the Blue Ridge Parkway and exceedingly twisty backroads, 1/4 being fun US highways, and 1/4 being boring interstate. We covered temps from mid-80's to high 40's, bright dry sun to rain and fog (lots, and lots of fog!)
Initial impressions - after breaking them in a bit, they fit very well and close to the fit of 501s as advertised. On the bike they really fit well without bunching or pinching anywhere, and moved with me as I moved around the seat.
Pads - The pads sit centered over the knee caps on the bike, but hang down a bit over the shin when standing or walking. Walking around off the bike the pads are somewhat noticeable, but are integrated well enough that they don't stick out anywhere. They are very comfortable on or off the bike - I totally forgot the pads were in there after a few minutes of walking around.
Fit - They are not baggy at all though they are fuller cut than straight-leg classic 501s. It was a tight fit getting the cuffs over the top of my Combat Touring Boots, but went fine with a little effort. Unlike every other pair of riding pants I have owned that fit great on the bike but sag and bag while off the bike, these fit great on and off the bike. I noted the rise was cut differently - at first it was a little annoying, but after riding a bit I came to realize it kept the pants from bagging up (and pinching) at the crotch and turned out to be a nice feature.
Protection - I didn't get to test that out thankfully, but they are a substantial pant, lined for comfort and the pads seem to be in the right place.
Weather - I rode in a bunch of cold rain and fog and while they did get wet I really didn't notice it. I can't really explain it other than they got wet but shed a lot of it and never really got soaked through. On top of that, they quickly dried out.
Things I'd like to change/see improved-
1. I'd loved to have seen a hidden velcro option on the back right pocket (where I keep my wallet.) I found myself putting my wallet back there out of practice, and had to remind myself not to for fear it would slide out while riding. Just a thin strip would do it I think.
2. Longer knee pad pockets with velcro so the knee pads could be adjusted up or down. I really liked the pad location, but it would have been perfect another 1/2" down. They are currently not adjustable, the pad goes in and you zip up the pocket. Having a half inch or so of play up or down I think would probably cover most riders, and sure would make tailoring these for a perfect fit much easier.
3. Hip Pads! Would very much like to see an option for hip pads. Had a thinner version of the Darien hip pads maybe with a (very) flexible outer hard shell been available I'd have bought them in a second. There is plenty of room for a pad pocket on the hips, maybe similar to the BMW Kalihari pants and their funky pads that provide complete coverage regardless of seating position.
4. Belt - I like the concept of the belt, but with the pant's wide belt loops the belt is too thin for this application. Would be nice if Aerostich sold a belt that was 2" wide, that would fit and work perfectly.
Conclusion - I really like these pants. After multiple washes they fit very well both on and off the bike yet retain the feeling of being substantial. I would heartily recommend them to anyone looking for a pair of riding pants that stay true to ATGATT but who don't necessarily want to be all suited up.
And as my 30-year old Roadcrafter will attest, Aerostich has a long history of quality products and these are no different.
I bought my first BMW, an '88 K75S, back in early 1995. That same year I bought a very well used (greenish) Grey 1987 Aerostich Roadcrafter suit off the IBMWR list. The bike only lasted a few years before I traded up to a K11RS, which I then wrecked while wearing a brand new 2-piece Roadcrafter (grand prize '98 GMR!). Both the bike and the new suit were total losses, but I wasn't and after a few years I started riding again, back with the old bulletproof Roadcrafter. Flash forward 17 years spent revolving between the old reliable Stich and a 2-piece BMW Kalihari suit, I decided to buy a pair of the Aerostich Protekt Jeans.
The price was $117, the knee armor was $30, and I added a standard belt for $9. I was instructed by the helpful folks at Aerostich to buy the same size as my old school button fly Levi 501s (38/30). This is the same size I wear my khaki pants as well so if you don't have a pair of classic 501's you can just use your regular pants size. I added a few bags of zipper repair kits for the now 30-year old Roadcrafter and hit order.
A few days later the pants and pads showed up and I instantly regretted my sizing decisions. They were HUGE, stiff as a board, and didn't appear to be anywhere close to being able to fit. I turned them inside out and into the wash they went, warm/cold extended cycle, then into the dryer on medium. When they came out they looked and felt better, but still much more was needed so I ran the circuit again. And then a third time, this time was the charm and they fit OK. The fourth time (even though the water from the wash cycle was still a thick dark blue) I would say they were finally over the hump. They were soft, comfortable, and finally fit close to the fit of the similar sized classic 501s and a right proper 38/30. The one instant and very obvious difference was the rise (bottom of the crotch to top of the pant) on the Protekt being somewhat shorter than the fit on old-school button fly Levi 501s.
Tuesday and Wednesday the Protekt jeans, BMW Kalihari jacket, CBTs and I took a long ride and covered about 800 miles - about 1/2 being the Blue Ridge Parkway and exceedingly twisty backroads, 1/4 being fun US highways, and 1/4 being boring interstate. We covered temps from mid-80's to high 40's, bright dry sun to rain and fog (lots, and lots of fog!)
Initial impressions - after breaking them in a bit, they fit very well and close to the fit of 501s as advertised. On the bike they really fit well without bunching or pinching anywhere, and moved with me as I moved around the seat.
Pads - The pads sit centered over the knee caps on the bike, but hang down a bit over the shin when standing or walking. Walking around off the bike the pads are somewhat noticeable, but are integrated well enough that they don't stick out anywhere. They are very comfortable on or off the bike - I totally forgot the pads were in there after a few minutes of walking around.
Fit - They are not baggy at all though they are fuller cut than straight-leg classic 501s. It was a tight fit getting the cuffs over the top of my Combat Touring Boots, but went fine with a little effort. Unlike every other pair of riding pants I have owned that fit great on the bike but sag and bag while off the bike, these fit great on and off the bike. I noted the rise was cut differently - at first it was a little annoying, but after riding a bit I came to realize it kept the pants from bagging up (and pinching) at the crotch and turned out to be a nice feature.
Protection - I didn't get to test that out thankfully, but they are a substantial pant, lined for comfort and the pads seem to be in the right place.
Weather - I rode in a bunch of cold rain and fog and while they did get wet I really didn't notice it. I can't really explain it other than they got wet but shed a lot of it and never really got soaked through. On top of that, they quickly dried out.
Things I'd like to change/see improved-
1. I'd loved to have seen a hidden velcro option on the back right pocket (where I keep my wallet.) I found myself putting my wallet back there out of practice, and had to remind myself not to for fear it would slide out while riding. Just a thin strip would do it I think.
2. Longer knee pad pockets with velcro so the knee pads could be adjusted up or down. I really liked the pad location, but it would have been perfect another 1/2" down. They are currently not adjustable, the pad goes in and you zip up the pocket. Having a half inch or so of play up or down I think would probably cover most riders, and sure would make tailoring these for a perfect fit much easier.
3. Hip Pads! Would very much like to see an option for hip pads. Had a thinner version of the Darien hip pads maybe with a (very) flexible outer hard shell been available I'd have bought them in a second. There is plenty of room for a pad pocket on the hips, maybe similar to the BMW Kalihari pants and their funky pads that provide complete coverage regardless of seating position.
4. Belt - I like the concept of the belt, but with the pant's wide belt loops the belt is too thin for this application. Would be nice if Aerostich sold a belt that was 2" wide, that would fit and work perfectly.
Conclusion - I really like these pants. After multiple washes they fit very well both on and off the bike yet retain the feeling of being substantial. I would heartily recommend them to anyone looking for a pair of riding pants that stay true to ATGATT but who don't necessarily want to be all suited up.
And as my 30-year old Roadcrafter will attest, Aerostich has a long history of quality products and these are no different.
