Kevlar Jeans

Pique

Hi All,

What do you lot think of Kevlar jeans.
You know the ones, Draggin' Jeans etc.
Are they worth the money and would I get away with wearing them to work where I normally wear jeans anyway ?
Any comments as regards fit for a 34W34L like me ?

Any recommendations ?

Cheers,
PK.

MikeC101

I was interested in a pair until I read enough reports of their performance in a crash online - in way too many of the cases, they just didn't work - due to the jeans rolling up the leg, the abrasion being on a non kevlar reinforced part, the armour not staying in place, or the denim shredding and the kevlar not staying in place. But the times where the kevlar did stay in place, they worked well. Sure, the videos of them dragging the guy behind the car look good - but he starts off sitting on the ground, and stays like that, not very representative of a crash.

If I was going for them I'd get fully lined ones (there are a few out there), rather than the ones like the draggins that just have the impact zones lined, or something like the E-Stein jeans - where the jean material is woven with a kevlar type material, giving all over protection. But, if it was a choice between regular jeans or kevlar jeans, then the kevlar are obviously better.

I also wouldn't trust them to hold the knee armour in place at all - they're way too loose for that I'd think. Considering the price of Draggins, I'd be inclined to go for leather / textile overpants instead.

Just my opinion.

Pique

Hmmm thanks for that.

Food for thought there. I'll check out the E-Stein ones. I take your point about the armour moving on impact.

Also I suppose there's no option to connect them to a jacket either.

Cheers for the input !

PK

Thinkingaboutit

Got a pair of Lindstands jeans. Once a person remembers that they are better than ordinary slacks, combats or jeans, but not as good as proper armoured leather, there's no great worry. Given the number that don't bother with any gear, the convenience of these are an improvement. Kevlar lined combats and other patterns are available.

I have richa/dragin and triumph kevlar jeans. They are all comfortable on and off the bike. The draggin jeans have a thicker layer of kevlar but the kevlar in the richas covers more area but is thinner. The triumph ones have a really thin layer of kevlar and the least amount of it. The richas are the ones I use more often than not.

sv650

I've been wearing a pair of Hood jeans for the last 2 years, at least 5 days a week too. They're faded obviously but still as good as new. They are also fully kevlar lined, not just in patches, to below the knee.
I'd prefer leathers if I came off, obviously, but I can't be bothered wearing them to work and changing twice a day...

Alkers

I have a pair of Draggin jeans and they're comfortable enough to wear all day, you might want to take the pads out if you're doing so (velcro attatcment). Only thing is since buying them I've been thinking a lot that you would be nearly better off just fitting padding to your normal trousers or getting pads that strap to your body and wearing normal clothes over as in a crash you would want to do a lot of sliding to slide through pads and down to bare skin.

Cuddlesworth

Simona1986 wrote: »

I have a pair of Draggin jeans and they're comfortable enough to wear all day, you might want to take the pads out if you're doing so (velcro attatcment). Only thing is since buying them I've been thinking a lot that you would be nearly better off just fitting padding to your normal trousers or getting pads that strap to your body and wearing normal clothes over as in a crash you would want to do a lot of sliding to slide through pads and down to bare skin.

I would go back to the drawing board on that then. You have obviously never seen normal clothes after a impact with tarmac while traveling anything over 20kph.

Alkers

I have yes, but the Kevlar in Draggin Jeans isn't in much more places than where the pads are. If the pads were strapped to you, your clothes would fall apart sure but you are still protected by the pads.

MikeC101

Simona1986 wrote: »

I have yes, but the Kevlar in Draggin Jeans isn't in much more places than where the pads are. If the pads were strapped to you, your clothes would fall apart sure but you are still protected by the pads.

Your knees might be ok - but unless you only land / slide on your knees then the rest of you would be shredded. What's the figure - you lose a milimetre depth of skin for every metre you slide or something? Plus, the armour that's best at absorbing impact (which seems to be the newer generation softer armours) is not particularly abrasion resistant.

I mean, in a minor off I had a couple of years back the only damage I got was in the gap where my jacket sleeve got pushed up and there was bare skin between the glove and it. The jacket, and pants, were scraped up in lots of different areas - most of them no where near where a pad would be - chest, arse, thighs.

In a crash, you're not going to conveniently slide along on only the areas you've got armour, you've no way of knowing what part of your body is going to be in contact with the ground.

Edit: I agree with you though, that the pads are much better strapped to your knee. I wear BMW City pants most of the time - but I took the armour out of the knee pockets and strap it to my knee instead, holds it in place much better. The hip armour is fine, it stays in place much better due to it's shape and position.

Alkers

MikeC101 wrote: »

In a crash, you're not going to conveniently slide along on only the areas you've got armour, you've no way of knowing what part of your body is going to be in contact with the ground.

You're not going to conveniently slide along on only the areas you've got kevlar either which is my point exactly. Unless you get jeans which are entirely covered with kevlar you would be nearly as well off with just pads in normal trousers and would be a lot cheaper also.

MikeC101

Simona1986 wrote: »

You're not going to conveniently slide along on only the areas you've got kevlar either which is my point exactly. Unless you get jeans which are entirely covered with kevlar you would be nearly as well off with just pads in normal trousers and would be a lot cheaper also.

Nowhere near "nearly as well off" in fairness - there's a big difference between just your knees having pads, and most kevlar jeans - which cover the main areas that are affected in a slide - ass, thighs, knees. Not that I'm a fan of the kevlar reinforced jeans, but they're still significantly better than regular pants - at least they probably won't melt into your skin and have to be scrubbed off with wire wool.

Cuddlesworth

Simona1986 wrote: »

You're not going to conveniently slide along on only the areas you've got kevlar either which is my point exactly. Unless you get jeans which are entirely covered with kevlar you would be nearly as well off with just pads in normal trousers and would be a lot cheaper also.

Do it then. Come back with pictures of your legs after you crash. I would take a picture of my mates leg for you but he is pretty self concious about it. I suppose the scar tissue alone most of his calf and thigh is still a sore point with him.

First thing he said to me when I bought a bike. Buy full gear and always wear it.

Alkers

@MikeC101 - Which would you say is better then Kevlar Jeans without pads (as a lot of them come) of normal trousers with pads on underneath? I'm not sure of the answer.
Obviously Kevlar Jeans WITH pads is what you want but I'm just wondering rather than suggesting to people what to wear.

@Cuddlesworth - No need to be so harsh, I never told anyone not to wear all the gear all the time. FYI the pair of Draggin Jeans I have which were €140iirc only have a Kevlar "band" around both knees and then Kevlar around the groin, ass and as far forward as the hips in the waist area.
Perhaps you interpreted me wrongly, I was putting down the Kevlar Jeans, saying the protection they offered would only be marginally better than normal trousers with pads, not that normal trousers with pads should be a substitute for the full gear.

For the record I only wear the Kevlar Jeans (with pads) when going to college which is a 10min drive and I've no-where to leave any gear once I get there so I am stuck in whatever I wear on the bike all day and not left with much of an alternative.

MikeC101

Simona1986 wrote: »

@MikeC101 - Which would you say is better then Kevlar Jeans without pads (as a lot of them come) of normal trousers with pads on underneath? I'm not sure of the answer.
Obviously Kevlar Jeans WITH pads is what you want but I'm just wondering rather than suggesting to people what to wear.

I dunno if ones better than the other, too many variables really, but if I was forced to make a choice, I think I'd go with the kevlar jeans without pads over normal pants with pads (that's from knowing someone who was wearing regular pants and had them melt and stick to his skin in an off) - but to be honest I wouldn't be inclined to do it either way. It's kind of a choice between impact damage to the knees, or skin loss and painful skin grafts for the rest of the body.

Still I'd think anyone willing to buy kevlar jeans would spring the extra bit for pads as well (assuming they stay in place).

On another note, some of the pads that come in jackets / pants are rubbish. Ride magazine did a test where they found a cheese sandwich performed better than some of the "protective" pads that come in jackets - especially the light foam that comes in most jackets instead of a decent back protector.

When I came down I was wearing BMW pads over my knees - they're a sort of soft plastic that doesn't transmit too much of the impact, strange to feel. The jacket had fairly basic CE approved armour. I came down on my knees first, and hardest, then my elbows. But afterwards my knees were fine, while my elbows, and shoulders where the impact had transmitted to, were sore and swollen for a week or so.

I'm not knocking anyones choices in what they wear on the bike - they're free to do as they please - but for the price of Draggin or the equivalent you could have a good pair of leather pants, or textiles with better protection. Or overpants if you didn't want the hassle of changing. Might as well try to even the odds a bit.

slapper2

those jeans should only really be used for small spins like in town and for a long distance or high speed spin they are only meant to improve your chances on a low speed spill cant beat leather on anything 50 mph plus