The challenge with motorcycle pants is finding the right combination of all-day comfort, crash protection and weatherproofing. Go hard in protection and all-weather resistance, and pants won’t be comfortable off the bike. Choose something comfortable all day in the office, and you won’t trust them in a get-off.

After spending all summer wearing, washing and riding over 1,000 miles in the updated-for-2022 KLIM Outrider Pant (see ’emhere at Revzilla),他们原来是一个大杂烩。虽然我没有’t own the original Outrider, I have spent ample time adorned in numerous other casual riding pants and Kevlar-reinforced jeans.

The Outrider Pant is exactly the compromise one would expect from a comfortable multipurpose pant. KLIM decided to focus on minimalism in this revision, making the stretchy canvas material a bit thinner and lighter than the predecessor. They claim this offers increased breathability, flexibility and reduced weight without compromising durability. Slimmer and lighter rarely equals more sturdy in practice, so it would be wise to temper expectations of equal protection.

There is no doubt the canvas material is thicker and more durable than a pair of fashionable denim jeans. The stitching is solid and there is enough material at the impact points to believe they will hold up to parking lot tip-overs, low-speed urban commutes or some light off-road trail riding. They are comfortable in a range of summer temperatures, but offer no thermal, abrasion reinforcement or waterproof layers.

While these are clearly fashion-first pants, the motorcyclist-oriented protection features include soft, slim, breathable D3O Ghost CE level 1 armor in both the knees and hips. The armor is thin and extremely flexible, with a hollow hexagonal pattern that I’ve come to appreciate in all my favorite armor. The hip pockets are nonadjustable. The knees offer three different depths of armor placement, and the armor can easily be removed or adjusted from the outside of the pant legs.

Unfortunately, knee armor placement was inadequate, due to the loose-fitting nature of the pants. Armor placement issues were exacerbated by the wide and tall rectangular shape of the pockets, which failed to keep the polygonal armor positioned correctly. Thus, upgrading the armor panels to CE level 2 is more than likely pointless.

When designing pants that fit somewhere between skin-tight hipster denim and baggy skater cargo pants, the result is material that doesn’t stay put. The Outrider pants constantly rode up when seated, bunching up in the crotch and shifting the armor up over the thigh, instead of over the knee. The loose pant legs also suffer from too much lateral rotation, and the armor is prone to rotate within its pocket. The armor simply did not stay centered over the knee when riding, so I would not expect it to offer much knee protection in a get-off, which totally defeats its purpose.

A simple solution to the loose-fitting legs would be to add some hook-and-loop or buttoned cinching straps above and below the knee and at the ankle, which could be easily undone when not riding.

The inside of the pant leg has retroreflective tape hemmed in, for those who like to roll the cuffs. However, the retroreflective features would have been better placed on the outside and stirrup straps added inside, which could be wrapped under the boot heel to keep the pants held down. The Outrider pants in my standard 32-inch inseam were way too short when seated to even consider rolling up. It would be a good idea to size up the inseam if you like to roll your cuffs, or keep your ankles covered.

The Outrider pant is offered in 14 sizes for men, in Sand, Black or an orangey Brown. Women get six sizes in Black or Brown only, and no coin pocket on the right hip, for inexplicable reasons. Fortunately, the bonus pocket halfway down the right thigh is included for everyone, which should hold a protein bar, wallet, deck of cards, small smartphone, or other oblong object that requires easy access, and that you don’t want to sit on. The black color in my pants faded noticeably over the course of one summer of regular riding and washing. Lighter colors may fare better but will also be more likely to show road grime.

If you are a casual rider or commuter in hotter climes, who avoids riding in the cold or rain, and doesn’t want mesh pants, the Outrider Pant could be the right addition to your wardrobe. They function well as lightweight, breathable casual all-day attire, but less so as robust motorcyclist protection. It is puzzling that simple fit adjustment solutions weren’t included in pants designed to be multipurpose. They are also on the pricey side, considering the compromises made to protection and adjustability in the name of all-day comfort and fashionable styling.

MSRP $199.99