Sunday, July 13, 2008

Cortech Mod Jeans review

Both Philip and I have been using Joe Rocket Alter Ego overpants for hot weather riding. They're OK, but I normally wear them over my jeans and that can get a bit warm in 90 degree heat. So I decided to try and order something a bit better for hot weather. I thought about getting some all-mesh pants, but then I ran across a set of Cortech Mod Jeans on New Enough and thought I'd give them a try.

They manage to look like a pair of designer jeans, but my impression is that they're at least as crashworthy as wearing the Alter Ego pants without jeans under them. (The Alter Egos have some heavy fabric parts, but they're mostly polyester like a windbreaker.) These have some rather nice CE approved knee pads, and there's a patch of leather across the butt to ward off road rash there, too. Overall, they do cool off my legs better than overpants over jeans.

There are a few complaints I have about them. One, they're either stonewashed, or acid washed, or something-washed to give a distressed look, and it's clear this took a bit of the material's lifespan out of it. They show a bit of fraying at some seams. When you're spending nearly $100 on your jeans, I don't like to see this. Two, the extra layers mean they absorb more sweat and take a bit more drying time.

Overall, I'll give Cortech credit for coming out with a set of pants that are good at two things. One, they're a fairly safe solution for hot weather riding. Two, they're motorcycle gear that looks like normal street (or should that be sidewalk?) clothes. This seems to be a common problem with motorcycle gear - a lot of it has a "costume-like" look that I think may discourage riders from putting on safety gear. A lot of motorcycle gear either looks like the sort of thing track put on to be human sponsor billboards, or like something out of a 1950s biker movie. There isn't very much motorcycle gear that looks like normal, everyday clothing, other than that old fashioned biker jackets have become fashion articles on their own.

Of course, some of this is understandable given motorcycle gear's specialized use. After all, normal clothes shoppers are not going to be interested in a jacket that's designed to not keep the wearer warm. And if you put on a head to toe leather suit before jumping in your car to go to a night on the town, you've probably got a very... interesting sort of destination in mind.

It is nice to have choices in real motorcycle gear that doesn't look weird off the motorcycle. But even when there isn't an option that looks normal, it's better to have funny looking clothes than funny looking skin.

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