by Rick K. for webBikeWorld.com
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We're very lucky indeed to have a huge
selection of motorcycle jackets, pants, helmets, gloves
and other gear lying in wait for the next webBikeWorld
review.
But even with all of the various combinations of jackets
and pants to choose from, I still seem to gravitate towards one or two of
the old standbys when it comes time to suit up for a ride.
I'm not sure why that is -- probably something to do with
human nature, ingrained habits, comfort and security...who knows? And
what's the process that converts the new and
different to the old and familiar?
Maybe it has something to do with first impressions, which
seems to have a powerful effect on one's opinion about a product.
Because the first time I pulled on Roadgear's new Tierra del Fuego pants, I
had the feeling that a new old standby was in the works.
One thing's for sure -- I had forgotten how nice it is to be able to quickly slip a
pair of motorcycle pants on over jeans or even dress pants, hop on the bike
and go. I've never owned an Aerostich Roadcrafter one-piece suit, but
every owner I've ever met raves about how easy they are to use. On or
off in ten seconds...
This compares to the 10-minute suit-up routine that
I have to go through to climb into dedicated motorcycle gear, especially in
winter, where layer upon layer makes the job even duller.
Which makes me wonder why we haven't seen any new
motorcycle overpants designs being released lately. I'd almost
forgotten that there was such a thing -- the last pair that I bought is a
major old standby, the
Tourmaster
Cortech overpants that were the subject of one of the very first
webBikeWorld reviews about 6 years ago. I think they're hidden around here
somewhere...
The Tierra del Fuego pants are new to the Roadgear lineup
and they're designed to match the
Tierra del Fuego jacket
that we reviewed a couple of months ago. The pants are made from a
medium weight
DuPont Cordura Plus and they're cut like a comfy pair of jeans.
Although Roadgear says they can also be worn by themselves, when they're
ordered one size larger than normal they work very nicely as overpants.
The pants will fit over jeans, but I've been wearing mine over an old
pair of sweat pants, which makes for a comfortable and pretty warm
combination for the cold weather we've been experiencing lately. Since
sweat pants are my all-around lounge uniform in winter, it takes no effort at all
to pop on the Tierra del Fuego pants, slip into a jacket and take off.
There are a few requirements for a pair of motorcycle pants
to be classified as overpants. They can't be too bulky, the should be
slightly oversize and they have to include a full-length zipper on the
sides. The Tierra del Fuego pants meet all of those criteria and
more.
The pants have a full-length YKK zipper on each leg seam and
they even have a zipper pull at both ends; one down by the ankle and one at
the top near the hip. The top zipper pull makes it really easy to
access any pockets in the pants underneath. The zippers extend to
within about 7" of the waist, making it very easy to climb in and out of the
pants.
The entire length of the zipper is covered by a windproof
flap that secures with Velcro to the side of the pants. The top 6" or
so of the flap is wider and has the reflective Roadgear logo stitched on the
outside, which adds a nice touch.
The cuffs include a rubberized snap closure and
an additional wide reflective Dynatec flap that also acts as an adjustment
to tighten up the bottom of the pants if they're going to be slipped inside
a pair of motorcycle boots. There are three Velcro strips running
vertically down the ankle along the side of the pants for the various
adjustment positions. I wish there were one or two more for those of
us with skinny calves though.
The knees are covered with an extra layer of ballistic Nylon
and the pants include CE-approved medium-weight knee armor permanently sewn
into a pocket. These are one of the very few pairs of pants where the
knee armor is located exactly right for my legs, which is a treat. I
normally take about a size 36 waist, 30 length street pant and the Tierra
del Fuego pants shown here are size 38W and 30L, so one size larger in the
waist seems to do the trick as overpants.
The pants have external patch pockets in front made from
the same ballistic Nylon and a single patch pocket in the right rear that
closes with a strip of Velcro.
The Tierra del Fuego pants are also claimed to be
waterproof. I wouldn't know because any precipitation that has been
falling lately has been snow. The pants have a Reissa waterproof and breathable membrane
attached to the inside and the seams are all heat-taped.
A couple of other nice touches are a V-shaped section of
elastic sewn into the back of the waist and the waistband has two snap
positions for side adjustment. These allow a semi-customized fit and take
up some of the slack when the pants are not being worn as overpants.
The waistband also includes standard 1-5/8" wide belt loops, just like a
pair of jeans.
Rear view illustrates elastic "V" sewn into the waist; the side
adjusters on the waistband (upper left) and the rear patch pocket.
Side waistband adjustment (yellow arrow). Wide top flap covers the
top of the full-length zipper (orange arrow). This photo also shows
the front
patch pocket.
The fly has a heavier YKK zipper and is covered by a
flap with a rubberized button on top. The fly is also backed by fabric
with the Reissa membrane to help keep out any moisture.
The Tierra del Fuego pants are available in waist sizes from
28 through 44, each with a limited inseam choice of 30, 33 or 36 inches.
Conclusion
The combination of the relatively soft Cordura, the waterproof membrane and
the feature set have made Roadgear's Tierra del Fuego pants a new old
favorite, if you'll pardon the oxymoron. Sure, they don't provide
MotoGP levels of protection, but they're way better than cotton jeans in
that regard.
They're extremely versatile and can be worn alone, over
something like the Bohn armored underpants, a pair of
motorcycle jeans or even an old
pair of sweat pants for lazy people like me who are reluctant to wear street
clothes to anything other than weddings or funeral!
I just received a pair of these pants, your review being very helpful. Just one
correction: the knee armor in my pants is removable from the outside pocket,
not,as your article states " medium-weight knee armor permanently sewn into a
pocket."
Thanks for a great (and entertaining) resource!
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