UPDATE: Klim Badlands Pro Review!
Have you noticed something about my 2011 Dealer Expo coverage so far?
There are a lot of cool accessories to show you, but...where's the clothing?
Glad you asked!
It's not because I'm ignoring the topic; it's just that there isn't as much clothing on display as there was in previous years.
This struck me as soon as I arrived and started walking through the Indiana Convention Center, the yearly host for the Dealer Expo.
Several large clothing manufacturers were noticeable by their absence.
Scorpion and Icon, for example, who are bare-knuckles competitors and known for sparing no expense when it comes to marketing, are not directly involved in this year's show, according to a staff person I talked to from one of the largest distributors.
Instead, they (and other manufacturers) have left it up to the distributors and dealers to represent their brands.
The result is a noticeable lack of motorcycle clothing on display. Besides Icon and Scorpion, Rev'it also skipped this year's even and few of the other occasional (and sometimes unfamiliar) names who usually have their gear on display.
Too bad for them, because "Where there is confusion, there is profit", to paraphrase Lt. Nick Holden (Tony Curtis) in the film Operation Petticoat (1959).
The paucity of motorcycle clothing displays brought even more attention the clothing manufacturers who made the effort. And I think Klim benefitted from this quirk more than they know. There was a huge amount of attention paid to their gear; so much so that it was a bit difficult for me to get the full skinny on all of their new gear.
Although Klim is a relatively recent name in high-end motorcycle gear, their clothing has developed quite a reputation with hard-core enduro, off-road and adventure riders. The company, located in Rigby, Idaho, began making clothes for the ski patrol and back country explorers 11 years ago.
The lineup is being expanded and they currently make jackets, pants, gloves and boots designed to conquer the elements for a variety of outdoor sports. Most recognizable to motorcylists is the already legendary Klim Adventure Rally jacket, an all-out, no-compromises "enduro" jacket using some of the best materials and technology currently available for outdoor gear.
The Adventure Rally Jacket has a special built-in harness and kidney belt. Cinch these up and they act as a sort of suspension, while the jacket shell "floats" over the rider. It's a very comfortable arrangement -- I tried on the size large jacket they had on hand and it fit like an enduro jacket should. That is, the shell is a bit loose to allow for the range of movement one experiences when riding off road, but the harness keeps the built-in chest and back protector in place.
The jacket uses the D3O armor system, described in the webBikeWorld Firstgear Teton jacket review. I'm not 100% sold on this armor, but it is a lot thinner than other types. Whether it really works as well is still a question in my mind. When Ben Spies starts using it, maybe it will help me believe?
The Adventure Rally Jacket has many other high-end features, including the "second generation" Gore Lockout zippers. Most motorcycle clothing manufacturers haven't even gotten around to using "Version 1", an interesting development. By the way, they're actually known as "closures", not zippers.
The jacket includes the full Gore-Tex array of guaranteed waterproof fabrics, Kevlar and lots of other high-tech goodies. Besides the Gore-Tex "Guaranteed to keep you dry" lifetime warranty, Klim provides a lifetime warranty on the jacket. All of this helps to account for the premium price you'll pay for the best.
Klim introduced two other new jackets with matchin pants at the show, both at lower price points than the Adventure Rally Jacket. I was only able to get a couple of photos of the jackets. UPDATE: Klim just sent the information to the press, the jackets are the Badlands Pro and Latitude and the specifications are listed below. They won't be available for retail until October of 2011.
Klim is going to send some samples for a full webBikeWorld review, so stay tuned!
UPDATE: Klim Badlands Pro Review!
Material/Construction
Armor/Padding
Cargo Capacity
Ventilation
Visibility
Colors
UPDATE: Klim Badlands Pro Review!
Material/Construction
Fit/Wear Enhancement
Cargo Capacity
Ventilation
Visibility
More
Colors
UPDATE: Klim Badlands Pro Review!
Return to 2011 Powersports Dealer Expo Home - Stay tuned for more!
Note: For informational use only. All material and photographs are Copyright © webWorld International, LLC since 2000. All rights reserved. See the webBikeWorld© Site Info page. Product specifications, features and details may change or differ from our descriptions. Always check before purchasing. Read the Terms and Conditions!
