I'm getting close to buying a Klim Badlands Pro jacket.
Heavy shell jacket with Gortex Pro bonded to 840 Cordura with Kevlar reinforcements.
D3o armor including back. Dow 2 piece chest armor.
Multiple vents and pockets and farkels.
Stupidly expensive.
After my little crash last fall I've taken a long hard look at what I am wearing. The gear I was wearing held up OK, but I was only going about 70 or 80 kph. There where a couple of seams that let go, and I was only on the tarmac for less than 100 feet. If I had been going 70 or 80 mph there would have been a lot more tears.
I have a buddy that rides with one. It is a jacket designed for adventure riding where you will see lots of off road trails. It's very nice but also quite heavy. It's designed to protect you from branches hitting you in the chest and other off road related functions. If you are not planning on doing this kind of riding it would not be a sensible purchase. There are better ways of getting protection for road riding. I'm leaning toward armor that you wear under a shell that will stay in place no matter what happens to your outer shell position. If you are looking for a better price and a more practical application have a look at some First Gear jackets. The TPG line is very good stuff.
Too much? Well that depends on the amount of disposable folding stuff you have available.
Looking at the Klim I was reminded of the Firstgear TPG Rainier jacket. Similar shape, same armour, waterproof but not goretex.
Half the price and a good reputation. I have one and it's a quality piece of gear. Worth a look if you're road riding in a wet climate. Depending on size, you might pick up a bargain on ebay right now.
I think wearing good gear is cheap insurance. Anything that protects you better and is more comfortable is a good thing. I have two riding suits. The cheaper one cost about $1,000 and the more expensive one cost about $1,300-$1,400 (combined cost of the jacket and pants). One thing I've found about the higher quality gear is that it is more comfortable as well as providing better protection compared to the lower quality gear. I've also found it to be well worth the money. So, if the jacket is comfortable and provides good protection, then no. I do not think it's too much.
Jeff in W.C.
1988 R100 RT
2018 R1200 GS
"I've got my motorcycle jacket, but I'm walking all the time." Joe Strummer/Clash
Jeff in W.C. wrote:I think wearing good gear is cheap insurance. Anything that protects you better and is more comfortable is a good thing. I have two riding suits. The cheaper one cost about $1,000 and the more expensive one cost about $1,300-$1,400 (combined cost of the jacket and pants). One thing I've found about the higher quality gear is that it is more comfortable as well as providing better protection compared to the lower quality gear. I've also found it to be well worth the money. So, if the jacket is comfortable and provides good protection, then no. I do not think it's too much.
The Klim Jacket and pants would easily be over $2000. Worth every penny if you are adventure touring, but if you're street riding, would be very heavy, and loaded with features you won't use.
I currently wear a Firstgear Kilimanjaro that is one generation old (2011). It leaks around the stretch panels on the arms. It is warm enough for local winter riding and vents fairly well when moving, but turns into a sauna when stopped, and that is here in Victoria where it doesn't get all that hot. The body of the jacket is ( I think ) 500 Cordura and the "impact areas" are 600D (the latest version is 640D). When I hit the deck last fall a couple of small seams let go, but no skin touched the ground.
I have come close to replacing it with the latest Kilimanjaro a couple of times, but lately have had time to really read and view a lot of reviews on jackets from under a hundred bucks to suits that are well over $2500. One recurring theme has surfaced, as you move up the food chain, the gear lasts a lot longer, is drier, safer, is more functional. As it should when you double and triple the price.
There are a few reasons that I have narrowed my sights on the Badlands Pro.
Safety: The heavy materials used meets of beats leather for abrasion resistance. The chest armor may be intended for off road use and may not stop broken bones in a bad accident, but it has to help more than having nothing there at all.
Waterproof: I prefer a waterproof shell design rather than having to stop to put on a waterproof liner on in the rain. I also like to have lots of vents to adjust as needed rather than a mesh jacket and liner, that is either on or off. There are lots of waterproof materials out there, but I don't know of any that breath the same as Gortex.
Fit: I have had a chance to try on a couple of sizes, on and off my bike, and I find the large fits me well, with and without a warm liner. The fact that it does fit me helps to take away the heavy feel of the fabric.
Surprisingly, our local BMW dealer has stock and matches US internet prices in Canadian dollars. Who'd a thunked it?
When I got off at 70 mph on pavement, my First Gear leather jacket got mior road rash, every seam held perfectly, and I still wear it today.
I have NEVER seen ANY textile jacket live through a 70 mph pavement crash and look even 1/4 as good.
Textiles have many advantages, and I have two of them (summer mesh and a bad weather Technics jacket). All the textile manufacturers try to claim they are near leather in protection, or superior to leather in protection. It's BS. The best textile jackets can give great protection, but, like a helmet, they sacrifice themselves in the process of protecting you. Racers need protection that can take a high speed get-off, and still hold up well enough for them to hop back on a bike and race - still protected. Racers are still all wearing leather.
There's a reason.
So, I wouldn't every consider paying more for a textile jacket because I wanted it to still be useful after a high-speed crash. It's like a helmet: weigh fit, protection, and price, and assume it will be thrown away if it ever does it's protection job.
Neil makes good points about armour staying in place. It ain't much use if it ain't where it should be.
I need new gear, all of it.
Leather still appeals to me the most.
I want to find suitable armour for all the vulnerable points. Armour that will work.
The back protector in Neal's link looks good.
It looks very good, ZM. It doesn't have the ventilation of my leather, but up in your climate, it would probably be very nice. I'd like it around Tahoe, but, even with the claimed cooler performance, I like ventilation when I get off the hill and down into Sacramento and Reno. Mine has chest, arm, and back vents - big ones.
