Spidi Supercharged trousers in black

Without doubt, the motorcycle apparel industry follows trends, and so there are quite a few pants out there right now that look a little like these.

 

The Supercharged pants are lightweight, single-layer, textile pants that are infused with a goodly amount of Elastane for comfort and extra breathability. They are incredibly comfortable, and fit fairly slim. They have no membrane, so this is purely a warm weather trouser; an alternative, I suppose, to a pair of jeans.

 

Truth be told, they don't feel particularly protective, but we find ourselves saying that a lot about modern gear these days. Clothing seems to be getting ever lighter and more wearable without technically sacrificing safety. Indeed, the Supercharged pants are rated AA under the industry's abrasion test: EN17092. They come with Spidi's Level 1 Warrior armour in the knees and hips. And we like this armour because, whilst soft and flexible, it's larger than most such armour. You also get SuperFabric on the knees for extra abrasion resistance, although this is super-light SuperFabric. This isn't the full-fat stuff we normally come across.

 

There's not much more to say. You get three pockets, one of which is in the mould of a zipped, cargo-style pocket. Disappointingly perhaps, these pants come in just one leg length. That length is only 32", so they are not going to be right on taller folk. The back of the pant is quite high, so they will work well on the bike. As we've said, the fit is slim, and what that means is that, despite the built-in stretch, they are not going to go over a taller boot. They are designed to work with an ankle boot.

 

Trousers like these seem to be very popular. If you don't like jeans they are an interesting alternative. They cover all the bases. They meet the AA standard for abrasion resistance, yet take the armour out, and you could probably do a Yoga class in them. 

 

Despite their AA rating, this is probably not the kind of trouser you want to be wearing at speed on the motorway. And the issue that confuses people here is that the AA rating covers a huge range of abrasion resistance. The test works on the basis of a pass mark. Some garments just hit AA; others pass with a huge margin in hand. Our view is that this is a pant for the urban rider, or the guy who potters about on something a bit retro, perhaps. 

 

But, at £189. 99, you cannot really argue with the price of the Supercharged pants. Come and try a pair on. As ever, if they need shortening, or if the armour pockets need moving, we'll do that within the price.