Riding jeans review: Furygan K11 X Kevlar tried and tested

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There are plenty of riding jeans around on the market and if you are after a pair, you are faced with several decisions; what protective CE rating will you accept? Do you want single-layer jeans or lined? What specification of armour do you want? What cut and what boots will you be able to wear with them? These Furygan K11 X Kevlar jeans take some of those difficult decisions away from you by offering a good value, well-specified pair of jeans ready to go.

First up, they are AAA CE Rated, the highest rating for abrasion resistance and build quality, meaning you can be sure that they will offer you the highest levels of protection. They are a single-layer construction, so even though there is a mesh lining inside, the protection comes from the outer layer of denim that is reinforced with proper Kevlar for strength and that abrasion resistance.

The Furygan K11 X Kevlar jeans are a traditional five-pocket western-style cut with a fairly narrow leg which means you will probably need a short boot to go inside the lower leg – unless you commit the cardinal sin of wearing them tucked into longer boots… You might need to consider sizing – I had to go a size larger than I usually take as they were a little conservative with the material, even with a degree of stretch to the denim.

As they are AAA rated, they must come with both knee and hip armour and this is provided by D3O – a long-time partner of Furygan. It is a material that is flexible and supple in normal use but as soon as it is subjected to an impact force, it solidifies to protect the wearer from the effects of that force. In these jeans, it is D3O’s ‘Ghost’ armour, described as the thinnest and most-flexible armour available.

Where some jeans are available in different leg lengths to make sure that the knee armour is always in the right place, the armour in the Furygan K11 X Kevlar jeans is adjustable in its position over a range of 60mm so that just about any rider – regardless of their leg length – can position the armour in the right spot.

In use, they are very comfortable, once you get the right size. The waist and legs are in a good proportion for me, even though straight cuts aren’t always flattering – or well-fitting. The slight stretch means you can easily move around on the bike but they don’t fit so tightly that you end up looking like a roadie for a 1970s metal band.

Related: Oxford Original Approved Jeans review | Furygan Universal Airbag Vest review

Despite – indeed, thanks to – the thin liner, the airflow within them is nice and I always found them to be cool enough and comfortable enough for a several-hour stint on the bike or a day-long session on the computer at work.

The Ghost armour is, as the marketing blurb says, very thin and flexible to the point that you barely notice it is there, at both the knees and the hips, the latter which can sometimes feel uncomfortable and cumbersome in other jeans. It is rated as Level-1 but described as exceeding it – clearly, its performance is somewhere between L1 and L2 though as it doesn’t reach the requirements of L2, it cannot be labelled as such.

Verdict

I like riding jeans, and I like the Furygan K11 X Kevlar jeans. They have the right protective ratings to make sure I am reassured while wearing them and physically, they are comfortable for riding the bike or moving around off it or at work.

I have typically short, chunky legs and I didn’t find them restrictive or a strange shape though I did need to go up one size larger than my normal.

The lower legs are quite narrow, so they will only really go over short boots and the adjustment means you can get the knee armour in just the right place for you.

Pros:

Highest-possible CE rating

Super-flexible D3O armour

Stretch material and straight cut

Cons:

Narrow lower legs so short boots necessary

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