Since I’ve been doing more dual sport/adventure types of rides it has quickly become apparent that I need some good gear to handle all types of riding situations. But there-in lies the problem – how do you find a product that can handle anything you can throw at it? I ride street, dual sport, dirt, super moto, ice and just about anything else I can when the chance arises.
I have a couple of good jackets that cover most of my riding needs – a fully vented Icon jacket for hot summer days, a KTM Street Evo jacket for most any time of the year (it has a removable thermal liner and is waterproof), and a 10 year old Reima Warrior jacket that I wear for most of the dual sport rides. The Reima jacket has a zip out thermal liner, padding in the spine, shoulders and elbows and is waterproof thanks to its “Reimatec” material. Reima is no longer available in the U.S. . I believe it was a Finnish company and was distributed in the U.S. by Tucker Rocky but the U.S. rights were bought by Scott (the goggle people) and it just never did well and kind of faded away.
So the top half I have pretty well covered but I have been eyeing up the KTM Pure Adventure jacket as a replacement for the Reima and they have a matching set of Pure Adventure pants that seem like a great value. My riding buddy C.J. has a Hein Gerike “Toureg” jacket (also about 10 years old) that has served him well and the KTM seems to be built similarly and with a lot of the same features. Both the jacket and pants are wind proof, water proof and breathable, made from polymide outer shell with a removable, waterproof “z-liner” and removable thermal liner.
KTM Pure Adventure Jacket
KTM Pure Adventure Pants
Description from the KTM Powerwear Catalog:
Windproof and waterproof, breathable touring pants made from polyamide with multiple reinforcement areas. Sweat-absorbent inner lining comprised of 100% polyester mesh. SaS-Tec protectors on the knees, viscoelastic foam on the hips, SaS-Tec hip protectors available as an option. Stretch zones above the knee, in the hollow of the knee and on the back for greater flexibility. High-cut back. Two zipped pockets, two waterproof pouch pockets on the thigh. Comfort stretch waistband, rapid waistband adjustment, calf width adjustment (pants can be worn inside or outside of boots — we recommend wearing them over your boots). Windproof and waterproof front closure, ventilation zip. Connecting zip. Suitable for use in summer thanks to removable thermal lining and waterproof thanks to removable Z liner. Reflective safety patches on the knees and the back of the pants.
So the long and short of it is these pants should fill nearly all my riding needs, with armor and outer protection in case of any road spills, water proof and insulated for my dual sport and colder weather riding, perfect for ice riding this winter and when summer comes just zip out the liners and open the vents! I wear a 36″ pant so I ordered up a set and they fit fine unless I wanted to put them over my jeans for my daily commute, then they were a little tight. I tried again with a set of 38″ and wore them home tonight for the first time and they fit perfect over my jeans. It was about 48 degrees and drizzling on the ride home and the pants worked great. Never felt any cold or wind with them on and it really made the ride more enjoyable. And it’s always good to know you have a little extra protection when riding at night in deer country.
A couple of other points on this jacket and pant set from KTM: High quality, waterproof gear like this is normally quite expensive, anywhere from $379.00 to $1,300.00 just for a jacket and the pants can range from $300-$700.00 or more. The Pure Adventure jacket is priced at $299.99 and the pants are $179.99!! This is an unbelievably good price for a jacket and pant set of this quality. KTM also has the AQ Adventure jacket and pant set priced at $429.99 and $309.99 and the specs are vitually the same except for some leather features in certain areas. And even this more expensive set is a good buy in comparison to some of the other products on the market.
My initial impression is that these are very good and versatile pants that will fit many of my riding needs. I will post my results after a little time with them and some ice riding this winter.
Dual Sport Warehouse 