I am an ordinary guy who enjoys riding motorcycles. I love riding all makes and models. I love short rides, long rides, and multi-day road trips. I post reviews about motorcycle gear, motorcycles, roads, restaurants, sights, gadgets and more. The Motorcycle Facts,Trivia and History page has a lot of good info. Be safe and enjoy the ride, Oz.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Comfortable Protective Jeans & Bobster Sunglasses

Two years ago I read about jeans that had strategic Kevlar reinforcement.  I bought a pair of jeans that had the reinforcement and stretch material in the crotch and above the knees.  They were OK, but not as comfortable as I had hoped.

Well, I decided to give a different brand and style of the protective jeans a chance.  I visited the Riders Discount and ordered a pair of Shift Lodown Street Jeans.

The Lodown jeans come in "dark indigo" (lightly faded black) and "light indigo" (faded blue).  I ordered the dark indigo.  The jeans have five pockets, two front pockets, two back pockets, and one key pocket.  Kevlar reinforcement is included in the knees, butt, and hips.  The seams for the extra protection is not too noticeable so the jeans have a traditional look.

Quality of the fabric and the stitching is very good.  Snaps and zipper looked good and worked great.  There are limited waist sizes (30 - 40) and no options for the inseam length.  When I received the jeans they had to be cut and hemmed (I am 5'6").

Once I had them altered I was ready to test them.  I have worn them on 4 different rides of various distances and I have found them much more comfortable than the other jeans.  The Lodown Jeans have a loose and comfortable fit.  The pockets are slightly bigger than traditional Levi or Wrangler jeans.  I was able to move and squat/sit without any problems or discomfort.

Time will tell, but the jeans seem very well made and durable.  I know that I love them and will be purchasing more.  They look good enough to wear even when I am not riding.  I highly recommend the Shift lowdown street jeans.

I also took a chance on some "transition" sunglasses, they are suppose to go from near clear to dark based on the amount of light.  I ordered the Bobster Phontochromic Hooligan Sunglasses from Riders Discount.

The glasses are very comfortable and the workmanship is top-notch.  The glasses fit well and protect my eyes from the wind when riding.  I really like them for evening and/or night riding.  They do not get dark enough for me in the bright sunlight.  I found that the glasses were slow in darkening and that they just did not block enough of the bright light.

I keep the glasses on the bike to use when riding at dusk, dawn, and night.  Bobster makes comfortable sunglasses, but I would not recommend the Hooligan Sunglasses for everyday usage, but they are great for the times when the light is low.

3 comments:

  1. I purchased those same jeans from Riders Discount and like them. I wouldn't describe them as traditional though. I think they are a little more hip with a younger style than your average pair of Levi's. They have that cool young baggy look going on with the butt pockets positioned lower than traditional jeans. I feel a more fashionable wearing these than I do my Levi's. The Kevlar is a bonus of course. Just a little more added protection.

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  2. I guess the jeans are more "cool." The loose fit is very comfortable.

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  3. I wore these jeans for four days straight and only had a problem if it was warm at the end of a long day of riding. Other than that they are great jeans.

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