Aerostich AD-1 riding trousers review

“Are those protective?” asks my 5-year-old neighbour, pointing at the Aerostich AD-1 Pants I’m wearing. (Yes, pants. That’s what Aerostich calls them)

He knows I write about motorcycles and has worked out this is why I am standing in our garage bay, taking pictures of my legs.

“Yes,” I say. “They’re very good.”

He squints at me, pausing to collect the words in his mind.

“Some people won’t know if they’re protective,” he says. “You should let people know they’re protective.”

So, the first thing you need to know about these USA-made riding trousers is that they are protective. They are also waterproof, rugged, functional, and good for most uses. And I highly recommend them.

From the Land of Sky Blue Waters

It’s possible you’ve not heard of Aerostich. The company has been around for more than 40 years, and has die-hard fans around the world, but it’s never had a large footprint in the United Kingdom.

Its headquarters are located in Duluth, Minnesota, which is a city you probably won’t have heard of, either - unless you were paying close attention when reading The Great Gatsby. It is not what you’d call a motorcycling hotspot. The state of Minnesota is relatively flat. Snow can fall at any time from September to May. And in winter, the temperature stays below 0ºC for months in a row. Roads are also patrolled by some of the most humourless police forces I’ve ever encountered; I once got a speeding ticket for going 37 mph in a 35-mph zone.

Through much of the 20th century, Duluth was home to a thriving textiles industry, producing everything from underwear to snazzy woollen suits. The bottom dropped out in the late 1970s with such intensity that a young man named Andy Goldfine was able to purchase a factory and a bunch of equipment for almost nothing. He was in his mid-20s, had no business experience, and didn’t have a clue what he wanted to do with his factory and industrial sewing machines. Eventually, he focused in on one of his biggest loves - motorcycling - and created an article of clothing that is iconic in some circles, notorious in others: the Roadcrafter.

It’s a one-piece textile riding suit. It is famously unflattering. It is also a really F’ing good piece of kit. Google it. You’ll find dozens of positive reviews from over the years. Probably one of them from me; I’ve got a third-generation R3 Roadcrafter that I love.

The company’s AD-1 Pants are effectively a take on the Roadcrafter theme: durable, utilitarian, waterproof, easy-on/easy-off, and all-day comfortable. They offer a certain amount of versatility over a Roadcrafter and their design resolves one of the biggest issues that Roadcrafter owners have with their suits.

Fit and function

You get five pockets in total: two hip pockets, two thigh pockets, and a rear pocket.

The rear pocket is held shut by hook-and-loop fastening (Velcro, to you and me), and large enough to hold my wallet and still shut properly. Of course, I work in moto-journalism: there’s not much in my wallet.

All the other pockets are as wide as an A5 notebook but not quite as long.

The two hip pockets are sealed by hook-and-loop, with overlapping fabric to help keep the elements out. On the left thigh, you’ve got a cargo pocket with hook-and-loop fastening and overlapping fabric. The pocket on the right has a waterproof zipper.

All the pockets are waterproof, but the zippered one is most protected from the elements. That pocket also has strips of partial hook-and-loop fastening across the top and bottom. Aerostich sells a number of products, such as map holders, that you can strap to your leg this way.

The AD-1 Pants are sized according to waist, with two corresponding leg lengths: Regular or Long. If you happen to go on a road trip that includes eating lots of pies, the waist has some customisation. Three popper buttons on each side mean there are potentially six levels of adjustability.

In addition, you get Aerostich’s Money Belt: a nylon webbing belt with a small zipper pocket running along the inside. Ostensibly to carry banknotes on adventures. But who carries cash these days?

Down the outside of each leg are waterproof zippers. These run from the waist to the ankle, so you could, if so inclined, remove the AD-1 Pants in dramatic style - like an NBA player, or a stripper, or an NBA player who has fallen on hard times and now works as a stripper.

The placement of these zips on the outside of the leg remedies the biggest issue that Roadcrafter users have. On that one-piece suit, the zipper’s placement can result in rain leaking through at the crotch, which means showing up to work looking like you’ve wet yourself. No such worries with the AD-1 Pants.

The trousers also have a standard opening of (waterproof) zippered fly and popper button closing. Useful when doing a wee in a lay-by. The lower leg meanwhile is secured by a popper button and adjustable via a thick strip of hook-and-loop fastening.

AD-1 Pants are made of “HT500 Denier Nylon three layer TLTex” fabric. I don’t really know what that means, but the feel of the fabric - in terms of quality and ruggedness - is almost identical to the 500 Denier Cordura TLTex fabric used on Roadcrafters.

A choice of knee armour is offered with the trousers, but you will need to pay a little extra for Aerostich’s hip armour. I’d advise that you don’t bother. More on this in a bit.

A bit like the bottom half of a Roadcrafter, but better

In January of this year, I wore these on a ride from West Sussex to Scotland. Temperatures were unpleasantly cold, dipping to -6ºC at times. Meanwhile, a weekend or so ago, I rode them on a jaunt from West Sussex to Cornwall. Temperatures on that trip climbed to 29ºC. In both cases, the AD-1 Pants were the perfect choice.

Effectively, they are a road- and waterproof outer layer. Dress accordingly underneath - be that in thermal leggings or board shorts or nothing. Riding to work or to meet friends? Smart trousers or jeans also work well underneath.

Having ridden through rain and snow in these, I can attest to their weather protection. And the fact I have worn them for thousands of miles is a testament to their comfort. They’re also my go-to if I’m just popping out for an afternoon “clearing my head” ride. Those big zips down the side mean they come on or off without fuss - even when wearing boots.

Aesthetically, they look like adventure bike or hiking trousers, without being over the top. A lot of textile trousers have an adventure styling that is just too extreme, making it look as if you are the sort who could backflip a 1290 Super Adventure R. When, in fact, you’ve simply ridden a Tracer 7 to a Costa. These don’t feel silly.

The less-than-good stuff

If you want a hardcore adventure trouser, these may not fit the bill simply because there isn’t any ventilation. I suppose you could open up the side zips a little, but then you’d be exposing your legs to the road.

Outside of that, there’s not a lot to complain about. At least not with the AD-1 Pants in and of themselves. The knee armour that comes with them, however, may not be to every rider’s taste.

Aerostich offers two different versions of its proprietary TF armour with the trousers. Aerostich has a lot of anecdotal evidence to suggest this armour is as good or better than the armour you might get in trousers from, say, Richa. The problem is, because the majority of its customers are in the United States, Aerostich has never bothered to get the armour tested to meet European regulations.

So, it can’t really say whether its armour meets European standards. It probably does - I genuinely believe it does - but no one knows for sure. Additionally, its armour is enormous. This results in your walking around with outsized, comedy knees - like you’re a character in an early 2000s sketch show.

The solution is to simply scrap the Aerostich armour and buy some pieces of D3O. It’s less conspicuous, arguably a little more comfortable, and meets Level 1 or Level 2 standards - depending on what suits your fancy.

The other ‘drawback’ isn’t really a drawback, just a bit of procedural annoyance. AD-1 Pants are shipped from the United States. You’ll probably be stuck paying VAT and duty fees.

According to an import duty calculator I found online, this adds roughly £90 - bringing the overall price of the AD-1 Pants to just shy of £550. As of this writing, at least. The actual amount you pay will depend on how well or poorly the dollar and pound are doing at the time you order.

Verdict

I love these trousers. I’ve been wearing them regularly for about five months and am certain they will be just as high-quality and reliable as the R3 Roadcrafter I’ve been using for more than seven years.

I realise that waving the American flag doesn’t count for much in the UK - even at the best of times - but I also really love that these are made in the USA. In Minnesota, where I used to live. I have visited the factory in Duluth, eaten barbecue and talked nonsense with Andy Goldfine, and met many of the people who work there. The names of the four people directly involved in the making of my particular pair of AD-1 Pants are handwritten inside the leg. That means a lot to me. It makes this bit of riding kit feel special and personal.

But even if you’re not some weird sentimental softy, it’s nice, isn’t it, to get gear that ISN’T made in China or Pakistan.

The gear isn’t cheap. Especially if you get hit with import duty fees (there’s always a possibility the Red Tape Monster will overlook your package). But these trousers will last a long time (Roadcrafter owners will hold onto their suits for 20+ years). And they may be the only pair of trousers you need for all occasions. For me, they’re worth it. As I said at the start, I highly recommend them.

Oh, and they’re protective.

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