MERLIN ZOEY D3O® SINGLE LAYER LADIES RIDING JEANS | PRODUCT REVIEW

WITH so much choice when it comes to motorcycle clothing it can be a minefield knowing what to buy. Merlin is a true British brand, established just 10 years ago by a small team who wanted clothing that didn’t compromise on safety and security whilst looking stylish. In just two years the brand went global whilst still focusing on style and innovation.

Having little experience with motorcycle clothes I was very surprised by the Zoey D3O® single layer Ladies jean, they were a lot more stylish than I expected. I had envisioned motorcycle clothing as big bulky (and ugly) but these jeans look no different to my usual black skinny jeans. Due to the nature of the Cordura® denim they are a little on the thicker side of a jean so I found them a tad warm in the super hot months. This would be fine if you were just out on a ride but I use my Scooter to commute, therefore I often end up wearing my jeans to trek across London for the day.

At just 5 foot 4 I often find jeans that are marked as ‘regular’ too long for me, and these were no different. I went ahead and rolled them up and to my surprise there were reflective strips at just the right point. So even for us shorties the Merlin team have kept safety at the forefront of the design. All of the 5 pockets on the jeans are deep and usable which is a great feature for any jeans. The Zoey jeans also have the loops to connect them to your jacket although even if you don’t use these the jeans didn’t gape or fall down when sat on the bike meaning no cold draft.

In the excitement of trying on the  jeans I ripped off the label and got straight out in them, realising after the fact that I needed to adjust the D3O®’s ‘fit and forget’ Ghost knee pads. Having had little experience I went looking for some instructions online and couldn’t find anything. I did work it out as it isn’t tricky but could be useful to have such guides available online for newbies. The knee and hip protectors are both removable and really lightweight, you really do forget about them.

Overall I loved the jeans and would 100% recommend them, I am a size 18 in normal jeans, so was unsure on sizing but I ordered a 2XL (the largest size offered in this style) and they fit perfectly. 

Specifications

Innovative single layer Cordura® denim riding jean

Merlin branded cotton armour pockets

YKK® fly zipper

D3O®’s ‘fit and forget’ Ghost knee and hip armour pre-fitted

Adjustable knee armour positions

CE EN17092 Level ‘AA’

5 pocket design

Slim cut

Reflective turn up in the ankle

Euro hoop jacket to jean connection point