Richa Colorado 2 Textile Trousers Review: A Good Value Way To Keep Dry
The Colorado 2 trousers are a keenly priced alternative to expensive Gore-Tex options, but they do have one annoying flaw
Effective waterproof lining, stand up to use well, decent value
Doing an excellent job of keeping me dry during downpours since last autumn has been a Richa Infinity 2 Pro textile jacket. Rather than using a Gore-Tex lining and having a Gore-Tex price tag to match, it uses a waterproof laminated layer called Aquashell, which you’ll also find on the Richa Colorado 2 trousers I’ve paired the jacket with.
Where the weather has allowed, I’ve combined the jacket with riding jeans, but the Colorado 2 trousers have been my go-to throughout the winter months, and whenever I’ve needed to ride in the rain. Along with many hundreds of miles of road riding, I also put the trousers to the ultimate test with two days of off-road riding at the Sweet Lamb Ducati Riding Experience Adventure Academy in Wales.
Price: £289.99
Key features:
- Aquashell waterproof coating
- Detachable thermal liner
- Level 1 D30 knee armour
- Contra Glide section to prevent slipping on seat
I’ve been testing a size medium, which came up about as expected - my waist size is around 31 inches and leg size 31-32 inches. Velcro straps on each side of the waist give a good range of adjustment. After many months of use, including two off-road outings and one trip through the washing machine, the trousers have held up very well, looking as fresh as they did upon delivery with no signs of premature wear.
As with the Infinity 2 Pro jacket, the Aquashell lining needs to be singled out for praise. I’ve worn the trousers on several particularly wet rides, the longest of which was around two hours, and not once had any water make it through.
While off-roading at Sweet Lamb, I did get a little bit of dampness starting to come through, but that was only after charging through several big water crossings with a little too much enthusiasm. Some ingress is to be expected, really.
The zipped pockets are both a decent size and while there are zipped vents, the Colorado 2s aren’t all that breezy, so things do tend to get a little toasty during warmer times of the year. Meanwhile, the zipped cuffs mean I can fit the trousers over adventure-style boots easily enough, but it is a stretch to secure the velcro tab at the bottom.
In terms of comfort, the trousers are for the most part fine, except for one particularly annoying detail - on either side at the waist there are two chunky, firm joins in the fabric which can press against the skin. This is more noticeable when you’re off the bike and moving around, but it seems like a gaffe.
The tops of the pockets for the knee armour are also a little sharp, although that’s much less of a complaint than the chunky fabric joins around the waist. On that subject, it’s super easy to remove the armour should you want to wash the trousers, or fit beefier pads than the basic CE Level 1 stuff supplied as standard.
Should you buy Richa Colorado 2 textile trousers?
Those slightly stabby bits of fabric mean the Colorado 2 trousers don’t quite get the same glowing recommendation as the Infinity 2 Pro jacket we’ve paired them with, and we’d definitely suggest trying a pair on before buying to make sure that you’re happy with the comfort.
That said, they are certainly effective at keeping you dry, and cost a whole lot less than the equivalent Gore-Tex piece, which in the case of the Richa range (the Atlantic 2, which we’ve also tested) costs about twice as much. You could go cheaper still with the standard Richa Colorado trousers (note the lack of ‘2’), which get a fixed waterproof membrane instead of the Aquashell lamination. We haven’t tested these, though, so can’t say how effective they are in terms of keeping you dry.
Matt has a background in motoring journalism of the four-wheeled variety but has long had a passion for motorbikes, taking his first steps into riding in 2010.
