The benefits of Kevlar reinforced jeans is obvious but in the past I have been vain enough to not want to wear denim that looks like it has come out of my dad’s wardrobe.
These Ixon Evil jeans have got a great cut to them and although the Kevlar inserts result in G-Star style stitching I think they look pretty good. Ixon offer a range of different cuts and colours with motorcyle jeans coming a long way in style over the last few years.
These jeans come with CE knee protectors and have two internal pockets on each leg to adjust the height in which they are housed. Despite this I’m not using them as the knee protectors were either way to high when riding the bike (above my knee), or way too low when off it.
The Evil jeans are comfy, with decent sized pockets and finished to a high standard. They certainly feel reassuring when on the move when compared to a regular pair of jeans. The additional Kevlar layer also means they are slightly thicker and warmer, so they will see much more use this time of year.
The trousers feature small poppers on the inside of the base of the trousers giving three different hem lengths. But it turns out this is my biggest issue with the jeans. They’re great if you’re on the short side and as you can reduce the height of the jeans. But it’s no good for my long legs (I was once called Tall Tom by Chris Walker) as it’s caused two annoying problems.
When on my daily commuter (SRAD) the highest hem poppers rub my skin just above the top of my boot. This itches my leg and is distracting. I haven’t worn them on a more upright bike but my Levi’s don’t itch so why should a pair of jeans designed especially for a biker?
More annoyingly, the lower line of poppers dig into and hurt my feet when I’ve taken my boots off. Obviously, not a problem when on the bike, but friend’s girflriends don’t seem to appreciate oil stains on their floors. So, when visiting friends, I have had to roll the hem of the jeans up, making me look like I actually have raided my dad’s wardrobe.
The benefits of these jeans are not in looks but when you’re sliding down the road cursing that wet manhole cover, minicab driver, patch of diesel or general lack of ability. The design of this pair has taken varying biker leg lengths into consideration, but perhaps mine are a little too long. Lanky rant over.
