10 of the Best: Kevlar jeans

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Denim and motorcycling have gone hand-in-hand since the days of the Rockers in the late 60s and Kevlar jeans go one better for keeping you protected in a spill than a pair of Levis.

Looking like regular denim jeans on the outside, internally they are lined with abrasion resistant material and are often held together with tough stitching to keep them from tearing up as you slide down the tarmac.

We’ve pulled together 10 of the best and most stylish motorcycle jeans priced between from £69.99 to £199.99 that have the appearance of regular denim and feature Kevlar lining, pockets to insert armour and when available CE-approved protection.

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Hornee SA-M8

Hornee SA-M8

The cheapest in our selection are Hornee’s SA-M8s, priced from £69.99. These regular fit jeans feature Kevlar coverage around the thighs, knees, upper legs and the seat. The jeans are also held together with heavy duty double stitching along the seams.

Every pair of Hornee jeans come with a set of one size fits all knee armour. Whereas other jeans have pads inserted into internal pockets, Hornee’s are completely separate with BMX-style kneepads that are to be worn underneath the jeans, they are in a stretchable sleeve and come with a Velcro strap to further improve fit and keep the armour in place in a spill.

Price: From £69.99
Colours: Blue
Sizes: Waist 30 – 42”
www.feridax.com

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RST Wax Denim

RST Wax Denim

RST’s Wax Denim Kevlar jeans has Kevlar across the upper leg, thigh, knees and seat, with an extra feature of a mesh fabric lining over the panels to allow the area to be more breathable.

For extra protection the jeans have pockets at the knees and hips, and come with RST’s own Contour Plus kneepads.

Price: £84.99
Colours: Black
Sizes: Waist 30 – 40”
rst-moto.com

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Oxford SuperSliderz Workman

Oxford SuperSliderz Workman

Oxford’s SuperSliderz jeans are available in two different styles: the SS2 Casual or the rugged-looking SS1 Workman jeans featured here.

It features Kevlar panels in the knees, thighs and seat that is triple stitched in place. The waistline of the jean also gets a longer cut of Kevlar and double stitching, which should prevent the material from shifting upon crashing.

The SuperSliderz have pockets at the knees and hips and comes with Oxford’s own knee armour as standard.

Price: £99.99
Colours: Black, Blue
Sizes: Waist 30 – 40”
www.oxprod.com

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Hood K7

Hood K7

The British-made K7 jeans from Hood look like traditional denim from the outside and differ from the rest using woven Kevlar and virtually complete coverage, which for under £100 is more comprehensive than the other jeans featured here.

The K7 is not supplied with armour but its lining features Velcro strips to attach Knox armour, which is sold separately, priced at an extra £19.98 for Advanced X and Flexi-lite (seen here) for £39.98.

Price: £99.99
Colours: Blue, Black
Sizes: Waist 30 - 44”. Leg 28 - 36”
www.hoodjeans.co.uk

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Richa Metal

Richa Metal

Richa’s Metal has Kevlar reinforcement located around the knee, thigh and seat areas and for comfort the material has a layer of mesh fabric stitched over it.

Richa include a set of knee armour that slides into internal panels.

They’re smart-looking, but are only available in a simple dark navy. The only hint at their motorcycle-riding nature is the seam at the knee that allows for improved movement when riding.

Price: £99.99
Colours: Blue
Sizes: 28 – 44”
www.nevis.uk.com

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Furygan Jean 01

Furygan Jean 01

These are the only ones here that look the least like motorcycle jeans, from the outside they have the appearance of traditional dark denim jeans but internally the plain named Jean 01 features Kevlar reinforcement to the main abrasion points.

At £119.99 the Jean 01 also gets the added bonus of soft and unobtrusive D3O knee armour. However, they don’t include any hip protection, or pockets to insert any padding.

Price: £119.99
Colours: Blue
Sizes: 26 - 40"
www.nevis.uk.com

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Alpinestars Axiom

Alpinestars Axiom

Alpinestars’ Axiom jeans are for the more fashion conscious biker. With stylish detailing on the rear pockets, what sets them apart from regular jeans is reassuring coverage focussed at the seat, hips and back of the thighs and around the knee.

It is the only one to feature a vertical zip at the bottom of the trouser leg, this allows for the Axiom to be put on easily over bulky motorcycle boots. However, for their £149.99 price tag the only thing that puts the Axiom jeans behind its rivals is a lack of armour as standard, there are only pockets to insert knee protection.

Price: £149.99
Colours: Blue
Sizes: 23 - 38"
www.alpinestars.com

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Draggin Biker

Draggin Biker

Draggin’s Biker jeans are constructed of a stretch denim that allows the lower portion to fit over the top of boots.

The Biker has thick Kevlar lining that covers the crash sensitive knee, thigh and seat areas. There is a pocket to insert your own armour, however, it is sized rather large so any armour can be shifted out of place.

In the market Draggin are one of the most well known brands, but compared to some of the emerging jeans available they are starting to look dated with a visible panel on the front and for the £169.99 price they come without armour as standard.

Price: £169.99
Colours: Blue, Grey
Sizes: Waist 28 – 44”, Leg 24”
www.thekeycollection.co.uk

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John Doe Kamikaze

John Doe Kamikaze

Despite the questionable name of John Doe and the £199.99 for their Kamikaze jeans, they do offer 360 degree Kevlar coverage right down to the shins and removable kneepads. It features a breathable mesh lining through and the outer denim has been given a water repellent treatment.

It lacks internal pockets to insert hip protection and again, there is that price tag…

Price: £199.99
Colours: Blue, Black
Sizes: Waist 28 - 44" Leg 32 - 36"
www.ridejohndoe.com

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Kyrano G8

Kyrano G8

From the sister brand of Hood jeans, is the Kyrano G8. They are the joint most expensive in this showcase at £199.99.

The G8 has 360 degree Kevlar lining from the waistband down to the shins. But unlike the John Doe Kamikaze, it has a double-layer of Kevlar protection at the hips, knees, thighs and the seat, with Kevlar thread at all the major seams.

Lightweight D3O armour is fitted to the hips and knees. They easily offer the most protection, but are the heaviest and then there is that price.

Price: £199.99
Colours: Black, Blue
Sizes: Waist 30 to 44”, Leg 28 to 36”
www.kyrano-uk.com

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