Oxford Original Approved (Regular)

Tested by: Mikko Nieminen | £119.99 | www.oxfordproducts.com

Forget about motorcycle jeans being bulky and uncomfortable – Oxford Original Approved are about as close to regular fashion jeans as you can get without losing the protective qualities.

The jeans are made with a single-layer construction, so there is no aramid lining. Instead the highly durable denim features a hard-wearing polyamide fibre in the weave to form Armourlite 13.5oz denim.

In terms of protection, these jeans have it covered. The garment itself is AA CE-approved, the knee protectors are CE Level 2, and the hip protectors CE Level 1. Armour comes as standard with the jeans and feels comfortable to wear, although the Level 1 hip protectors are quite thick. There is no adjustment for the protectors, but I found them to be pretty well placed. The only thing I would have changed would have been to make the knee protector pockets narrower to stop them moving sideways when you’re off the bike.

You have all the normal pockets that you’d expect in jeans, so you can easily stash away your phone, keys and wallet, but the front pockets could have slightly larger openings to give better access. There’s a YKK zip and button fly, and triple stitching in the seat of the jeans.

These jeans are comfortable to wear on and off the bike, are nice and cool in summer because of the single-layer structure, and they feel strong and well made. You could happily wear them to go to the pub as well as to go for a ride – just pop the protectors out and leave the bike keys home first.