£227 ‘Top tech-spec denim jeans’

Trilobite 661 Parado jeans

Tested by Justin Hayzelden for eight months

A pair of CE-certified denim riding jeans can be a low-profile option for many people, a way of wearing motorcycle clothing without looking like you’re wearing bike clothing. It gives the wearer the ability to blend in when you get to wherever you’re going, be it work, shopping or to hang out with mates.

But there are more advantages to denim jeans than just understated looks; top of the list are comfort and breathability and the

Trilobite Parados score highly here. That’s not to say they don’t look good, in fact they have a cool technical style, more like textiles or leathers, which incorporates the practicality of stretch panels and adjustable ventilation ports.

In terms of protection the Parados are certified to CE standard prEN17092, earning an AA for impact, abrasion and tear resistance, plus seam strength and numerous other tests that this standard subjects them to. For the most part, construction is 11.5oz cotton denim with a 2% Elastane mix for stretch, and a generous Kevlar aramid fibre lining on the seat and knees. CE Level 2 SAS-TEC armour is included for knee and hip.

The knee armour sits snugly in a fabric holder, which slips into a pocket where it can be adjusted up and down on a large Velcro panel for a custom fit. Although it provides the upper level in protection, I have swapped out the hip armour for Level 1 D3O Ghost armour, as the slimline design doesn’t have that ‘child-bearing-hip’ aesthetic!

Comfort is where these jeans excel, which is down to the stretch in the denim, a large flexible crotch panel and accordion panels at the lower back and above the knee. They feel great to wear and I’ve worn them all day on more occasions than I can remember, from the daily commute, to a 2000-mile tour around the Emerald Isle and numerous road tests. These are the slim-fit version, and they come up exactly true to size.

Waterproofing isn’t a feature, however the large zippable ventilation ports on the thighs ship a ton of air when wide open, providing a flow that will not only keep you cool, but help them dry out should you get caught in a summer shower.

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