Weise Gator jeans

Tested by Bertie Simmonds | £159.99 |www.weiseclothing.com

You remember your favourite pair of jeans? The ones you actually mourned for when you split the crotch on ‘em, outgrew them, or they just couldn’t be patched anymore?

I had a few pairs over the years – they went from flared, to drain-pipes to boot cut snow wash, bleached and back again. When I got into biking I used to wear jeans but was always fearful of falling off, even if they were probably safer than my knock-off, iffy ‘biker’ leather jacket from Ramsgate market. Since then, people have come out with Kevlar/ bike/super-strength jeans, often with armour that are CE-approved and the like, but – I’ve NEVER found any that were comfortable enough to wear on the bike for any great length of time.

At my age, comfort in bike clothing means contentment and safety; if you’re comfortable, then you’re concentrating on the road and what you’re doing. These Weise Gator Jeans are the first I’ve ever tried that I can say that about.

They are not only lightweight and comfortable, but also rated AAA for protection, which is the highest level CE standard. They are made from high-quality 440gsm denim, with a traditional fit and semi boot cut, for a good fit over riding footwear. A mesh lining adds to the denim’s natural breathability. To help protection, you’ve got abrasion-resistant, 250gsm aramid fibre lining, plus removable CE-approved armour at the knees and hips. All the main seams are doublestitched for strength and durability.

With other jeans I used to take the armour out, to help comfort and rely on the denim/Kevlar for protection.

Not so with these. With other jeans I’d get annoying ‘cold back’ syndrome, but these are cut high on the waist, so no gaps. Last year during our crazy hot summer, they were my go-to bottom halves, as – as tough as they are – they were cooler than getting sweaty unmentionables in my normal textiles. Sizes go from S-4XL

(30 to 42-inch waist) and come in classic denim blue. Utterly brilliant.