MO Tested: Rev’It Davis TF Riding Pants

I never thought I’d become a snob when it comes to riding jeans. I certainly don’t pay much attention to the style of the normal jeans I wear when I’m out and about. And for the longest time, any pair of riding denim I sampled worked just fine. In fact, I’ve been happy to see a shift in riding denim as manufacturers have come up with new ways to make them thinner and less bulky while still providing the abrasion (and slight impact) protection motorcycle clothing requires. This shift towards making riding denim almost indistinguishable from regular jeans is great, but it’s only recently that I’ve seen another trend developing that I haven’t been too keen about.

First it was the inseam length. Different pairs of denim, from different manufacturers, were the perfect length when standing, but once in the riding position the pant leg would ride up and expose skin above my riding shoe from my ankle to the bottom of my calf. Clearly, this is not ideal. But this wasn’t the worst of it. What drove me nuts was the new trend in riding jeans to become more and more slim fitting, almost to the point of being riding tights instead of riding jeans. It got to the point where I couldn’t stick my knee out. Not that I wanted to drag my knee on the street, I just want to be able to move my lower body naturally. Is that so much to ask?

MO Tested: Massive Riding Jeans Buyer's Guide

Thus began my quest for a new pair of riding pants I could feel comfortable wearing on and off the bike, with proper inseam lengths for sitting on a motorcycle, and either flexible material or a larger cut so I could move my legs freely. The search landed me at Rev’It and the Davis TF riding pants.

MO Tested: Massive Riding Jeans Buyer's Guide – Part 1

The Dutch Do It Different

You might be thinking those don’t look like jeans. You’d be right. The Davis TF has more of a khaki look and style to it. That’s only part of the reason why I gravitated towards them. The other part was the relaxed fit and the option to choose three different inseam lengths – the shortest of which (32 inches) is already longer than what I wear with my normal jeans (34 and 36 inches are the other inseam options). I already knew these would provide coverage to my lower leg and ankle while in the seating position, and the looser fit would make it easy to move my legs around on the bike.

MO Tested: Massive Riding Jeans Buyer's Guide – Part 2

Looking at the Davis TF in pictures and on the Rev’It website is one thing. What I didn’t realize was how comfortable the Davis TF pants would be. A big part of the credit goes to the stretch Cordura material the pants are made from. Unlike yesterday’s riding jeans, or even normal jeans, the Davis TF has some built-in stretch in the Cordura fabric itself, so you get better range of movement with the added benefit of abrasion protection already built-in. The end result is a riding jean that’s thinner and less bulky than riding pants of yore, with way more comfort and just as much protection.

MO Tested: Massive Riding Jeans Buyer's Guide – Part 3

Convenience features include the the deep pockets front and back (two in front, two in back), gussets at the back of the knee to accommodate the natural knee bend while you’re riding, and reflective piping on the underside of the hem, to better help other vehicles see you in case you’re the type who prefers to fold your pant legs up.

MO Tested: Massive Riding Jeans Buyer's Guide – Part 4

By definition, riding jeans are a compromise between ultimate protection and comfort. Loose fitting pants like these will inevitably slide and move if you fall down. In addition to the stretch Cordura, the Davis TF is also constructed with triple needle stitching and both visible and invisible safety seams in high-risk areas. To help minimize the hurt that comes from smacking the ground with your hips or knees, Rev’It uses SeeSmart CE-level 1 armor in both areas. The knee protectors are extremely flexible and breathable for comfort, and are also adjustable for position within the knee pocket compartment so you can place it right over your knee.

In case you didn’t catch the vibe by now, the Davis TF is the pair of riding jeans I’ve been looking for. When I’m wearing them on the bike I practically forget they’re there, mainly because it doesn’t restrict my movement. I can’t say the same about the last few pairs of riding denim I’ve worn (granted, from different manufacturers). Feeling like my legs are locked into position because of my pants is frustrating, especially when riding practically anything other than a cruiser.

If I did have anything negative to say about it, it’s the inability for me to wear full-riding boots under the pant leg – the stretch Cordura isn’t that stretchy. And wearing the full boots over the pants would just be weird and uncomfortable with the pant leg bunching up. Then again, if I wanted to wear a full-riding boot, I should pick a more appropriate pair of pants.

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