After seeing that my beloved cheap moto pants had been discontinued (AGV waxed cotton blasters, or something like that) I tried a bunch of different brands. Criteria was equal parts safety, and something I liked the look of enough to wear even if I wasn’t stepping foot on a bike.
Unfortunately...... Most moto pants are awful. Uncomfortable. Hideous.
Enter Uglybros.
I’d been saving those for last, as I really didn’t want to spend that kind of coin on clothing. After zero success elsewhere, I finally caved and tried some Kevlar lined Uglybro Motorpool K pants.
And God damn, they were everything the marketing department waxes poetic over.
I didn’t buy any at the time as the Triumph dealership didn’t have a color I wanted, but I knew. Yes... I knew. It would happen.
Fast forward a few weeks and a pair shows up outside my door. 36 waist, their largest size (damn I’ve packed on some pounds). Length is very long. I’m guessing 36-38". I’m 6'1" and even rolling the cuffs three times, the pants still bunch up a bit over low-cut shoes. Probably get ‘em hemmed at some point.
Fit? Absolutely perfect. Style? Well.... I wore them daily before coming to Asia, and got compliments left and right with tons of people asking about them. They’re tight, but very stretchy. Absolutely none of that loose boxy look. Yet with the beefy fabric, multiple overlaid panels and all the pockets, they don’t have the same painted-on look that a comparably tight pair of jeans would have. Weight-wise they feel comparable to a 14oz denim. Heavy, but not super heavy. However the stretchiness and breathability make them far easier to wear then said denim.
Stitching quality is fantastic, and I’d even say overkill in some places. Three belt loops on the very back is a bit rediculous to me.
The convenience of being able to remove knee pads on the fly (the knee pad pocket is on the outside of the pants unlike most competitors) cannot be understated. The... Err... Gusseted(?)... Knee and hip panels really do make a world of difference in terms of long-term comfort. And the pockets. Oh sweet baby Jesus, the pockets.
This is where I’ll mention that these moto pants were in fact the only pair of long pants I brought to Asia. And despite the heat, I’ve worn them on every flight, and each night when going out for drinks and clubbing in Tokyo and Bangkok. (they were left in the suitcase on the island paradise of Phi Phi).
You know how I said the knee armor is removable from the outside..? Well, that means you have two rediculously deep pockets that can hold tons of stuff, and are easily accessible whether you’re on a plane, bar stool, tuk-tuk, or whatever.
Left side knee pocket easily engulfed my phone and massive portable battery. Right side was a water bottle holder. The equally good button pockets on the upper legs took care of the rest, as a secure passport/wallet/gum spot.
I realize this sounds a bit silly, but when you’re flying 10 hours in economy, being able to keep track of your shit is a godsend. And after said 10 hours of flying... I again had zero complaints on the comfort front. Uglybros knows their shit. My wallet cries out at the thought, but I’m probably going to get more pairs at some point.
I think these are the best pants on the market, IF you want something you can wear downtown. If you just care about the protection, yeah. Definitely better options. It’s a real shame the AGV waxed cotton blasters aren’t around anymore. They were a third of the price, and basically a straight rip-off of the design if I recall correctly...
Any questions?