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Originally Posted by adouglas

Probably. But are you focusing so much on material that you've lost sight of the whole picture?

Kevlar jeans are not all the same.... see the link to that UK article in one of the other threads on this, the one with the guy wearing kevlar jeans that came apart so badly that the pic was bordering on NSFW. The best, most abrasion-resistant material ever created will do NOTHING to protect you if it's not covering your skin, right?

The same caveats that apply to leather pants hold with jeans, but more so. The protective layer is not the entire garment... it's panels stitched to the inside of the actual denim pants.

So abrasion aside, there are real questions about quality and style of stitching, and its ability to hold together. I think it's beyond doubt that cotton fabric and cotton thread will not withstand any kind of abrasion at all.

So... What kind of thread, for example? What kind of seam? The best leathers use Kevlar thread and seams that interlock for precisely this reason... so they won't rip apart.

Similar caveats apply regarding whether the armor will stay in place or not. Loose, which is comfortable and stylish in jeans, by definition means that the armor can move away from the area it's meant to protect. So "will this protect me as well as Kevlar jeans" depends in part on fit.

If you give some thought to how a garment works in total (not just according to one measure) you can make an informed choice and make the compromise that fits your needs.

Work it through. Picture in detail what will happen if you go down.

- Impact
- Sliding
- Friction that will grab, twist and pull at the fabric
- Abrasion that will eat away at whatever comes in contact with the ground

So style, comfort, materials etc. aside, what do you need to address those consequences of crashing? After all, that's the whole point of the exercise. If it doesn't matter, just go buy some plain jeans, save yourself some money and cross your fingers.

In other words: Magic materials don't automatically make riding jeans the be-all and end-all. This is a system and material is just one part of it.

- Impact: Armor that spreads the load, covering the areas most likely to hit something (knees, hips, tailbone, etc.)
- Sliding: Material that allows you to slide and come to a stop gently, vs. something that will grab and make you tumble
- Friction: Something that fits well enough and is sturdy enough to stay in place, and keep the armor where it's supposed to be
- Abrasion: Something that will allow you to come to a stop before it disappears

great post, and i understand everything you are saying. i also think i may have come across wrong, because you are under the impression i choose style>protection when it comes to the pants. leather pants all day every day is just not practical for me. im looking for the next best thing, whether it be a cordura pant, kevlar lined jean, covec lined jean, or whatever

. . .and why can i not "like" or "find post helpful"? theres no button to hit lol