True but you also have to look at the countries. Most don't have speeds like the USA. Hell in Colombia I saw a drunk guy on a bike straight frontal a car then picked himself up and grabbed his bike. Some of these countries literally don't need the same level of protection. Weaving through traffic at 20 mph honestly your Levis and some decent gloves from the tools store would protect you in a whoopsie. Hauling ass doing a wheelie at 125mph on the super slab in the US requires different levels of protection. These videos don't let people known this gear (as great and awesome as it is) is a 100% no go in most places in the US or similar motorway countries.
CE AAA rating for garments is 4 seconds of slide at 120kph (about 75mph). These are the minimums, and manufacturers are not required to state how long their garments survive other than their basic rating. Leathers will always be more protective but the fact that something so thin achieved a AAA rating at all is incredible
Agreed, most leathers will offer better/longer protection when sliding across the asphalt at higher speeds, unless it's thin like lambskin leather. The EN 17092-2:2020 standard that stipulates the abrasion and impact requirements for the CE AAA class of PPE motorcycle garments has been established correctly, as sliding at 120 km/h or 75 mph across asphalt, even when wet, you'll come to a standstill in less than 4 seconds.
And you never hold the 120 kmh if you slide over the street. You will immediately slowed down. If you think on the normal B-Roads your normal average speed is hard to keep over 70 kmh. Look at your board computer. So it should fit all your needs - of course excluding the race track.
Exellent review, Evan! I agree that Bowtex CA AAA-rated shirt and leggings are a godsend for riders in hot climates or who prefer riding in their casual clothes because they don't want to look like a Power Ranger. I'm a convert too, as the airflow through the Dyneema mesh fabric is incredible. As for the stretch of the elastic waistband of the leggings, I'm bigger than you and I had been wearing these leggings on my journeys in Portugal, Thailand, and Vietnam before I passed them on to you. But your observation is on point, the newer versions come with a drawstring. Like you, I wear them as my only pants when city riding in Thailand. On my adventure/off-road trips, I wear the Bowtex leggings under the Mosko Moto Kiger Mesh Pants when it's hot (maximum airflow) or under my Mosko Moto Surveyor Pants in cooler temperatures, reassured that I have maximum impact and abrasion protection while enjoying the airflow and breathability. Cheers!
well, it is your hide and you are protecing it as you see fit. best of luck to you, sir. having ridden, and occasionally crashed, over 34+ years in all weather conditions in almost anything that one can wear on a motorcycle leathers are, in my opinion, still the best option. but that is just me.
I agree with my 46 years of experience. I gave my Ewald leather trousers from 1978 away and I'm currently using a pair of AAA jeans. I had more trust in my untested Ewalds.
Thanks for this review. I live and ride in Thailand and looking for something like this. Brutally hot and finding something light and protective is difficult. Much appreciated.
I have a Bohn set. Same thing, but Bohn's been doing this for many years. Still, i wear a proper armored motorcycle jacket most of the time, but it's a good substitute in really hot, hot weather.
@windyrun7979 i don't believe so. My old set (10 years? Was CE1... this last year I got a new set of winter pants and a new summer shell. The armor is now CE2. I think the concept of being able to wear anything you want over the armor...and have it not move in an impact... is very valuable. I like it anyway. No matter the brand, I like the concept and it's allowed me to wear all sorts of choices over the armor.
Wow man, nice info here! I've been looking for something like this for a while now. It would be great to see how these stack up against the Pando stuff!
This is an EU standard, so it has to be validated by an independent testing facility to be approved. It is unlikely that an european brand like Bowtex (from Belgium) or Pando Moto (from the Netherlands) could lie about this as consistently as they do. In the case of Bowtex, you can find some information about which facility did the testing but not which tests have been done. But you can always check the EU regulation to see the minimum required to pass, which machinery is used etc...
I would wear this equipment when ice skating, cycling or motorcycling at a max 60kph/35mph. It's much better than not wearing anything, but seriously inadequate in any high speed slide or impact.
If you think that stuff is great you should see the panty hose that I wear in place of a helmet. I can slide on asphalt on my face and head at 130 mph while wearing it & still have an open casket funeral.
I hope it's only summer pantihose as you wouldn't want to get too hot or not look cool. The safety garment industry is skewed towards comfort and fashion. Safety is now only a secondary concern. Look at the stuff the UK bike police officers wear, it would be about equivalant to AAAAAA. (CE 3 in old ratings).
@@EvanMeetsRoadI live in northern Argentina. Summer (very long) temps are near 100 degrees. I can't wear many layers. Armor is nice on gravel roads but I can't stand the heat. All this special gear looks like a pain. I ride every day but not very far. I ride slow and easy. At 74 years old and long retired I'm not in a hurry.
@@richardahola692 These perform well in heat. The weave is pretty open - allows a lot of airflow. I wear these in 100+ F and 100% humidity in Thailand with a light jersey over top. Not hot when I'm moving.
Thanks for the review. Ive been looking in to base layers but somehow ended up getting moto jeans. On the topic of pockets - Ive seen some riders use leg pouches. Might be a good idea as they dont intervene with sitting or getting up on the bike. Ive used to have hip bag that I put on the side. Maybe as they are a base layer on your next vid you could touch the subject of washing. Is there any limitations or how do they hold up after that.
I wore moto jeans on a US cross country trip and they were okay, although very hot in the deserts and mid-summer. I wish I had BowTex back then, as they are FAR more comfortable with a simple thin pair of jeans worn over. Also agree with you on bags, I used to wear a fanny pack (usually across my chest) and found it more convenient than pockets for accessing things when I stopped - especially because the riding position makes getting in to a jeans front pocket like cracking the vault at Fort Knox. Washing is a great point I completely forgot to mention, I will include that in future videos. This set has seemed to hold up very well in my experience. @JayemEss58 was the previous owner - he may have a better idea.
As far as I know it's still a ways away, probably not for 12 months. I'm waiting for a prototype and haven't seen that yet. I've also tried PandoMoto's leggings and really like them as well, similarly comfortable. Their latest version has a drawstring and zippers at the ankles making them easier to get in and out of. I will make a video on those soon.
Hi Evan, i also live in Thailand. I always wear protective gear, but have yet to find anything that is acceptably cool. I have a few Revit, Klim, Dainese, plus PMA and Kokmine jeans. So far all boil me like a lobster. Any advice?
The Urbane is CE AA rated so not as abrasion resistant as the Bowtex. However Knox also has the Honister, which is CE AAA rated and looks similar to the Bowtex. Personally I haven't had a chance to test these yet, but I imagine very similar.
Fanatics hockey jerseys probably have the same rating. It might be a solid undergarment to wear under real protective equipment I have only taken hits under 40mph in offroad environments. I'm more worried about impacts than sliding or sweating from high humidity. If it was carbon fiber weave or something i might be convinced. It looks like a gimmick definitely not worth the price tag based on what I'm seeing
Do your own research, AAA is the best under the current regs, but it is still a very, very low bar. They will not last 4 seconds on the road, only on an easier, i.e., smoother abrasion test M/C. Other than around town stick to leather if safety is the paramount concern.
You'll still find many leather garments that are not AAA rated. My Revit jacket is only A rated, though it is mostly leather... Maybe they didn't try to get it higher, which is a possibility, but trusting a garment just because it is leather without knowing the type of leather, the actual thickness, the seam strength and more is useless in itself in my opinion.
If you look at accident statistics it isn't abrasion that causes the worst injuries it's impacts. Hip, knees, shoulder protection is critical.
True but you also have to look at the countries. Most don't have speeds like the USA. Hell in Colombia I saw a drunk guy on a bike straight frontal a car then picked himself up and grabbed his bike. Some of these countries literally don't need the same level of protection. Weaving through traffic at 20 mph honestly your Levis and some decent gloves from the tools store would protect you in a whoopsie. Hauling ass doing a wheelie at 125mph on the super slab in the US requires different levels of protection. These videos don't let people known this gear (as great and awesome as it is) is a 100% no go in most places in the US or similar motorway countries.
CE AAA rating for garments is 4 seconds of slide at 120kph (about 75mph). These are the minimums, and manufacturers are not required to state how long their garments survive other than their basic rating. Leathers will always be more protective but the fact that something so thin achieved a AAA rating at all is incredible
Agreed, most leathers will offer better/longer protection when sliding across the asphalt at higher speeds, unless it's thin like lambskin leather. The EN 17092-2:2020 standard that stipulates the abrasion and impact requirements for the CE AAA class of PPE motorcycle garments has been established correctly, as sliding at 120 km/h or 75 mph across asphalt, even when wet, you'll come to a standstill in less than 4 seconds.
You will be amazed how many leather trousers only achieve CE AA rating - even rather thick leather trousers.
And you never hold the 120 kmh if you slide over the street. You will immediately slowed down. If you think on the normal B-Roads your normal average speed is hard to keep over 70 kmh. Look at your board computer. So it should fit all your needs - of course excluding the race track.
Exellent review, Evan! I agree that Bowtex CA AAA-rated shirt and leggings are a godsend for riders in hot climates or who prefer riding in their casual clothes because they don't want to look like a Power Ranger. I'm a convert too, as the airflow through the Dyneema mesh fabric is incredible. As for the stretch of the elastic waistband of the leggings, I'm bigger than you and I had been wearing these leggings on my journeys in Portugal, Thailand, and Vietnam before I passed them on to you. But your observation is on point, the newer versions come with a drawstring. Like you, I wear them as my only pants when city riding in Thailand. On my adventure/off-road trips, I wear the Bowtex leggings under the Mosko Moto Kiger Mesh Pants when it's hot (maximum airflow) or under my Mosko Moto Surveyor Pants in cooler temperatures, reassured that I have maximum impact and abrasion protection while enjoying the airflow and breathability. Cheers!
hey,a question:how bowtex sizes dress,confortable ,normal or a bit tight?thanks for answer.
well, it is your hide and you are protecing it as you see fit. best of luck to you, sir.
having ridden, and occasionally crashed, over 34+ years in all weather conditions in almost anything that one can wear on a motorcycle leathers are, in my opinion, still the best option. but that is just me.
I agree with my 46 years of experience. I gave my Ewald leather trousers from 1978 away and I'm currently using a pair of AAA jeans. I had more trust in my untested Ewalds.
Dyneema is an amazing fiber. Nice to see if used in a wider range of consumer products.
Thanks for this review. I live and ride in Thailand and looking for something like this. Brutally hot and finding something light and protective is difficult. Much appreciated.
Glad this was useful!
it would be great if came in lighter color!
Try the pando moto instead.. leggings and commando inner jacket alle triple aaa
I've tried the Pando leggings, love them as well. Will make a video at some point.
I have a Bohn set. Same thing, but Bohn's been doing this for many years. Still, i wear a proper armored motorcycle jacket most of the time, but it's a good substitute in really hot, hot weather.
Nice, I need to put Bohn on my list to test out as well. Thanks!
Is Bohn Dyneema?
@windyrun7979 i don't believe so. My old set (10 years? Was CE1... this last year I got a new set of winter pants and a new summer shell. The armor is now CE2. I think the concept of being able to wear anything you want over the armor...and have it not move in an impact... is very valuable. I like it anyway. No matter the brand, I like the concept and it's allowed me to wear all sorts of choices over the armor.
Interesting, I'll check this brand. Riding in thailand in how conditions is hard with normal brand (ReVit).
Cool concept but at 800 a set I'll stick to leather, synthetic fibers will never give the same level of protection than well stitched leathers
Wow man, nice info here! I've been looking for something like this for a while now. It would be great to see how these stack up against the Pando stuff!
I have the Pando leggings now, waiting on the shirt. I want to get the Knox stuff as well then test them all against each other with a belt sander
@@EvanMeetsRoad I'd sure like to see that :)
Does any independent testing exist to validate these manufacturer's claims? If so, where can i read or view it??
This is an EU standard, so it has to be validated by an independent testing facility to be approved. It is unlikely that an european brand like Bowtex (from Belgium) or Pando Moto (from the Netherlands) could lie about this as consistently as they do.
In the case of Bowtex, you can find some information about which facility did the testing but not which tests have been done. But you can always check the EU regulation to see the minimum required to pass, which machinery is used etc...
I would wear this equipment when ice skating, cycling or motorcycling at a max 60kph/35mph. It's much better than not wearing anything, but seriously inadequate in any high speed slide or impact.
If you think that stuff is great you should see the panty hose that I wear in place of a helmet. I can slide on asphalt on my face and head at 130 mph while wearing it & still have an open casket funeral.
You might have a future as a standup comedian!
I hope it's only summer pantihose as you wouldn't want to get too hot or not look cool.
The safety garment industry is skewed towards comfort and fashion. Safety is now only a secondary concern.
Look at the stuff the UK bike police officers wear, it would be about equivalant to AAAAAA. (CE 3 in old ratings).
I see the value in HOT environments. Something is better than nothing. Needs bright colors too !!!
They're meant to be worn underneath a normal jacket and pants so color isn't as much of an issue
@@EvanMeetsRoadI live in northern Argentina. Summer (very long) temps are near 100 degrees. I can't wear many layers. Armor is nice on gravel roads but I can't stand the heat. All this special gear looks like a pain. I ride every day but not very far. I ride slow and easy. At 74 years old and long retired I'm not in a hurry.
@@richardahola692 These perform well in heat. The weave is pretty open - allows a lot of airflow. I wear these in 100+ F and 100% humidity in Thailand with a light jersey over top. Not hot when I'm moving.
Thanks for the review. Ive been looking in to base layers but somehow ended up getting moto jeans. On the topic of pockets - Ive seen some riders use leg pouches. Might be a good idea as they dont intervene with sitting or getting up on the bike. Ive used to have hip bag that I put on the side.
Maybe as they are a base layer on your next vid you could touch the subject of washing. Is there any limitations or how do they hold up after that.
I wore moto jeans on a US cross country trip and they were okay, although very hot in the deserts and mid-summer. I wish I had BowTex back then, as they are FAR more comfortable with a simple thin pair of jeans worn over.
Also agree with you on bags, I used to wear a fanny pack (usually across my chest) and found it more convenient than pockets for accessing things when I stopped - especially because the riding position makes getting in to a jeans front pocket like cracking the vault at Fort Knox.
Washing is a great point I completely forgot to mention, I will include that in future videos. This set has seemed to hold up very well in my experience. @JayemEss58 was the previous owner - he may have a better idea.
Hey mate, where'd you hear there was a "version 3" coming and got a time frame? Im looking at grabbbimg a shirt but might wait for a new version
As far as I know it's still a ways away, probably not for 12 months. I'm waiting for a prototype and haven't seen that yet.
I've also tried PandoMoto's leggings and really like them as well, similarly comfortable. Their latest version has a drawstring and zippers at the ankles making them easier to get in and out of. I will make a video on those soon.
@@EvanMeetsRoad but they do not work flr frqctions
@@SimplicityForGood what do you mean?
@@EvanMeetsRoad if you fly off these will not protect you for real. You still break all your legs and muscles…
@@SimplicityForGood Motorcycling is a dangerous sport. No amount of motorcycle gear will change that. Though an airbag is a huge step up!
Hi Evan, i also live in Thailand. I always wear protective gear, but have yet to find anything that is acceptably cool. I have a few Revit, Klim, Dainese, plus PMA and Kokmine jeans. So far all boil me like a lobster. Any advice?
Try Bowtex or Pando Moto Skin products - I've found both to flow air incredibly well.
How does this compare to the urbane?
The Urbane is CE AA rated so not as abrasion resistant as the Bowtex. However Knox also has the Honister, which is CE AAA rated and looks similar to the Bowtex. Personally I haven't had a chance to test these yet, but I imagine very similar.
Sounds great but $800.00 per/ set
Fanatics hockey jerseys probably have the same rating. It might be a solid undergarment to wear under real protective equipment I have only taken hits under 40mph in offroad environments. I'm more worried about impacts than sliding or sweating from high humidity. If it was carbon fiber weave or something i might be convinced. It looks like a gimmick definitely not worth the price tag based on what I'm seeing
Do your own research, AAA is the best under the current regs, but it is still a very, very low bar. They will not last 4 seconds on the road, only on an easier, i.e., smoother abrasion test M/C.
Other than around town stick to leather if safety is the paramount concern.
You'll still find many leather garments that are not AAA rated. My Revit jacket is only A rated, though it is mostly leather... Maybe they didn't try to get it higher, which is a possibility, but trusting a garment just because it is leather without knowing the type of leather, the actual thickness, the seam strength and more is useless in itself in my opinion.
not really bothered what they do they're too expensive,how does a shirt cost £400!!!
Most annoying background "music" ever.
Truly horrible.
I had to stop watching...
Ratings are nice.
But in reality it gives little to no real protection.
You actually wore them with with shorts😂😂😂😂
🤣
Bro never even showed it worn lol
The majority of American males have their mommies or their wives/girlfriends tell them that they can’t own a motorcycle 😂
🤣