Tobacco Motorwear Company
Jeans… everyone has at least one pair, right? We wear them to go out, perhaps work around the yard, and some of us wear them while riding a motorcycle.
I, like many of you, have been collecting jeans for years and have acquired too many to count, with the constant need to replace them after a few months (or maybe I’m just too rough on them and unreasonably expect them to last).
When I was younger, my go to jeans were the tried and true Levi’s, but as I got older, like a fine wine, my tastes evolved and I began to prefer a more comfortable and ultimately, more expensive pair of jeans. For an avid motorcyclist, this caused two major issues.
The first issue, and probably the most important, was the safety aspect of riding a motorcycle and the risk I was taking by only wearing jeans for leg protection. This was definitely not a smart idea, as denim will shred and disappear within seconds of a slide, leaving you unprotected, naked, and in a ton of pain.
The second issue I found was that I would spend $100-150 dollars on name-brand jeans just to see them wear out and need replacement. Thank goodness I never went down on my motorcycle while wearing my name-brand jeans considering that they fell apart with normal wear and tear. I would have had zero protection and might as well been riding pants-less.
To resolve these two issues, I searched for and found a more reliable option. Please allow me to introduce the Tobacco Motorwear Company (TMC).
Tobacco Motorwear Company started as a kickstarter campaign, which has proven to be very successful and I can see why. They added internal protection to a classic pair of jeans!
What makes TMC different from other denim companies is that they use raw selvedge denim for long lasting durability and added a Dupont Kevlar lining for slide protection. The TMC jeans have a comfortable, modern, straight-leg fit, which over time form to your body and allow the unique characteristics of your style to shine through.
If the selvedge denim and Dupont Kevlar weren’t enough to get you excited, the attention to detail on the stitching, such as the handle bar going across the two back pockets, subtle accents, and the unique buttons, are awesome touches in my opinion.
Did I mention that they are made in the USA?! Unlike so many other companies which outsource their work, TMC continues to support the American workforce.
Alright, let’s talk cost. The current pricing is $359.00. Before you panic, let’s think about what you’re investing in:
- A safer pair of riding jeans that look good to boot.
- Jeans that won’t wear out anytime soon.
- Supporting the American workforce.
The staff at TMC have posted some pretty awesome videos of them testing the jeans’ ability to withstand the abrasion and heat from asphalt slides. Check out this YouTube video for more: https://youtu.be/SBEwuU9AsY4
My personal experience with the TMC crew has been fantastic! Since acquiring a pair of their jeans at the 2018 Aim Expo in Las Vegas, I’ve put many hours and miles on them. For starters, I tried them on at the Expo and didn’t take them off for two days… literally two days. After trying them on, I didn’t want to go back to my not-so-lucky jeans, which I had brought along with me. I headed to the airport after the Expo and my flight was delayed until the next morning. This meant that I slept in the airport in, you guessed it, my new jeans. Initially, you will find them to be tough, but as they break in, they become extremely comfortable and you won’t want to wear another pair of jeans ever again. I found them comfortable in temperature ranges from 50-80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Keep in mind that the idea behind these jeans is for them to look like ordinary jeans with added protection for if that “oh-shit” moment happens. They are not meant to replace your long distance touring gear that’s outfitted with armor.
So, if you want to stop buying jeans yearly, have a safer option, and enjoy riding in style, slip these jeans on and get your ride on!
Posted in Gear Review & Thoughts and tagged 2WheelAdv, cafe racer, Jeans, Levi, motorcycle clothing, Motorcycle jeans, Scrambler, Tobacco Motorwear, Tobacco Motorwear Company by admin with comments disabled.
KLIM Teton Merino Wool Base Layers
The most overlooked pieces of riding gear, in my opinion, are the base layers. We focus so heavily on purchasing the highest quality jacket and pants that we can afford, but forget all about one of the key ingredients to keeping our ride comfortable.
You can have a jacket with 3 vents or 20, but without proper layers underneath, you’re either going to sweat your ass off, cook inside it, or get pretty darn cold. I have personally tried a multitude of base layers from big names like Under Armor, Nike, etc. over countless miles. You would think that since these companies focus on athletes, their products would work for us, right? Wrong. Those tight fitting shirts and underwear might wick away some sweat, but they are not what is truly best for us adventure riders. I did not realize this until I had a chance to test out the KLIM Teton Summer Weight Merino Wool Base Layers. I bet that some of you are thinking, “Wool for heat gear? This guy must be crazy or getting paid to write the article.” Well, crazy depends on who you ask, and I am surely not getting paid to write. All I can say is what I experienced on my recent trip, including how these items performed.
I recently had the pleasure of riding for three straight days in beautiful, sunny California. I was there as the honoree for the Rever Track Your Story Challenge, and explored a variety of terrains with Shawn Thomas from BMW Mottorad and his brother, Lance. I wore the Teton Merino Wool long sleeve shirt and underwear as my base layers. My jacket and pants were the KLIM Badlands Pro, Gen 3.
On the first day, we rode in temperatures ranging from 70-78 degrees. It was great weather, so no complaints. We camped out and the next morning (Day 2), rode into the Mojave Desert. We rode for hundreds of miles in temperatures ranging from 98-115 degrees! At one point, we stopped at Trona Pinnacles to walk around and I left my Badlands jacket on. Obviously, it felt hot but manageable, and I did not seem to be dripping sweat like I normally would be with my normal heat gear on. After returning to the motorcycle and heading back into town, a cool sensation came over my body as the wind entered the jacket and passed through the base layers. This is something that I have previously experienced using my other heat gear, but I am typically drenched in sweat, which is what normally causes the cool sensation. After checking into a hotel and removing my jacket, I was expecting to see my shirt and underwear completely soaked in sweat. To my surprise, the shirt had a very small section of sweat build up near the shoulders, but the chest and back were completely dry! I hung up the set and went to bed.
While preparing myself for Day 3, I was expecting the base layer garments to smell something wicked. I mean, I had literally gone through the desert in the peak of Summer. The base layer garments were dry, and had that “just washed” wool smell, which completely surprised me. I geared up and we pressed on for the day’s adventure. After doing some sweet twisties and amazing off-roading, we ended up just outside of Shaver Lake at Mushroom Rock to camp out for our final night.
The temperature dropped into the mid 40’s, so I ended up sleeping in the base layer garments. The next morning, I joked around with with the Thomas brothers and told them they should sniff my garments, as they still smelled good.
Upon returning home and conducting more research about the materials and their properties, I gained an understanding about how I was able to keep wearing the Merino Wool Base Layers without clearing out a room of people. Traditional heat gear is made out of polyester, which rapidly controls the moisture but stays damp and smelly. In comparison, the wool blend is mixed with a highly effective magical unicorn material. No really, the wool blend is anti-microbial and thus, does not retain odors. The Summer Weight line seems to be the most effective material for a motorcyclist riding in a hotter climate. Another huge bonus to using the Teton collection is that it significantly reduces your need for packed clothes, which saves room for other goodies in your panniers and less weight overall. I am looking forward to the increased cargo space during my future adventures and definitely recommend you check these products out!
Until next time, ride safe and see you out on the road!
Posted in Gear Review & Thoughts and tagged #klim, #klimlife, #motorcycle, #xladv, 2WheelAdv, Motorcycle accessories, motorcycle clothing, wool by admin with comments disabled.