[Veloce]

So after a lot of research and scouring through numerous reviews and ‎comments about the various options available out in the market for riding jeans, I took the plunge for Esquad, a French company with manufacturing done in Africa. My priority was safety followed by comfort. I have my leathers and these were never meant to be a replacement for leather. Just for the daily, quick city ride in the heat of summer.*

I got sold on the marketing gimmickry of Esquad and their claims about the jeans being made of the "strongest material" ever created. And in spite of the rather exorbitant price tag, ‎I ordered a pair of Esquad Stein jeans from a French online shop. Started off with a disaster as the jeans were small for the stated size. Had to exchange them and wait another 2 weeks to get the right size. First impression.. they looked very good BUT too darn uncomfortable. I tried a host of ideas that I found online to try to break them in but nothing seemed to work. The fabric was very stiff and it was very uncomfortable to move around in them. And not very helpful in the hot weather. Almost felt plastic-ky.*

Now to the real test of the jeans.. the safety bit. So, unfortunately for me, I had a spill on a morning ride out to the mountain area. Lapse of concentration.. lack of sleep.. bad judgment.. my first crash after nearly 8 years of riding. Ended up in the hospital for a couple of weeks but could've been much worse so I'm lucky to be alive. I had my Dianese leather jacket but didn't wear the leather pants on this occasion and opted for the Esquad ‎jeans. The jacket worked impeccably.. no rips, only minor scuffs. The jeans, however, took a beating and left me badly beaten up! My left leg was all torn up as the fabric completely disintegrated there. Even in some low impact areas the fabric came apart leaving me exposed. Luckily, I had armor in the knees and hips so those were okay but the fabric also ripped there.*
‎
I wrote to Esquad to inform them of my experience and even sent them pics so they could use as constructive feedback. Their customer service ‎was non-existent.*

Now I only wear the leathers. No second chances on safety for me.

 

[BDC848]

Bummer. I hadn't heard of this brand prior to reading this. If your still looking for good riding jeans, might I suggest looking into the Rokker brand. They are pricey, but after dabbling in several options under the $200US mark, I finally just said F it and ordered a pair. They are great and I should have just went for them to begin with. Just like you, they are not a replacement for my leathers, but of all the brands I have tried they both look the best and (hands down) look and feel like they offer the best protection and least compromise in any brand of riding jean I've bought. The abrasion resistant fabric is a full lining of the pant, not just in critical areas. They do feel thick and can get pretty warm in the heat though. In my opinion they don't keep you any cooler than perf leather pants do in high temperatures. That said they are not stiff like the jeans you spoke of. They are soft and very comfortably with practically no break-in necessary.

Hope this helps.

 

[Jaffa]

I have always been a firm believer in the 'Round your Ankles' feel. If your jeans ain't comfy there, not much good!