Alpinestars Ramjet Air riding pants review

The Alpinestars Ramjet Air is a sporty yet comfortable mesh riding pant that gets its name from the openable mesh panels on the thigh area. Essentially, you can open the zippered flaps and then tuck them away. This opens up a decently sized triangular section of mesh on the thigh area that makes a noticeable improvement to the ventilation comfort.

These aren’t the most ventilated pants I’ve owned but they’re good enough to stay comfy in our conditions. The thigh vents lend this pant its cool name, but the bigger contribution to the ventilation comfort is thanks to the fact that the entire section from below the knee to the hems is in mesh. Despite the convenience of being able to close the thigh vent off, I still wouldn’t want to use these pants in extreme cold because you cannot block the ventilation in the lower sections.

One of the reasons I enjoy using gear from premium Italian brands like Alpinestars (apart from the brand value, of course!) is for the snug, sporty fit. The Ramjet manages to do that while still being all-day comfortable, both on and off the bike. Starting at the top, the built-in waist adjusters help you find the right fit without having to use a belt – something I often have to resort to on riding pants. That’s because I generally have to buy a larger size to get enough pant length – the perks of having a 32-inch waist and a 35-inch inseam.

Another small aspect that goes a long way in improving long-term convenience is the long zipper pull tabs, which make them much easier to use with gloves on. You get two slash cut pockets on both sides of the front that are deep enough to hold a large phone or wallet. There’s also a 270-degree zipper around the waist that will allow the pants to be attached to any jacket of your choice. Further down, you’ll find stretch panels above and behind the knees, while a large zipper running up the bottom of the pants makes it easy to secure them over a pair of boots.

The only comfort related complaint is that the inner mesh material feels a little loose and could have been attached to the outer shell a little more snugly. Effectively, it’s easy to snag your foot in this liner while getting the pants on or off. A simple solution is to keep your socks on while wearing or removing the pants, but it’s one area that could improve.

The supplied knee armour can be adjusted in three different positions within the pockets, although it’s a bit fiddly to do this. What is nice is that this armour is slim, highly perforated and very comfortable, but it’s also proper CE level two stuff, which is rare to find on premium brands at this price point. There is a provision to include CE-rated hip armour as well, but this has to be bought separately.

As you’d expect, imported gear that bears this badge is not cheap, especially when compared with what’s available from some domestic brands. If you’re willing to spend the money on the brand value, the looks, sleek fit and all day comfort can back that up.

Where: www.supermoto.co.in
Price: Rs 18,990