Joe Rocket Alter Ego Pants Review

This week we take a look at Joe Rocket's Alter Ego Pants.

Motorcycling in the Spring can sometimes be complicated due to the fluctuations in the weather. One day it may feel like the warm beginning of summer the next day it may be just a few degrees above freezing! Couple this with frequent rainy days and it can leave you confused as to how to what gear to wear when heading out for a ride.

Enter the Joe Rocket Alter Ego pants. The Alter Ego's claim to offer multi-riding season protection. The Alter Ego's design has various features for each riding season and are able to backup Joe Rocket's claim quite well. The pants are designed to be worn over top of casual pants (eg. jeans).

style

The Alter Ego's, like Ford's Model T, come in any color as long as it is black. Although they are limited to one color the Alter Ego's are stylish enough for the flashy sport's bike riding crowd, but simplistic and clean cut for the touring / cruiser enthusiasts.

The removable zip off sections on the thigh area are a bit off setting - but are not very noticeable due to the all black coloring.

features

The amount of features on these pants are extensive.

The Alter Ego's have zip off sections on both legs that start at thigh level and go up and around towards the rear hip area and back down to the other leg. Once unzipped they expose a mesh material to allow air to flow freely and generously through the pants.

The pants come equipped with a waterproof liner - which is - removable for those dry hot days when you will want more airflow.

The legs of the pants have a two-way zipper that travels up from the bottom of the pants all the way up 67cm (26 &1/2 inches) allowing you to easily put them on/off over-top of motorcycle boots.

How many times have we had to get a new pair of pants because our other ones didn't quite fit as well as they used to? The adjustable waistband on the Alter Ego's utilizes Joe Rocket's trademarked Sure Fit™ waistband - which stretches / contracts to fit your waist size perfectly.

The Alter Ego pants are designed to be worn in tandem with the Alter Ego Jacket. As such, an eight inch zipper sewn to the back of the pants allows you to connect them to your Joe Rocket Alter Ego jacket. (If you have some sewing skills you can make this work with other jackets as well).

To compensate in the visibility department for the all black design, a reflective stripe is embedded into the pant material so other riders and drivers can see you.

safety

The Alter Ego's not only protect you against the elements but also provide you with a bit of impact protection.

A dual density foam padding can be found in both knees. Also a high density padding is located on the hip area for added protection.

quality

The ROCK TEX 660 shell of the pants will break through the wind and provide you with sufficient abrasion protection. The outer shell is also water resistant - so if you get caught in a rainstorm you will have some time to stop and put the waterproof liner back in before your skin begins to get wet. In addition to being water resistant the outer shell is also breathable to provide you with enough air cycling through the pants.

The cuffs of the pant legs can be secured via Velcro straps and the waist area can be secured by a zipper, two button snaps as well as adjustable belt straps.

The dual density knee padding is quite thick and well rounded to ensure it stays in place. The hip padding is not dual density -but does offer some protection.

show me the money

The Alter Ego's are very reasonably priced at a MSRP of USD $214.99.

overall

The Alter Ego pants are one of the few pants we have seen that actually provide the wearer with 3-4 season features / protection. Although some full mesh pants with provide you with much more airflow in the hot weather, and some insulated pants with keep you warmer in the winter - the Alter Ego's will give you enough airflow in the summer for days reaching 35C and keep you warm on those cooler rides reaching 0C. Anything hotter or colder than that temperature range - you would need specialty season pants.

The dual-density padding does provide some knee protection, but does not compare to field armor or a knee puck. The hip padding is a nice added touch but again, is overshadowed by pants with CE armor.

For a MSRP of USD $214.99 - the Alter Ego's are probably the best overall pant value for the money.

Tip: Usually it is a good idea to go one pant size higher than what you would wear for casual (eg. jeans) pants. However, the Alter Ego's seem to fit us exactly to our normal pant size. If you are a 34 waist in jeans - then order a 34 waist for the Alter Egos as well.

rating

• Style: 7/10
• Features: 10/10
• Safety: 7/10
• Quality: 8/10
• Price: 9/10
• Overall Value: 9/10