In a line: Smart lightweight Gore-Tex shell with unobtrusive armour.
Price: £350 from FC Moto.de + ~30% taxes
Weight: 1400g (verified)
Size tested: XL (me: 6″1’/95kg)
• Just enough to do the job • Looks smart • GTX Performance ought to keep me dry • Unobtrusive armour included • Inner pocket quite big
• For the money you could probably get something as good in the UK • Inferior venting to previous version • A bit too black irl – will get hot • XL = ‘US XL’ so a bit baggy on me
What they say: The redesigned [2020] Traverse is engineered to meet the demands of unpredictable weather conditions found in full seasons of dual-sport riding. Redesigned with a focus on increased comfort and reduced bulk, you get full weather protection with more durability than a regular rain jacket and less bulk than a fully built adventure jacket. The lightweight waterproof jacket will let you ride all season long with the confidence to conquer the weather.
Review This is my second Traverse, after owning Klim’s original Overland which got revised to become the Traverse 2 in 2016.
Though I haven’t crashed fast for decades, and fall over at low speed once or twice a year, I never felt protected in my two recent Mosko Surveyors. I’m not sure the Surveyors’ thin, elastic fabric would abrade that well, compared to what we call Cordura. They were perhaps an over-reaction to baking in the chunky Mosko Basilisk, better suited to harder-crashing rallying or non-tropical overlanding. Of course on my 800g Surveyors I could have worn on-body armour or an armoured pullover, like Adv Spec’s Supershirt 2 (right), but who wants yet more clobber? And even then, it didn’t claim to be showerproof so needed something else. What I really wanted was my old Traverse 2 back. I left it in a Spanish hotel to save weight on a ride to Mauritania that got nixed by Covid. Two years later I’m sure the Klim was long gone. For what I do (mostly to and from Morocco in the cooler months), a minimalist, wear-all-day, hard rain/rare crash protective shell suits me, with room underneath for layers, when needed.
Your Traverve GTX comes in a ‘lightweight’ shell/body (200D?) with the black areas in tougher 500D – and all of it more robust than my Surveyor. The Gore-Tex Performance is I think one of the better levels. I find expensive membranes breathe properly while still being genuinely waterproof, where cheap membranes err towards waterproofness, and so soon get clammy. I expect the GTX to confidentially shrug off long downpours, at least for a couple of years.
Size wise, XL is a bit big on me; as we know US sizes are bigger than UK. The right fit would be best, but better too big than too small, and my Large T2 was on the tight side. XL will make room for my Mosko electric puffa.
For the first time I’m not drawn to removing bulky shoulder and elbow armour which is unobtrusive, D3O Level 1 LP1. The whole elbow/shoulder armour thing is over-rated: it won’t stop broken collar bones, but will of course lessen more common low sides onto your pointy joints. The four pieces of armour weigh 380g; once removed the GTX weights 1020g, a bit less than the T2 previous version.
Venting may work on a basic dirt bike where you might be better off with a full breathing mesh jacket. I’m usually on a light travel bike with a screen which minimises any venting benefits, unless standing up.Unlike the huge front and rear ports on the old Traverse 2, the T-GTX merely gets two-way armpit vents, but my new small-screened Serow home the other day, I did notice the vents airing when I sat right back to try and ease saddle aches. I can already tell that on hot days, the black will generate more heat than the vents can purge, but online I liked the colour combo, so that’s what I have.
Pockets on the GTX are basic too: a couple at the hem, another outside on the chest, and all behind water-resistant zippers which will get clogged by dust until wiped down with a damp rag. Inside is a biggish zipped pocket that’ll easily take a passport, wallet and phone.
I’ll miss a rear game pocket which, on the Mosko’s, I found it handy to stash stuff you don’t need frequently but always want with you. The Traverse’s mesh sleeve for the back protector could be put to similar use and I’ll probably get round to installing a big inner drop pocket, as I did on my Overland (left).
The jacket is good and long at the back and in the arms and adjustability to keep out draughts and cold adds up to cinch cords at the hem and on the lined collar, plus velcro cuffs. More impressions of my Traverse GTX once I actually get to use it.
In a line: Well featured, fully armoured, all-season shell for cooler or faster rides
Price: £549
Size andWeight: XL; 2520g or 1440g without armour (verified)
What they say: The Gravel Jacket is a CE AA certified, highly durable, lightweight, waterproof, breathable adventure touring jacket. It combines everything Adventure Spec has learned about extreme off road and trail riding into the lightest adventure touring package. The Gravel Jacket is designed to be partnered with the Gravel Pant. It is constructed from a three-layer waterproof fabric that features a blend of Cordura Nylon 6-6 for high abrasion resistance, and PU film for extreme water resistance and breathability. Additional protective panels and removable level 2 armour protects back, shoulder and elbow impact zones. The Gravel Jacket and Pant is designed to keep you comfortable and safe while adventure riding on road, gravel and trails.
I had a close look for review purposes, took some photos, then returned it.
Front one-way zip is double storm flapped with an added ‘gutter’ fold on the inner flap to slow down water ingress
Quick Look Adv Spec’s Gravel Jacket came out in late 2024 with matching Gravel pants. Up till now most of AS’s apparel has been gear for more active enduro or trail bike riders who value minimal clobber and may be layering up and down throughout the day. At £549 The Gravel is their top of the range CE AA, all-season jacket pitched at touring riders on bigger Adv bikes which are suited to long road miles and easy gravel trails. Using non-proprietary armour and PU membrane help keep the price down, while ticking many other boxes.
The wicking lining is bonded to the shell fabric, not a separate, loose mesh, which shows taped seams sealing the stitched panels. Ringed: a slot in the back pocket for a hydrator hose.
Out of the box the Gravel feels hefty with all the armour in place, and once on, the fabric is pretty chunky and stiff too – at least while new and compared to what I’ve been wearing lately. (Fyi: I am 6ft 1in/186cm, 210lbs/95kg.)
The 500D, grey nylon body fabric is an abrasion resistant, 3-layer bonded laminate, sandwiching a no-name membrane. That’s the best way to do it, compared separate zip-in liners found on cheaper gear which I like to think have had their day. Oddly, the contrasting woven, 240D kevlar reinforced polyester abrasion panels are also 3-layer. You’d think any simple, tough abrasion-resisting patch would do, and in fact according to the AS table, this 240D is less abrasion resistant than the plain old 500D shell fabric (which is how Aerostitch do their impact-area patches), but helps add a textured look to the jacket. This additional layering will improve water resistance but reduce breathability. It also means these impact-prone areas get no less than seven layers of protection if you include the armour pads underneath. You’re elbows, back and and shoulders will be well protected from impacts.
80-minute, feature-length video? Hard to think the salient facts could not also be packed into a snappy, Mosko-style <5 minute version.
Size wise, new and stiff out of the box the XL Gravel initially felt a bit tight on me. But once the back protector was removed it felt much more comfortable, even wearing my Mosko electric puffa over a denim shirt – a typical riding set up for cooler temps. Sleeves are long, so is the back while the front is short. More dims below.
Adjustability includes two cinch pull tabs along the hem sides – it took a close look to work out how to operate them – plus velcro cuffs and another cinch at the back of the neoprene-edged, unlined collar.
Dave K on the gravel
Armour Underneath and inside, five pieces of A-Spec-branded armour sit in pockets velcro’d to the shell’s interior. I wonder if an included back protector is mandatory to secure a CE AA rating. While good insurance for high-speed crashes, as said, I found the Gravel much more comfortable without the back plate (as I do with most jackets). On the scales this back pad weighed 565g, or over 20% of the jacket’s overall weight.
An elastic waist strap is sewn to the nylon sleeve housing the back pad (above left; below). They call it a ‘kidney belt’ but that’s something else: a stiff girdle-like band which MX racers use to support the lumbar region and keep their organs in place. All this stretchy band does is pull in the base of the back protector which may help keep out draughts. That could be even more effective with a couple of belt loops on the sides of the inner shell to pull everything in. When not used, the belt dangles down, or you can tuck it out of the way behind the back armour (below right). You’ll also notice a half-zip to join up to Gravel pants for the same draught eliminating effect.
On the arms, the two pairs of shoulder and elbow armour came in at 514g. I’d be happy to leave those in place, but by comparison the more pliable and slimmer D3O on my new Klim weigh 380g and could be easily swapped into the Gravel’s armour sleeves.
The whole elbow/shoulder armour thing must be another CE requirement, but it won’t stop over-the-bars broken collar bones. Some jackets I’ve had included a bicep cinch strap to pull in baggy arms out of the mirror line, while also keeping otherwise loose elbow armour in place. If you’re serious about armour, remove everything from the Gravel to save over a kilo, and wear something like A-Spec’s padded SuperShirt. It’s yet more clobber, but will probably be way more comfortable and effective.
Short, mesh-backed arm vents
Venting air flow looks a bit constricted on the Gravel, but then I’ve not actually tried it. On the forearms you have a couple of short, mesh-backed zip vents (above) which it’s hard to see being very effective. There’s another set on the upper sides of the chest with exhaust vents on the shoulder behind (below left and right).
Apertures are on the small side and will be better than nothing, but as on other jackets, the trend for mesh backing means they can’t open fully to get a flow on. For more venting you might as easily open out the cuffs and unzip the one-way front zip, then do some of the poppers back up. Or, do as Dave did in the Comments, and cut open the mesh to maximise the flow.
Pockets add up to a couple at the hem (below left), and another pair outside on the chest but behind the poppered storm flap (below right) which means you don’t need to open the main zip to access them. Water-resistant zippers up here mean that a passport, wallet and phone ought to be well protected from downpours, but condensation in a pocket may add humidity.
On the back is a huge ‘game pocket’ with studs over another water resistant zip. I find pockets like this a handy place to stash essential but rarely needed items which you never want to be parted from. It’s a long time since I’ve been as supple as Olga Korbut, but I was able to open both poppers and slide the zip while wearing the jacket. They don’t mention it, but inside the game pocket is a buttonhole slot to feed out a long hydrator hose. It would have to come out around the neck – close enough to your mouth – but means you can dispense with wearing a hydrator daypack, another clobber ‘win’!
For comparison I tried on my new Klim Traverse GTX (to be reviewed). It felt flimsy by comparison – or you could say it felt a whole lot lighter and less clobber-like, while still being Gore-Tex waterproof and armoured at the arms.
As I found with Mosko’s similar Basilisk, the Gravel Jacket would be too heavy for the sort of easy trail biking I do in Morocco. Road touring on a big Adv you’ve already surrendered off-road agility for all-conquering road manners, and something like the Gravel Jacket, or even the full outfit, will add to your feeling of invulnerability. Thanks to Adventure Spec for sending out the Gravel for a quick look.
Close-fitting, coarse woven, somewhat rubbery fabric not particularly pleasant against the skin and can snag
Loaned by Adventure Spec for review
What They Say The Linesman Pant is a lightweight CE AA certified over the boot adventure motorcycle pant / trouser designed for trail, adventure and dualsport riding. It features Bi-Stretch Panama fabric that combines extreme comfort with high abrasion resistance. Toned down styling makes the Linesman Pant a perfect choice for those looking for a more subtle adventure rider look. Designed to work with the Linesman Jacket. Removable Forcefield Level 2 hip and knee armour included. Weight (size 38 Reg) 1700g / 59 oz.
REVIEW Preferring a plainer look, for seven years I wore loose-fitting Klim Outrider heavy-duty jeans without the armour (and with modifications), until they literally started to feel a drag to wear. It’s more me and my age than the 1090-g Klims when worn OTB (Over the Boot). But I wondered: might a stretchy pair of riding trousers drag less on the knees when standing/sitting or more particularly, swinging the leg over a tall saddle when getting on and off? Buying a pair of very light and stretchy Mammut hiking pants for walks and an MTB ride got me thinking this way. A more practical alternative to Ron Hills, they roll up to next to nothing and now are my off-bike trousers for moto travelling.
I considered Mosko’s Woodsman (right) with my kind of pockets and earthy colours. But I’m not convinced by the idea of partial waterproof knee and seat panels. Either do it or don’t, as with their less pocket-optimised Surveyor pants. I also assumed the sort of stretchy, softshell fabric, presumably as used on my Mosko Moto Surveyor jacket, wouldn’t be suited for off-road riding protection unless armour is fixed to the body (Mosko’s recommendation), not integrated in the clothing – as others do.
Adventure Spec recently brought out a thick, basket weave Panama fabric for their Linesman range: ‘a hiking pant built for adventure riders, that’s CE AA certified‘. (Fyi, I was prepared to buy these, but ASpec supplied a pair for review, as they’ve done previously). I am a big fan of the original green Linesman jacket they brought out years ago and wish I’d kept it. (Imo, the jacket’s current colours don’t look as good.)
James in Linesman; me with AD1
Just before my Linesmans got sent out, I spent a fortnight in Morocco with James in his own pair. (See his Second Opinion, below.) They did the job, as trousers do, and he was never cold for long in the mornings or up at 10,000′ – a sign of things to come. Expecting it to be much colder, I was wearing my underused, grey Aerostitch AD1 Gore-Tex overtrousers (above left) which also proved surprisingly comfortable in what was globally recorded as the warmest February ever.
Out of the box The coarse-woven Linesmans feel heavy but pliable, like a damp towel. Without the armour they weigh 1250g. The supplied Forcefield armour adds another 450g. Pockets are like regular jeans – two at the front, two at the back, with no zip closures. The ‘hiking trousers built for adventure riding‘ idea is a bit… stretched. Walking and MTB-ing are much more kinetic than even moto off-roading where protection is more of an issue and which the Linesmans address well. It’s hard to see where the weight is; lifted to the light, you can see through the fabric which ought to mean good breathability.
“Integrated [waist] buckle allows for an easy cinching tight if you lose weight on long RTW trips…” Not what I found. The waist belt has two ends, each sewn to the waistband with unnecessarily complicated buckles to take up slack. This was the first annoyance. Adjusting the belt at the closure to accommodate the ebb and flow of my generous abdominal span would have required two actions to remove slack. In the end I just left the loop slack (above left), despite being an entrapment hazard, to borrow a kayaking term. The left side excess could be cut, unneeded buckle removed and then be adjusted normally at the cinch clip, but the right side buckle catches in the belt loop when doing up. I may have missed the point here, but no need to over-complicate things or reinvent the belt; just focus on day-to-day function. Inside the waistband are bonded strips of grippy, ASpec-branded silicone – nice touch to hold up the weight, although the slightly rubbery texture of the relatively coarse body fabric is a little grippy too.
Silicone brandingStash my wad
Yellow L2 Forcefield included
There are armour pockets on the hips and of course the knees. Here the lower edge hangs loose so you can slip them into full-height boots to stay in place. Another nice touch. I wear short boots and removed the Forcefields before fitting some 5mm neoprene pads (left) I had going spare. I never wore the Linesmans with the supplied armour. Instead, I used the armour sleeves for stashing cash and can confirm you can stuff 30,000 Moroccan dirhams into a hip armour pocket, and at least another couple of grand of £ and € in the knees. Providing you’re wearing your trousers, you never need worry where your bulky stash is. If you’ve lost your trousers, the missing cash will be the least of your worries.
As I’ve said before, knee, hip or elbow, armour pads won’t stop broken bones, though these joints often take the impact of minor prangs. Unless you ride hard, armour has more real-world value for racers or on the road where crashes are faster and abrasive. But of course it’s a personal choice which depends how you ride or feel about ATGATT – or ‘clobber’ as I call it. I avoid riding too technical stuff, plod along like a lonesome donkey and fall off once in a blue moon.
Toyota body torsion test. In my pants!
… In my Pants! Out the box I spent a day wearing the Linesmans at the desk where they felt a bit clammy which did not bode well. I then forced myself to wear them for a week in the desert in an a/c 4×4, and then another month on the bike through Morocco, across freezing Spain and back to the UK. All up, about 4000km riding from mid-30s to 3°C rain and sleet over the Tichka pass and in northern Spain.
First thing I noticed on James’ Linesmans in February was the untidy strap at the ankle. Linesmans are designed as close-fitting OTB trousers, with a zip down the calf covered by a small velcro tab at the ankle. Is a strap also needed and, if yes, could not a way be found to reliably tuck away the loose end like Kriega manage on their packs? I tried wrapping the loose strand around the belt loop (above) but of course it worked its way loose. I thought these straps might be redundant before I got mine and, having now worn them, I think they are. Again, I might have missed some ingenious application, but remain unsure of their purpose. To stop the pants riding up? To add tension to keep knee armour in place? To hold the weight of the trouser and armour off the knee? To stop the wind or fording water going up your leg? To cover the forward-facing velcro tab from otherwise getting snagged open? To reinvent the zipped trouser leg closure where just velcro might seem a bit cheap?
Who knows. I tried some days clipped and some unclipped. No tangible difference; just another flapping thing to do up and undo at each end of the day. The velcro does the job – and if not, use a larger, ‘contourable’ patch of velcro, like my AD1s. But most annoyingly, these ankle straps can’t be removed if you also take against them. Like the waist belt, each end is sewn to the hem. A one-piece strap could have easily ran through the hem’s fold like a normal belt, to be pulled out and perhaps reinstalled if you changed your mind on its usefulness. A simple solution to please everyone without resorting to Occam’s Razor. ASpec say you can ‘remove’ it, especially to wear the Linesmans ITB. But you don’t pay 300 quid from riding pants to chop bits off, when a non-destructive option could be easily offered. And I know I’m not one to talk design elegance, but aesthetically, these flapping buckles also spoil the slimline Linesman’s line.
I also found the coarse-woven but close-fitting fabric didn’t lay against the skin that comfortably at times, and annoyingly, one evening the leg caught a protruding nailhead in a cheap chair and pulled out a loop of thread. You’d think this will also happen in brambles and so on, and soon make them look like a grotty old jumper (as James may have found, below).
‘These pants will feel comfortable in relatively dry temperatures between 10 C and 21 C / 50 F and 70 F.’
‘These pants will feel comfortable in relatively dry temperatures between 10 C and 21 C / 50 F and 70 F.’ They said it right there. That is actually a narrow temperature range but in practice sounds about right, so can’t say I wasn’t warned. Legs don’t really feel the cold like the body core, and riding in light rain and some settled snow over the 2200-m Tichka Pass, I was ruddy freezing in my wholly inadequate clothing. But I knew it would warm up once over the other side. On that day the Linesmans never got sodden or uncomfortable and quickly dried off.
Hot day. Getting the wind up ’em
Morocco’s desert-sea-mountain location with its radical elevation and temperature changes make bike clothing choices especially tricky, but in March temperatures rise steeply and by the time it got to the mid-30s°C down south, the Linesmans were just too hot, even on the move, same with the Klim ITBs I tried a few years ago. Meanwhile the baggier, part natural fibre Klim Outriders have proved tolerable in similar heat. I tried undoing the calf zip with little effect. I then tried resting my legs on my Lomo bags (above) to get some wind up them, but that only works on road and is probably not what they teach at CBT school. At least when you stop for a break you can pull them up to air off a bit (below).
Airing off
In the heat the tight fitting fabric clung to the skin, minimising any stretching benefits and, come the end of the day, I couldn’t wait to peel them off. I wondered how my AD1s would have managed? Their bulky cut may not be so flattering, but would have kept the fabric off the legs, creating an air gap. And with the ankles velcroed down snuggly, I could have unzipped the sides from either end to got some venting on, or air-off fully at a stop. This looseness won’t help keep integrated armour in place, but I do believe if you’re serious about armour, it’s better attached to the body, not in external clothing. After a month with a lot of dust and mucky, tuna lunches, the Linesmans didn’t look too grubby – I do notice that non-black shows the dust less. I hand-washed them once in my Ortlieb tailpack in a hotel shower and they dried off overnight in the room. Back home after a proper machine wash they came out as good as new, bar some snagging.
As you can tell, I didn’t gel on with the Linesmans for my sort of riding. But not for the first time my PoV is out on a limb; on the ASpec website comments are broadly positive. Sure, the ankle straps could be snipped off for good, but as expected, once I saw them I suspected the pants would be too hot for Morocco. This is why the lairier designed off-road pants like ITBs, have venting zips and mesh panels. It’s also just occurred to me that any trousers – particularly heavy ones laden with armour – worn OTB will hang unsupported and drag on the knees, including these Linesman’s and even with the ankle closures. ITB trousers support some of the weight when they’re tucked in. Therefore, Linesman’s worn ITB (ankle buckle cut off) may be more comfortable. And while it’s nice not to be black (now available, above left), I have to say, the bland blue colour with brown/grey knee patches didn’t do it for me. I hate to admit it, but the new black version looks loads better. Bring us some tan or olive shades, or even dark grey. For UK TETery they’d be fine; shrugging off the odd puddle or shower, but flattering though the skinny-jean look might be, my clothing prefs are more ‘boxer’ than ‘Y-front’. The Linesmans became too much like putting on a wetsuit each morning, rather than slipping into something all-day comfortable. I presume ASpec sell mostly in the UK, but perhaps they should consider a lighter, airier Desert Linesman for the US market. I’m sure I’d have something to say about that that, too! Queueing up for passport control at Portsmouth, a bloke on a Gas Gas 700 recognised my Adventure Spec pants. ‘Any good?’ he asked. ‘No for me’ I said.
That reminds me: I rode every day with Moto Skiveez because the CRF would have been agony without them, and despite close fitting ‘cycling shorts’ not being to my taste either. But getting dressed, many mornings I’d forget to pull on my irksome but essential padded nappies. The thought of then having to de-boot and remove the trousers to put on the Skiveez became… annoying.
Brainwave: integrating Skivee-like pads into riding pants I can’t be the only one who feels like this about uncomfortably narrow saddles on light trail bikes which are otherwise well suited to all-terrain travels – ‘adventure bikes’ if you will. So I think integrating Skivee-like pads into riding trousers would be a practical idea. Ideally, they’d slip into armour-like pockets, maybe even with varying densities of foam for heavier riders/harder saddles? I mentioned this to ASpec and Mosko, but I’m not sure either felt the same way. Me, I’m already booked in to pitch my Butt-R-Kupz™ on the next season of Dragon’s Den. I’ve more to say about saddles here. For what I do I’ve never been a fan of synthetic fabrics, not least with membranes, but next trip out there, I’ll try my AD1s again and see if their day-to-day comfort, utility and easily modified temperature span are as good as I think they might be.
In my pants
Second Opinion: James S Over a year I’ve worn my Linesman Pants whilst off-road training in Scotland, riding the Kielder 500 rally and around the High Atlas and desert of Morocco in January. And by the time you read this I’ll be out in Morocco riding the Sandraiders rally on my 3AJ. I even wore them with the armour on the Ryanair flight. I surprised UK airport security whilst they frisked me down, but the Moroccan Security agent had obviously come across knee armour before. The blue/black pattern help them look like regular hiking pants.
I found them quite comfortable on the plane and evening time, was in no hurry to take them off, apres-piste. I replaced the supplied Forcefield armour with my Acerbis kneepads but copped an injury on the unprotected side of my knee when I crashed my T7 at 30mph. But the knee and hip protection served their purpose as I rolled down the track. I wear mine outside my MX boots as I’ve not brought myself to cut the straps off, but the fabric along the inner calf has started to snag, so I will. AS should extend the hypalon or add some knee fabric to this area.
Coming out of Anergui in the High Atlas, I wore the Linesmans at 2°C one morning, but my legs didn’t get any colder than my upper body. I’ve not experienced prolonged rain, as I wear waterproof over-trousers, but the occasional shower is no problem. They dry off fast. I also wear Bull-it jeans which have abrasion resistant Covec for when riding on the road, but prefer the stretch flexibility of the Linesman Pant for off-road. Buying them was a significant expense, but other than the inside snags, I’ve not disappointed. For a bit of fun, I also asked Chat GPT4 for their opinion. See below.
Chat GPT4 Review [for amusement purposes only] The Adventure Spec Linesman Pant is designed for trail, adventure, and dual-sport riding, incorporating several features that aim to enhance the rider’s experience in different terrains and conditions. Here’s a comprehensive review of its pros and cons based on information from various sources: Pros: Lightweight and Comfortable: The Linesman Pant is lightweight and made from Bi-Stretch Panama fabric, which offers extreme comfort and high abrasion resistance, making it ideal for long rides【5†source】 Protection: It includes removable Forcefield Level 2 hip and knee armor, providing good protection from abrasion and impact injuries without feeling like typical bulky motorcycle safety pants【5†source】. Versatile Design: Designed to fit comfortably over adventure boots, the pant features a large lower leg zip for easy on/off and a tough buckle to secure the pants. It also has floating pockets for knee armor, allowing for adjustability and compatibility with knee braces【5†source】. Temperature Range: According to users on Adventure Rider, the Linesman Pant feels comfortable in relatively dry temperatures between 10°C and 21°C (50°F and 70°F), making it suitable for mild to warm weather conditions【7†source】. Durability and Design: Users have praised the construction and fit of the Linesman Pant, mentioning that it feels substantial yet roomy. The design allows for easy layering underneath or on top as needed【6†source】. Cons: Temperature Limitations: While the pants are comfortable within a specified temperature range, they might not be the best choice for extremely hot or cold climates without additional layering【7†source】. Price: With a price point of $355.00, the Linesman Pant is an investment, which might be a consideration for some riders looking for budget-friendly options【5†source】. Splash Resistance vs. Waterproofing: The pants are splash resistant and fast-drying but not waterproof. Riders will need a waterproof shell for continuous wet conditions, which could be a downside for those looking for an all-in-one solution【5†source】. In summary, the Adventure Spec Linesman Pant offers a blend of comfort, protection, and versatility for adventure riders, with a particular emphasis on a more subtle, toned-down style. However, considerations regarding temperature suitability and the need for additional waterproofing should be taken into account, especially given the higher price point. For riders who prioritize lightweight, protective gear that can handle a range of conditions with the right layering, the Linesman Pant could be a worthy addition to their riding wardrobe.
WHERE TESTED About 5000km road and dirt in Morocco/Spain, on a CRF300L with a standard seat wearing Aerostitch AD-1 and AdvSpec Linesman trousers.
COST £62 from Adventure Bike Shop.
At the end of the day I am pretty sure they reduced the agony
Work bike to bike; no need for new seats, pads, etc
Didn’t feel too sweaty or uncomfortable
Not too tight. unlike bicycle shorts
No fly makes a quick slash on a cold day a bit of a grope
What They Say The Moto-Skiveez® pad for the ADVENTURE style is the most complex of all Moto-Skiveez designs. It is comprised of a base malinga cloth, three different types of foam and a silver ion infused covering. This pad is engineered to provide comfort and functionality for a multitude of riding styles. This pad is designed for the rider to move from seating to standing and shift from forward to rearward on the seat. The padding in the seating area of this design has multiple densities formed with both concave and convex elliptical curves. This feature provides added comfort as the rider moves forward and back. One of its primary functions is to provide comfort for long hours adventure-touring, testing the abilities of the modern dual sport motorcycle to corner at high lean angles as well as ride off road. Additionally this design features two padded extensions, positioned on the inner thigh of each leg. These extensions have vertical padded ribs with ventilation openings. This is to counteract friction and chafing from repeated standing and seating experienced by aggressive off road riding.
REVIEW No one was less surprised than me when my CRF300L project bike turned out to be uncomfortable over long miles. It’s been the same on small trail bikes since I started riding them 45 years ago. Their design and perceived use usually demands a narrow saddle on which one can easily stand, but which is half the width of an average adult butt which it supports 99% of the time. My back was crippled for months after my 2017 WR250R trip sat on a similarly narrow saddle. My 300L started off worse than most as the seat had been lowered which simply meant less padding. Adding an exterior neoprene pad improved things, but raised the seat height which made getting on/off a pain. So I got a stock height saddle which didn’t need padding, but really the solution is a greater surface area on which to park the bum. Loads of other bikes manage to have wider seats with narrowed fronts for standing, but this is what we have on the CRF, short of importing a Seat Concepts saddle at around 400 quid.
Seat Concepts. More width.
Taking Mohamed to the mountain by wearing cycling shorts is a well-known dodge that works OK, but they’re designed to reduce rubbing from rotating legs as well as supporting your weight. I find the foam padding too soft. Moto Skiveez (US slang for underwear) have been around for years and I finally connected the dots and got myself a pair. The true test was the long, unbroken road ride back to Europe in the spring and they worked there too, but after weeks bashing about in the High Atlas and Saghro, I have to say they do make a difference. I don’t tend to stand up which makes things worse, but I didn’t end the days butt-sore as I’ve done these last few months.
I wore mine under a pair of Aerostitch AD-1 GTX trousers (photo left) and over my underpants (photo on request), neither of which added discomfort or sweatiness (most days started close to freezing and rose up to 20°C). I even detected the breaking-in or softening up period they mention in the first few days. Where possible, it still helped to stand up and relieve the pressure where possible, or just get off the bike for a bit, but the Skiveez could be as good a solution you’ll get to narrow saddle woes. Later I wore then under Adventure Spec Lineman trousers in warmer conditions. They were OK but why need them at all: I had an idea. Why not integrate Skivee-type pads into the backside of such riding trousers, either permanently or with sleeves into which you slip the pads when needed, like body armour? It would sure make a trackside slash less of a grope while also being one less layer to wear and one less thing to put on each morning.
IN A LINE Warm and smart puffa jacket with built-in controller which almost makes the 12v heating redundant.
WHERE TESTED Chilly December mornings on Jebel Saghro, then plugged in for a very chilly morning in the High Atlas up to 2200m/7200′ but not below freezing. Then back across chilly Spain (above freezing).
COST & WEIGHT Currently the revised v2 version is €395. My 2021 v1 jacket supplied free for review by Mosko.Weight 672g + battery wiring lead.
A smart, wearable puffa jacket, not just a wirey liner
PrimaLoft insulation is warm and compact – and ‘body mapped’
Packs into its own pocket
Three useful pockets
Looks cool; no naff graphics
Thumb hooks to get snug on the arms
It’s not black!
Controller function unexplained on v1
What They Say (v1) We added carbon fiber heating elements to a kick-ass technical puffy, and the ‘Ectotherm’ was born. When you’re sitting around the campfire or lounging in your tent, it’s a super warm insulator with 100g body-mapped synthetic PrimaLoft Gold insulation with Cross Core Technology. Connected to the bike, it adds a 6-panel carbon-fiber 3.5Amps/42w heating system powered by the bike. That extra warmth takes the edge off long, cold, wet, pavement stretches, keeps you warm on high alpine passes, adds new enjoyment to early spring and late fall trips, and ensures you’re ready for anything a multi-year/multi-season RTW journey can dish out.
REVIEW Riding for a week up to 2200 metres in December 2023, I was pretty sure I’d need my Ectotherm. Around Nekob (1000m) the forecast was down near zero some mornings, but by leaving for my day rides two hours after sun up, I dodged the most biting chill. In the end, used under my quilted Carhartt riding coat and over a merino long-sleeve top, by the afternoon, even unplugged the Ectotherm became too warm and got stashed.
3rd party heat-troller; not really neededGreen: ‘on’ or ‘low’ or what?
Only on the last day, heading over the High Atlas via a high-elevation route at close to zero did I plug the jacket in. I assumed like my previous heated jackets the Ectotherm would have no temperature controls, so used my old dial-operated Heat Troller (above left). No heat that I could tell so I rummaged around by the jacket’s output and noticed an on-off button which it turns out, has three levels of heat. It cycled red, orange, green then went out. Was it on now? Full power or low? I know 12-volt heated jackets are not night and day, but you sure notice when you turn them off. I stopped again to fiddle with the button and at one point definitely had the impression of warmth across my back. I notice that it’s rated at 42w where my Aero was 75w and the Powerlet 60/105w. But they used wires, not carbon fibre panels which you like to think need less power to do a similar job. Whatever the heating technology, with these jackets close fit pressing down on your body greatly increases efficiency, which was why Aerostich’s inflatable bladders where actually a clever idea for maximum efficiency. On other jackets I’ve wrapped straps around myself to press it down on freezing rides across northern Spain in winter. The Ecto was helped a little by my Kriega Trail 18 pressing on the coat. I did also wonder if wearing something thinner than my thick Ice Breaker merino may have produced better conductivity, but by that time I was over the highest cols and working my way west to Zerkten. A little disappointingly, the day had proved to be nowhere near as cold as forecast. So, not a conclusive test of the Ectotherm’s heating ability which I bet is in there somewhere. I need to find out how those buttons sequence (nothing in the online blurb. I contacted Mosko: no reply. But see Colin’s comment below) and may be able to dispense with the Heat Troller (which might also be affecting the output). Fyi; all is explained on the v2 model.
One thing’s for sure though: as a regular puffa the Ecto works very well (though at a price). It’s a smart garment you can wear off the bike, not a liner that just takes up space when not in use, or has little sartorial value when not plugged in. Whatever the carbon fibre heating panels are, they’re unobtrusive; only the LHS pocket with the wires and the control button adds any bulk. March 2024I rode my CRF back home but didn’t think I’d need the Ecto. Spain was as cold as I’ve been on a bike in many, many years. Even wearing all I had plus regular stops for hot food and drinks, I could feel myself going weird following sleet showers towards the end of the day. Another example of my minimalism turning round and kicking me in the nuts!
V2 with the missing instructions
Test 2 – 2024-25 I’d not given up of the Ecto, and in November 2024 set off across Spain on my CF Moto with the 12-v Mosko puffa under my thin Mosko Surveyor. By February 2025 I was back for more; winter 24-25 was a lot chillier in Morocco and I wore the unplugged Ecto every day, even down in the desert, along with my AD-1 over-trousers.
Coming back across Spain late February, I knew I’d need to plug it in, and this time did so direct – without the heat controller. For some reason, this time the operation of the Ecto’s built-in controller tab became intuitive: a long press for on, then short jabs until red (max) came up. For the leg north of Madrid, the Ecto sure made the day more bearable. It wasn’t freezing at around 800m, but the 100-kph wind chill made it feel like it. This time I was wearing an old Klim Aggressor base layer, plus a shirt and the skimpy Mosko Surveyor jacket over the top.
This was much more like it, even if at times the thing either auto switched off or went to a lower setting. Riding along you can just about grab the controller tab and check that the red icon is glowing reassuringly. I rolled into a Picos mountain posada, chilled but not stir-crazy with cold. Two days later it was another brisk late-night ride off the Portsmouth boat, which a pair of proper, intact gloves would have made more bearable. I counted off the landmarks until I was home, numb fingers fumbling with the keys. Riding along I thought: heated grips or 12-v jacket. Both are allowed, but I think 12-v jacket trounces the grips. They say a warm core supplies blood to the extremities better than grips warm the core. I’ll be keeping my Ecto until the ice caps melt.
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook 