I must admit, I am a big fan of Klim clothing. When I first started quad riding, I quickly realized that good clothing made a big difference in the comfort and enjoyment of multi-day rides. When the accommodations are booked for a whole week, no matter what the weather is like, you have to go to the next place, even if the weather turns into a torrential nightmare.
I bought several supposedly waterproof clothes that all ended up abdicating during a good rain. I have now found the one that allows me to ride “dry as a cracker” even in the worst rain conditions: my Klim. The purchase price may seem high, but the lifetime warranty of the garment allows it to pay for itself over many years.
I was very pleased to try out the Klim Traverse pants and jacket. I share with you my impressions and my comparison with the equipment I have owned for several years.
Design
Lightness! Compared to my old kit, this is the first thing that struck me when I unpacked the products. The design is very nice and the reflective stripes are well integrated in the colors of both the coat and the pants. Since these are waterproof garments, all zippers exposed to the elements are also waterproof.
Traverse Jacket
The Klim jacket makes a clear statement with “Goretex” and “Technical Riding Gear” discreetly printed on the front. It’s designed with shoulder and elbow pads that are easily removable if, like me, you don’t feel the need to wear them. A lace at the collar and velcro at the wrists allow you to adjust the garment to your body shape. In warmer weather, a small velcro strap holds the collar open without it flapping in the wind. Two large zippers under the armpits allow to evacuate moisture. As for storage, it has a chest pocket and two others on the sides in addition to one inside.
The Traverse coat is very comfortable to wear, especially because of its lightness. I didn’t feel any restriction of movement while riding, even the more demanding one. The only small addition that I think would complete the comfort in very hot weather would be a little more ventilation. At this point, you’ll tell me to just take it off, but I prefer to ride with the protection of a good jacket against whipping branches or big bugs hitting me.
Traverse pants
As for the pants, they totally won me over. They have everything to please the most demanding riders. Comfortable, light, ventilated, with a design conceived to be worn sitting down and a leather patch on the inside of the knees, it looks great. Completely waterproof with its Goretex membrane, it can be fitted with hip and knee protectors.
In my experience, the most common place for water to get into the pants is through the crotch. Usually, this is the weakest point of a pair of pants because it joins four pieces together and this seam is heavily used. Also, when riding in the rain, all the water that runs off the upper body is directed to this weak point and you end up with a wet butt. Klim’s Traverse pant has bypassed this weak point with a piece of fabric that eliminates the four-stitch seam on the fork and the tension imposed on that seam when we ride our quad. It’s ingenious and very effective because there’s no tension applied to the crotch seams, even if you manage to go all the way.
Zippers at the front and back of the thigh provide excellent ventilation in hot weather. The leather band on the inside of the knee ensures a good grip on the machine without slipping. Personally, I would have liked it to extend to the bottom of the pants and protect me from the heat of my engine in summer. To complete the picture, there are velcros at the waist for adjustment and three velcro strips from mid-calf to the ankle to tighten the bottom of the pants on the boot to prevent the little splashes that come from the bottom when going through a water hole at good speed.
The Klim Traverse is without a doubt an excellent choice of clothing for the quad rider. Versatile, comfortable, safe and, most importantly, waterproof. It’s guaranteed to last a lifetime!
