Adventure motorcycles and their riders traverse all kinds of terrain and weather. Sometimes we pass through, enjoying the scenery, and occasionally we are unwillingly introduced to Mother Earth face-first. To stay comfortable in all types of weather, and safe if we get off, we seek the best riding gear we can afford. The editorial team here at Ultimate Motorcycling has reviewed many Klim rider protection offerings, and they have yet to disappoint. The Klim Latitude jacket and pants are in their fifth generation, with reduced bulk, adjustment features, and increased ventilation as part of this latest version’s improvement.
When I started riding at age 12, I wore my dad’s garden boots with newspaper stuffed in the toes, my brother’s jeans jacket, my mother’s gardening gloves, and a secondhand 3/4 helmet that I screwed a football faceguard into. The industry and my pocketbook have come a long way since then. Around 2005, Klim started perfecting its motorcycle gear after becoming a topline snowmobile apparel manufacturer. The Idaho-based company, since purchased by Polaris Industries, continues to design and manufacture riding gear ranging from lightweight summer dirt gear to street safety wear to adventure wear that circumnavigates the globe on years-long exploits.
I have been riding with a size Large Latitude jacket and size 34 Regular Latitude pants from winter into spring. Unlike some riding gear, such as the Klim A-1 Rally Airbag Vest, I didn’t crash-test the Latitude outfit. I have, however, encountered plenty of Pacific Northwest rain, 28-degree cold, and a two-day hint of heat up to 85 degrees.
As a pair, the Klim Latitude jacket and pants have kept me warm and dry on winter rides and comfortable on warm days. On riding days that started at 38 degrees and rose to 50 degrees, I wore winter long underwear under the pants, two layers under the jacket, and a Klim Ai-1 Airbag Vest. Below 38 degrees, I wear heated pants and a heated shirt as underlayers. On 85-degree days, I wore nothing but Moto-Skiveez under the pants, and a wick-away T-shirt (under the Klim Airbag) under the jacket.
The Klim Latitude Jacket, with an MSRP of $800, comes in sizes from Small to 4XL. The Large weighs about five pounds, with the next generation D3O CE Level 1 back protector installed. Because I always wear a Klim airbag, I took out the back protector. There is also removable, vented D3O armor in the shoulders and elbows—both CE Level 1. The shoulders are additionally protected on the shell by 600D Cordura, and the elbows by guarded by goat leather.
There are two six-inch zippered handwarmer pockets with hidden pulls inside to cinch the waist in inclement weather. An upper left chest six-inch zippered pocket has a handy key loop and can be left open for additional airflow. There are two seven-inch designated front intake vents and a pair of zippered seven-inch rear exhaust vents. Both wrists have six-inch dual zipper vents that let in a lot of air, unless they are behind a fairing, as they are when I ride my Yamaha Venture. On the Ultimate Motorcycling Yamaha Ténéré 700 Project Bike, a tremendous amount of air flows up my arms from the wrist vents.
The inside features a six-by-nine-inch zippered map pocket on each side. Up high is a pair of six-by-six zippered pockets—one opening at the top and one Napoleon style, opening at the side for easy reach, even with gloves on. There is also a hidden mesh pocket behind the D3O back protector.
I firmly believe in staying comfortable, so when I am riding when the temperature is above 90 degrees, I will fill those four internal pockets with ice at each gas stop. I can see closing the front vents and only using the wrist vents to let in the hot air. The ice will cool the air around my chest and then vent out the back. The Gore-Tex is windproof, so there will not be any 100+ degree desert air hitting my skin to overheat me. Even in the 100 percent humidity of the southern US, having ice against my chest helps cool me more than any airflow can.
There are two helpful features on the jacket shell that are not new but are noteworthy. The first is the collar tab hooks that hold the soft leather and fleece neckline open for additional airflow. The second is the left wrist 3.5-inch zippered pocket in which I put the Klim-provided emergency card, along with my gas credit card and toll cash. When off the bike, I put my earplugs in the wrist pocket for easy retrieval. Hidden under the bottom of the wrist pocket is a secret secondary pocket.
Klim has redesigned the layout of the Gore-Tex shell panels to reduce bulk and increase comfort while sitting and standing. In addition, they have moved the front and back vent zippers to better catch airflow and route it out of the jacket on warm days. I especially like the V-cut at the cuff that reduces binding at the wrist. With eight quick-adjust straps, you can fine-tune the fit of the arms and body.
Along both sides are zipper gussets that can ease any tightness around the belly when sitting or wearing extra base layers. Offset to your clutch-hand side, on the back of the collar, is an elastic pull cord locked in place by just laying it flat. There is no need to stop to cinch the collar or zip the reachable zippers.
The front zipper is double-headed for a split zip, allowing greater airflow and relieving any tightness around the waist when sitting. The interior is a wick-away mesh, another feature for helping keep you cooler on warmer days. There is a jacket/pants zip connection to mate with the matching Latitude pants ($650).
I am 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, and I wear 34×30 jeans. The 34 Regular size Klim Latitude pants fit me with room for a base layer or heated pants, and weigh in at 4.2 pounds. The pants are available in Short and Regular lengths from waist size 30 to 44, and in sizes 32 to 40 in Tall Length.
The zippered thigh intake vents work so well that I can feel the airflow while walking around a motorcycle show at 85 degrees. I opened them at 35 degrees at 70 mph and could feel the cold air circulating from the top of the D3O knee armor to above my crotch.
The waist adjustment straps do a great job of cinching up the waist of the Klim Latitude pants, but my lack of hips results in me constantly pulling up my pants when walking around. When coming to a stop on the Ultimate Motorcycling Yamaha Ténéré 700 Project Bike, I am on tiptoe to touch the ground. If the waist isn’t all the way up above my hips, then the seamless crotch will bind as I extend my legs, momentarily reducing my reach to the ground.
I found a simple and old-school way to keep the Klim Latitude pants up due to my lack of hips—suspenders. With the suspenders, the crotch is properly positioned when I stop. The bottom cuffs have nine-inch zippers securing waterproof gussets that easily allow room for Klim Adventure GTX boots. Three snaps allow for a wide range of adjustment to secure around ADV boots, or an ankle if you wear low-top boots.
There are two zippered slant hip pockets in the front and a square six-inch zippered pocket on the left thigh. The slant pockets can comfortably hold a wallet, money, or even the largest smartphone. The thigh pocket has a secondary compartment that, at first glance, looks like a coin pocket. However, it holds my iPhone 12 mini vertically and does not let it slide sideways or get scratched by anything else I put in there. Unlike the jacket, which has 3M Scotchlite Carbon Black Reflective Material all over it, the pants have four stipes—one on each side at the knee and one on the back of each leg at boot level.
There are 600D Cordura overlays on the knees, seat, and lower cuffs of the Klim Latitude pants for added protection. D3O CE Level 1 armor in the hips and knees. A generous section of perforated goat leather is on the inside of each leg, where the knee hugs the bike while standing.
Riding clothes should be in the background, like the music in a movie, and that is part of the Klim Latitude experience. My helmet doesn’t grab the collar on head checks, as can sometimes happen with higher-collar jackets. No part of the Klim Latitude outfit flapped in the wind at any speed or riding position. The thick Gore-Tex keeps the elements out while still being breathable.
Well-positioned vents on the Klim Latitude jacket and pants help keep you cool when needed, and there are plenty of pockets to stash your stuff. There are many protective Klim outfits to choose from, and the Latitude line is fully waterproof—a must for year-round touring and light to medium adventure riding.
The Klim Latitude jacket and pants are rugged, all-weather apparel for the adventure motorcycle rider and the commuter alike, with features and performance that justifies the premium prices.
Klim Latitude Jacket and Pants Fast Facts
- Jacket sizes: SM – 4X
- Pants sizes: Reg: 30-42; Short: 30-42; Tall: 32-40
- Jacket and pants certification: CE A rating; EN 17092-4 (pending)
Armor
- D3O LP1 CE Level 1 vented shoulder
- D3O LP1 CE Level 1 adjustable elbow
- D3O Viper CE Level 1 back
- D3O LP1 CE Level 1 vented hip
- D3O LP1 CE Level 1 adjustable knee
Colors
- Stealth Black
- Cool Gray
- Castlerock – Hi-Vis
- Dress Blue – Electric Blue Lemonade
Prices
- Klim Latitude Jacket: $800 MSRP
- Klim Latitude Pants: $650 MSRP
Klim Latitude Jacket and Pants Review Photo Gallery
