Klim K Forty 2 Stretch Denim Jeans Review

Last updated:June 2, 2025

Review Summary

If you’re looking for the main takeaways from this review, here is my summary of the K Forty 2 Stretch Denim Riding Jean by Klim:

• The K Forty 2 Stretch Denim Riding Jean retails for $279.99 USD.
• The pants perfectly mimic streetwear jeans with very slim, undetectable armor
• Made with high-quality materials for a premium feel and durability
• Only available in 2 colors – Indigo and Cobalt
• True to size based on the size chart, but no options for taller riders above 6’2” (largest inseam is 34”)
• D30 IP Ghost CE 1 armor inserts are included in the knee and hip
• The most comfortable riding jeans I’ve worn to date, with the armor playing a huge role in that
• Does not include a Kevlar lining
• The 13oz stretch denim is the only abrasion resistance offered by these pants
• CE AA rating certified to EN 17092-3
• Good value for money through high-quality materials, premium armor, exceptional comfort, and great styling

Klim K Forty 2 Jeans

Chances are, when you think of motorcycle gear, the name Klim is likely in your top 5. They make a wide variety of gear, ranging from jackets, pants, goggles, gloves, and so much more. They’re extremely well known within the adventure/off-roading market and have a well-earned reputation for producing reliable, top-notch gear

Last year, I had the pleasure of working with Klim on reviewing a pair of their riding jeans alongside fellow reviewer Eric Lara.

As is with everything Klim, the jeans were high quality and a great piece of riding gear. When Eric reached out to me with another opportunity to ride in one of their products, it was a no-brainer. 

To start off the 2025 riding season, I got my hands on a pair of the Klim K Forty 2 Stretch Denim Jeans, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to go back to regular riding jeans again. 

First Impressions

Klim sent my jeans to Eric’s place alongside the gear he will be reviewing. When he dropped off the pants, I was a bit confused and called him almost immediately.

“Where is the armor? Did they ship it separately?” I asked.

Nope. The armor was pre-installed in the jeans, which arrived folded and on a hanger. I genuinely could not tell that the jeans were armored. Both by weight and feel, I thought that Eric had missed the other half of the shipment.

That first impression made a lasting impression, and each time I put on the K Forty 2 Jeans to ride, I had to remind myself that these jeans aren’t just a regular pair of jeans.

Dress Jeans or Riding Jeans?

I’m all about undercover motorcycle gear. You know, the gear that doesn’t look like gear, yet is built like an armored tank? It almost makes me feel like John Wick wearing a bulletproof suit on a nonchalant Sunday ride down to the grocery store.

Have a look through my closet and you’ll find jeans from Calvin Klein, Banana Republic, Jack and Jones, etc. I’m not exactly a fashion icon, but I have a fair selection of both casual and dress jeans. The K Forty 2 Jeans looked similar to my favorite pair of dress jeans, which I highly appreciated!

Without a doubt, I could throw the K Forty 2 jeans in that same closet, and you wouldn’t be able to distinguish them from the rest. Don’t believe me? Have a look at the picture below. That just goes to show you how well they’ve designed these pants to look like traditional streetwear.

The K Forty 2 jeans sport a straight-cut fit, which I appreciated much more than the Klim K Fifty 1’s regular-cut. I prefer to wear tapered pants, but on the bike, I feel that it’s more practical and comfortable to wear a straight-cut.

As expected, I have zero concerns with the overall quality of the pants. Klim is known for making high-end gear, and yet again, they’ve delivered with the K Forty 2 jeans. Everything from the stitch to the stretch denim feels premium. It’s apparent that they did not cut any corners with these pants. 

The only grief I had with the design of these pants was the lack of color options available. You get to choose from blue (Cobalt) or a slightly darker blue (Indigo). With how highly praised these jeans are, I’d love to see additional colors, such as grey or black, to choose from.

Design & Quality: 95%

True to Size and Excellent Fit

We are all well aware of how your pants ride up when sitting on your bike versus when you’re standing up. To account for this, some brands add a few inches to the inseam, such was the case with Akin Moto’s Wrench Motorcycle Pants.

This isn’t the case with the Klim K Forty 2 jeans. At 5’10” and 185lbs, I opted for a 32 waist and 32 inseam. Typically, I prefer to wear a 32×31, however, I wanted the extra inch to ensure full coverage while in the riding position. The jeans fit me perfectly and exactly as expected. They fit true to size based on the size chart, so there is no need to size up or down.

I appreciated the breadth of sizes available for average-height riders, but it looks as though Klim isn’t catering to a large segment of the market – tall riders. With 34 being the largest inseam length available, any rider of 6’2” risks the jeans being too short, thus offering inadequate protection and outright discomfort. 

While Klim’s size guide clearly indicates “Tall” sizing with a 36 inseam, there isn’t an option to purchase the Forty 2 Straight Stretch denim jeans in that size. Hopefully, Klim will add this to their offering in the near future, but for now, taller riders may want to check out our Best Riding Jeans of 2025 for other options.

Size & Fit: 80%

Discrete Protection

Be warned – my protection rating is going to somewhat contradict what I say, and I already know I’m going to receive backlash for it. Just bear with me while I present my case.

First off, the impact armor in the K Forty 2 Jeans is the best armor I’ve ever had the pleasure of riding in. Not only is it CE-rated (EN 17092-3) and included in your purchase, but it is nearly impossible to detect. Seriously, as an onlooker, you would never know these pants are armored unless I told you.

What’s more, as the person wearing them, you’ll easily forget they’re armored as well. The armor is called D30 IP Ghost Ultra Slim Knee & Hip armor, and it truly lives up to its name. The armor is slightly thicker than the denim, if not the exact same, and is extremely flexible.

It contours to your body and bends effortlessly with each movement. It’s like having a second skin in areas that matter most, but without the typical bulk and discomfort from traditional armor. I loved riding in this armor, and truth be told, I’ve begun inserting it into my other gear when I’m not wearing the K Forty 2 Jeans because I can’t go back to regular, bulky inserts.

Aside from that, the jeans don’t offer much more in the sense of protection. Sure, they’re made out of abrasion-resistant denim, but we know that denim, stretch denim in particular, is inferior to other options on the market, such as leather or Kevlar. 

But Klim knows that, and they’ve advertised the pants as being an option between comfort-focused and Kevlar protection-focused jeans. So, even though I truly loved and adored the D30 Ghost inserts, I can’t give these jeans a high protection rating because they don’t perform as well as other riding jeans in terms of abrasion resistance.

For other great armor options, check out our Best Motorcycle Armor Inserts for 2025

Protection: 75%

All Day Comfort On and Off the Bike

Here’s my controversial take: comfort is just as important as protection when it comes to motorcycle gear.

Hear me out! Of course, we wear motorcycle gear to keep ourselves protected on the road. Life is unpredictable, and as riders, we strive to be prepared should we find ourselves in a less-than-fortunate situation.

With that being said, the gear can not protect you if you’re not wearing it. Sounds pretty obvious, right? But think about it for a second – how many times have you bought a new riding jacket, pair of boots, or those amazing leather motorcycle pants that your friends raved about, only to find out you hate wearing them?

It’s like wearing a suit. I look damn good in one, but I hate feeling restricted in a dress shirt and jacket so I rarely wear one. The same concept applies to motorcycle gear – if it’s extremely uncomfortable to wear, you’re more likely not to wear it.

Your mind starts to create rationales:

“I’m just going down the street, I’ll be fine!”

“It’ll take me longer to gear up than I’ll actually be riding, I don’t need to wear this.”

Sound familiar? Don’t feel bad, we’ve all been there.

Thankfully, that isn’t the case with the K Forty 2 Straight Stretch Denim Jeans. Stretch is in the product name for a reason, and it sure as hell delivered. The exceptional stretch performance of the denim gave me a full range of motion without feeling restricted. After this, I don’t think I can go back to riding jeans that aren’t made out of stretch denim.

The aforementioned D30 ghost armor is undetectable and extremely comfortable to wear. I can honestly say I haven’t worn a pair of riding gear before where I wasn’t able to feel the impact armor up until now. It was a whole different riding experience for me. I felt like I was wearing regular old denim.

Riding jeans don’t have vents, and as such, they may run a bit hot during the summer. That’s just the fact of the matter when you opt to wear riding jeans over other options. With that being said, I didn’t find the K Forty 2 jeans to run hot. Keep in mind, though, that I tested these jeans at the beginning of the riding season in cooler, Spring temperatures.

If you’re looking for something with a bit more airflow for scorching hot summer days, you may want to browse our picks for the Best Mesh Riding Pants of 2025

Comfort: 100%

Value for Money

It’s hard to determine the value for money of any item, as each rider’s needs are unique. For me, I believe the value for money from these jeans comes from the overall quality of the materials used to produce them. 

Everything had a premium feel to it, and I feel as though it was built to last. At a mid-range price ($200 – $325), riders can expect the Forty 2 Stretch Denim Jeans to stand up to whatever they throw at it and deliver lasting performance time and time again. 

It’s made with the same 13oz stretch denim as some of Klim’s higher-end jeans (entry-level uses 12oz) but lacks the Kevlar lining. This is reflected in the price. Premium D30 IP Ghost armor is included in your purchase, which, for me, is the star of the show. I cannot express how much I enjoyed riding in this armor. I believe it’s something you need experience for yourself to truly appreciate.

Overall, the jeans don’t bring any ground-breaking protective technology to the table, nor do you expect them to. They do exactly what they were designed to do – offer you protection with exceptional comfort for an unmatched riding experience.

Value for Money: 90%

Final Verdict

A solid score for a solid pair of jeans. The Klim K Forty 2 Stretch Denim has effortlessly become my go-to riding jeans. I’ve parted ways with the Fifty 1 riding jeans from last year and replaced them with an option that better suits me and my riding style. 

At the end of the day, you could spend slightly less on a pair of uncomfortable riding jeans with the same adequate protection as the Forty 2’s, or you could splurge a bit more and get a pair of jeans that you’ll actually enjoy riding in.

The choice is yours!

Pros

• Undetectable D30 IP Ghost armor included in the knees and hips
• Exceptional comfort both on and off the bike
• Very casual streetwear design
• High-quality stitch and stretch denim
• CE AA rating certified to EN 17092-3

Cons

• Not available in “Tall” sizing
• No Kevlar lining relies on stretch denim for abrasion resistance
• Only two color choices

Specifications

• Manufacturer: Klim
• Price: $279.99
• Colors: Indigo, Cobalt
• Sizes Available: 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40
• Review Period: April – May 2025

Where to Buy

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