Back in 2021, Australian company SA1NT debuted a lineup of jeans that they called UNBREAKABLE – it was the “world’s first single layer, CE approved motorcycle denim.” This material (which featured Dyneema®), allowed for thinner, lighter, and therefore more comfortable jeans. There’s just one catch – the UNBREAKABLE jeans are $350 a pair. As you can imagine, this led to a lot of reviews and feedback which basically said, “these are great but they’re expensive.”
So, SA1NT is now offering an additional line of jeans that they call Engineered: it ditches the Dyneema for a Nylon blend and in the process cuts out nearly 50% of the price – you can pick one of these up for $199. But should you?
Photos by Gray Van Dyke
I’ve worn the Engineered jeans almost every day now for about six weeks, here’s what I think:
The Basics
The Engineered line is offered in waist sizes between 28-40 in either a Slim Fit or Straight Fit.
Color options take a page out of Henry Ford’s book with the Model T: any color you want, as long as it’s black. Design is done in Australia but the pants are made in Pakistan.
Impact resistance is provided by removable CE EN1621-2:2012 hip armor and removable/adjustable CE EN1621-2:2012 knee armor.
Abrasion resistance is provided by a blend of 72% cotton, 18% nylon, 8% elastomultiester and 2% elastane – the jeans are certified CE EN17092-3:2020 CLASS AA If you don’t know what that means, check out this primer over on RevZilla.
Lastly, there’s reflective details on the back pocket and in the cuffs (if you roll them up).
The Good and The Bad
I’ll be the first one to admit that I don’t understand modern fashion, but I like that these don’t scream “I ride a motorcycle.” There’s minimal branding and the one large logo (on a rear pocket) is in a subtle enough color. You can wear these in most daily situations without sticking out.
I also have a pair of SA1NT’s UNBREAKABLE jeans but I was sent a Slim Fit in those and they can get tight in the knees. The Straight Fit Engineered jeans have no taper and provide more than enough room to bend, even if you’re on the sportiest of bikes:
This was from my first day wearing the jeans, talk about breaking them in!
I’ve ridden in motorcycle jeans made by Alpinestars, REV’IT, and Reax, among others, and these SA1NTs are definitely near the top from a comfort standpoint in the $150-$200 price range. Note that the instructions say you should go as long as possible without washing them – plus there’s always helpful advice to change your oil and check your brakes.
It’s easy to get the armor in/out and adjust the position, and the armor is very thin so it doesn’t affect movement too much. Your guess is as good as mine as to how it responds to a crash, but for what it’s worth I’ve lowsided in similar jeans which were also AA-rated at 45 mph and my legs had no evidence of the accident.
Obviously it’s great that the price is lower, it’s nice for customers to have options depending on their budgets. But the cheaper material used is only 20% stronger than denim, which doesn’t seem like enough to me. Clearly the armor also helps, but denim is bad in an accident and 20% better than bad doesn’t seem like it would be good enough.
Graphic from SA1NT
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, my two main thoughts on protective gear are:1. it doesn’t matter how good it is if it’s too much of a pain for people to put on and deal with on a regular basis. The convenience of motorcycle jeans can’t be denied and SA1NT’s Engineered jeans are comfortable enough that you could wear them all day. They’re noticeably warmer than regular jeans though, so hopefully you have A/C at your destination.
2. you have to look at it as an investment against medical bills. Remember the scene in Fight Club where The Narrator explains the calculation for justifying a car recall?
That’s what I think of when it comes to gear – and when you consider how much a hospital visit costs, it should be pretty easy to justify spending a few bucks on something that will minimize the chances of going to the hospital. If you absolutely can’t spend more than $200 on motorcycle jeans, then I don’t think you’ll go wrong with the Engineered (but there’s lot of options out there at the $200 price point). This is just SA1NT’s way of offering CE AA protection at a cheaper price point.
With that said, my recommendation would be to save up a few more bucks and get the UNBREAKABLEs. They’re a really nice piece of gear which is significantly more comfortable and much more abrasion-resistant. Yes, they’re $150 more expensive but that should be an easy sale compared to getting road rash.
Check out the SA1NT Engineered Armored Jeans (Straight Fit)!