The number of women who ride motorcycles has skyrocketed over the past few years. However, most of the gear companies out there make riding suits only for men. That leaves us gals wearing gear that just “doesn’t quite fit.” Well ladies, your search is over—KLIM jumped on board and, with the help of women riders, has designed a riding suit just for us. They’re calling it the Altitude.

My first impression of the suit was that it looked good. The styling and colors really set this suit apart from the men’s. Oh, and it’s not pink! I loved the orange accenting as well as the light grey color. It really pops, and is different from anything KLIM has done in the past. The down side to the color is how easily it shows dirt, especially on long trips. However, KLIM states that a soak in Oxy Clean will remove any and all stains.

Both the jacket and pants fit true to size. KLIM realized that women are all different sizes, so they did a few things to help the fitting. First, they added an extendable zipper to the pants right under the knee. This lets you add about four inches in length to the pants if you are long-legged like me. At 5'10", the length of my riding pants has always been a problem. This is the first time I have been able to order pants which actually fit and are long enough.

Second, they added a Gore-Tex elastic crotch that provides improved comfort and motion while riding. This is a great feature, making it comfortable to move around when riding, and helpling in mounting and dismounting. Last, they added Velcro waist straps to keep the jacket from looking too bulky, and to help us show off our curves.

Both the jacket and pants have numerous vents to keep you cool when riding in hot or humid conditions. They also added 3M Scotch Lite reflective material to the front and back of both the pants and jacket for extra visibility at night. The suit has Gore-Tex throughout and 840D high tenacity nylon abrasion zones at the elbow, shoulder, lower rear, knees, and lower inside leg for added protection. All the armor used is D30 Evo, which cuts down on weight and adds protection in case of a spill. All the armor is removable for washing.

The entire suit is equipped with YKK waterproof zippers as well as flaps that cover them. Between the zippers and the Gore-Tex, water is a non-issue. Speaking of zippers, the jacket is covered in well placed pockets convenient for all your small items. The same cannot be said for the pants; they have only two small pockets on the front (perfect for your house keys).

The Altitude also has a few cool features not found on other riding suits. On the inside of the knees, there are leather panels to be used to grip the tank. This is a useful feature on long rides because it helps to hold you in place. The only down side to this leather panel is that the grey color starts wearing off relatively quickly, turning to black.

The jacket’s collar will snap back out of the way when it is hot, which keeps it from flapping around the neck. Like most KLIM jackets, the left arm has an international emergency symbol next to a small pocket. Inside the pocket, you will find information to register your jacket and add your information online. You will be sent an ID card to keep in that pocket. This card can be swiped in any hospital in the world, and they will instantly have all your medical information as well as contacts, etc. I thought that was a great feature, especially when traveling alone.

Overall, KLIM has done a phenomenal job creating a tough suit made just for women. At $570 for the jacket and $500 for the pants, it is not cheap. However, if you are planning on really putting some miles on your bike this season, the Altitude is well worth the money. I have to say, it is the most comfortable and well fitted suit I have tried to date. It is truly high quality, and made to fit the female adventure rider through any riding condition imaginable. MSRP Jacket: $570.00 Pants: $500.00 Klim.com

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