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Every couple of weeks ADVMoto hears about another new adventure touring suit, and the ranges of price, quality and style are becoming more diverse. Few, however, have the dedicated adventure and off-road reputation that has secured KLIM a top position in the ADV armor market. With a rugged and comfort- able design philosophy permeating their entire product line, KLIM’s Latitude jacket and pants make up one of the best “mid-level” suits out there.
KLIM Latitude Jacket
The first impression I got from putting on the jacket was how comfortable and roomy it is. At 6 feet and over 200 lbs., I really appreciate the roomier cut of KLIM’s jackets. Many jackets, especially some hailing from Europe, tend to be more svelte in cut, meaning larger in the shoulders and tapering down towards the gut and waist. This often means having to buy an extra size larger in the European brands, at the sacrifice of having sleeves which are often way too long.
Claustrophobia is not an issue with the Latitude. KLIM’s cut seems to take my rather “American” build into account, offering plenty of room from belly to shoulders without the extra-long arms. With a 36-inch waist, the XL size Latitude jacket is almost too big around the gut until you start layering up for winter; then the extra space keeps the jacket from being too restrictive for movement or breathing. However, the flat-bellied don’t have anything to worry about, as two one-inch Velcro waist straps can take up the excess slack.
The pockets are extremely well thought-out and practical. And, the Latitude’s vertical zipper chest pockets are easily the number one configuration for both usability (even while moving) and space efficiency. However, like many modern suits with so many zippers, it’s easy to mistake some pockets for ventilation ports— of which also work extremely well. I believe the Latitude’s range of movement has to be one of the best in the industry. Even with the armor in, there are nearly no limb motion restrictions with either the jacket or pants, and it just gets better as you open up the vents.
Large pit zips, easy to operate with one hand, and upper arm vents do an amazing job of moving air over your chest and out the back opening. Armpits are the hottest place on your torso and have, without a doubt, the greatest core cooling effect when ventilated properly.
Now, to the meat of the mid- to upper-range riding armor questions—what about being waterproof? I’m happy to report the Latitude’s excellent Gore-Tex waterproofing does its job in even heavy, cold rain, rendering almost no noticeable leakage after a couple hours of rain riding at speed.
I often test all-weather armor which uses a removable “breathable” layer for waterproofing, but have found this an imperfect solution when travelling, since you’re likely to hit rain cells on the go.
Stopping to remove a jacket and install a liner will not only expose you to the elements, but also means you instantly lose a tremendous amount of heat stored inside your layers.
Although some rain liners, which are cheaper to produce, work very well, the inconvenience and heat loss make them less than ideal in extreme conditions.
