Klim Latitude Jacket & Pants | MC TESTED

We don’t take the testing of adventure gear lightly. To find out whether kit like this is worth the asking price, it takes more than commuting and Sunday rides. I’ve had this Klim Latitude set around for about a year now and have had the chance to use it in an array of weather and situations, most notably a 1,000-mile dual-sport ride from Moab, Utah, to our offices near Los Angeles. Since that journey this gear has become my go-to choice for dual-sport and adventure rides.

This outfit checks all of the boxes for modern ADV gear: a high-performance textile shell (in this case, two-layer Gore-Tex with 840D Cordura in likely abrasion zones), reflective panels and trim, lots of pockets, and armor in all the usual spots. Specifically, both garments employ CE-approved D3O armor—the jacket in the elbows, shoulders, and back, with hip and knee protection in the pants. Luckily I haven’t suffered a serious crash in this gear, but in low-speed tip-overs the armor has served me well.

Airflow on hot days in the Latitude is especially good. Zippered armpit and shoulder vents in the jacket gulp in atmosphere, while a horizontal outlet across the back lets air out. The pants also breathe through massive zippered openings in the upper legs with matching exhaust ports on the back of the thigh. Near Hoover Dam my BMW F800GS Adventure told me ambient temperature was 119 degrees—punishing no matter how you slice it, but I survived even fully geared up. (This set’s gray/white colorway probably helped too.)

All of the vents close via zippers equipped with rubber seals to block out water, and I found battening down the hatches for desert thundershowers kept me dry, though I never faced sustained, torrential rain. My only complaint is the rubber-treated zippers can get sticky and difficult to adjust, especially after days in the dust (a drip of silicone lube helps). Other than that, the fasteners are superb, hook-and-loop strips are sturdy, and all of the snaps connect with an industrial click.

The zippers are only frustrating because the other refined features make Klim gear so good. Hip armor sits in a mesh pocket that is aligned with the leg vent, so the hole in the pants left by the open vent is covered by armor (smart!), and the collar is lined with a soft material so it doesn’t chafe your neck. One pocket includes an anchored key clip, and another has a built-in port for an earphone cord. Little details, sure, but all demonstrating the garments have been thoroughly thought out.

The medium jacket retails for $630, and my “tall” option pants (a useful upgrade) upped the price $20 to $520. You’ll probably want to be serious about your adventure before you spend that kind of money on clothing, but I can’t help but recommend this gear when people ask. It’s terrific.

PRICE: Jacket: $630–$670; Pants: $500–$520
CONTACT: klim.com

Misses out on an A+ due to high price, but otherwise largely perfect.