Kevlar Motorcycle Jeans
When Tom Pitton jammed on his brakes, he knew there were only two possibilities. He could either strike a fellow biker broadside with his motorcycle or lay the bike down and skid across the pavement.
Smashing into the other rider wasn’t an option, so Tom threw himself and his motorcycle down onto the roadway at 45 miles per hour. It was a terrifying moment for the 68-year-old, who was on a winter joy ride in Palm Springs, California.
"The whole pile of metal, plastic, and me came to a halt near the curb with my right leg pinned under the bike," he recalls. "Then I felt the bike being picked up off of me. I took a quick assessment of my physical being and decided that all my parts were where they were suppose to be and that, sure enough, I did seem to be alive."
Fortunately, Tom’s legs were protected by protective motorcycle jeans. Specifically designed for motorcycle enthusiasts, these jeans have woven Kevlar sewn into three areas-the hips, knees and seat-to help protect riders from road rash in precisely this type of emergency situation.
"The Diamond Gusset Jeans did the job they were advertised to do," said Tom. "It’s obvious that they are all scuffed up from the slide I took along my entire right side. It’s also obvious to me that the jeans your company produces helped save my life."
The damage to the motorcycle totaled $2,000, and Tom sustained pavement burns on his right arm and shoulder that felt like they were on fire. But his legs were uninjured, thanks to a thick pair of boots and his Kevlar-reinforced jeans. This woven Kevlar layer not only protects against road rash but also helps prevent other serious injuries that can occur during a crash.
"My jeans had one hole in them, a small one below the right knee, but this hole did not go through to my leg. A Kevlar patch in this area stopped whatever was trying to puncture my leg from getting through," said Tom.
A recent widower, Tom came out of retirement last year to join a friend in the RV repair business outside of Salt Lake City. They were in California over the winter doing "good Samaritan" work, installing automatic fire extinguishers on as many RVs as possible. Since the crash, Tom has become a loyal Diamond Gusset customer and proud owner of three pairs of Defender jeans.
"I cannot personally give a higher endorsement to a product intended for safety than to purchase it again after an accident," said Tom. "The Defender jeans are a nicely styled, well-made product, and they will continue to be an important part of my safety equipment as I continue motorcycling."
The jeans are American-made and feature the company’s trademarked gusseted construction, which incorporates a "diamond" in the crotch of the jean, allowing for greater freedom of movement, comfort, and strength.
"With a resurgence in motorcycling not seen in two decades, the Kevlar reinforcement helps keep riders safe while the diamond gusset keeps them comfortable," said David Hall, president and cofounder of Diamond Gusset Jeans.
"I survived a 45 MPH motorcycle accident," Tom said. "I will be forever grateful to your company and the workers who produced my life-saving jeans."