We’re used to motorcycling-ready jeans hitting price points that we wouldn’t consider when buying walkaround jeans. That’s fine. Motorcycle jeans have larger responsibilities than plain denim jeans—even more than the posh designer pair you buy to impress someone at a club. The new Saint Unbreakable Slim jeans from Australia come with an eye-popping price of $399 a pair. We set out to see if they’re worth it.
If comfort is invaluable to you, the Saint Unbreakable Slim jeans will inspire you to lay four crisp Benjamins on the counter. I find typical motorcycle jeans reasonably comfortable, though I still prefer my Levi’s 501s for non-riding activities. In the Saint Unbreakable Slim jeans’ case, the high level of comfort cannot be denied.
The Unbreakable Slim jeans are a blend of cotton (65 percent), protective Dyneema (25 percent), nylon (5 percent), and elastane (2 percent). The soft feel comes from the cotton, with the easy movement provided by the nylon and elastane. These are absolutely jeans you can live in as effortlessly as any non-technical jeans.
While style is always a personal choice, the Saint jeans have classic good looks. If you’re the type of doesn’t want your motorcycle jeans to announce their purpose, the Unbreakable Slim jeans fit are perfect. They simply look like cool streetwear. As a lifelong 501 wearer, I like the fit, and the stretchiness is not excessive. While the jeans have Slim in the name, the cut isn’t excessively slim.
Now, if you’re someone looking for the ultimate in protection from motorcycle jeans, the Saint Unbreakable Slim jeans will not be on your list at any price. There are no pockets for knee or hip impact protection—these jeans will only resist abrasion. For most people, that will restrict their use to urban riding—precisely where the importance of comfort and style are paramount.
The Saint Unbreakable Slim jeans are CE-rated, meeting the prEN 17092-1:2017 standard. Although that appears to be a random collection of numbers, letters, and punctuation, it means that they’ve been tested on a Darmstadt machine that spins them up before depositing them on test asphalt.
There are five levels to the EN 17092 standard, and the Slims score AA—one step below the highest level. That puts them in the touring category of protection, a step up from urban and a slot below sport. So, for urban jeans, Slims will help keep your skin on your body, even if they don’t absorb any impact should you dismount unexpectedly.
Although you might be used to something like Kevlar, Saint taps Dyneema to take on the job of abrasion resistance. The advantage to Dyneema is that it is woven into the main chassis of the jeans—it is not a lining, as Kevlar is. So, you get the abrasion resistance everywhere in the jean, rather than only in the lined area.
It is worth noting that Saint sells a version of these jeans with pockets for optional D3O hip and knee armor. However, we haven’t tested that model.
Rather than being designed for cargo carrying, the Saint Unbreakable Slim jeans are style-focused. The front main pockets are fairly shallow—fine for keys, coins, or a wallet, though not confidence-inspiring for my relatively puny iPhone 7. Oddly, the watch pocket on the right is unusually deep—not a bad place for my Ear Peace earplugs carrying canister. The rear pockets are roomy, though I never trust back pockets.
The belt loops should accommodate the widest belts without any issues. The closure is a combination of a single button featuring the Saint wing logo, and a thin YKK zipper. The black pants have mostly black stitching—there’s a touch of orange about.
Maintaining the Saint Unbreakable Slim jeans is easy. You either handwash them or machine wash them alone and in cold water. Air dry, and keep them away from bleach, stain removers, an iron, dry cleaners, and a heated dryer. I washed them in the washer, air-dried them, and then threw the jeans in the dryer for a few minutes with the heat off on delicate. They came out perfectly pliable and ready to wear. Keep in mind that Saint recommends washing the jeans as infrequently as possible to lengthen the jeans’ lifespan.
Urban motorcyclists who demand all-day comfort and style off the motorcycle and are willing to sacrifice impact protection will find quite a bit to like about the Saint Unbreakable Slim motorcycle jeans. Yes, they are expensive, but I’m not here to tell you how to spend your money.
Saint Unbreakable Slim Jeans Fast Facts
- Sizes: 28-40 (even only)
- Colors: Black (tested); Light Bleached
- Saint Unbreakable Slim Jeans Price: $399 MSRP