Shift Havoc Leather Motorcycle Pants Review

This week we take a look at Shift Havoc's leather motorcycle pants.

We echo the fact that the one apparel item most motorcyclists neglect are proper riding pants. Riding in denim should be viewed as a last resort - not a default. The main reason most riders choose to fore go proper motorcycle pants is due to comfort off the bike. Considering that you do not walk around wearing your helmet and gloves most times when off your motorcycle why should this be a concern?

The Shift Havoc pants are best suited for riders who are looking for leather and armor protection - but do not want to sweat buckets in doing so. The pants can be worn over top of casual pants (eg. jeans), but feel much more comfortable on their own.

style

The coloring choices are simple - black. Asides from the lack of colors, the Havoc pants look amazing! The armor is hidden well so you do not look like a bulky robot when wearing them. The slash style front hand pockets look great and the overall design of the leather-textile hybrid material is mapped out tastefully.

features

As I hinted at earlier, the Shift Havoc pants are a leather-textile hybrid, with the majority of the pants made of leather 1.0-1.2mm in thickness.

Instead of leather being placed in key areas you want to protect, Shift took the opposite approach and placed textile material in key areas where you want flexibility and ventilation - giving the rider a greater amount of leather protection.

The textile material is strategically placed on the the inner thigh and crotch area of the pants - areas where you want ventilation and are not critical areas to protect in a crash situation. The textile material is perforated to allow airflow throughout the pants which makes wearing them that much more comfortable.

The bottom of the legs of the pants have a zipper to help put them on/off over-top of motorcycle boots (although I find I have to take my boots off anyways when putting the pants on or off).

In areas where you want flexibility - accordion-like pleats are found at the front of the knees and elastic fabric is used for the back of the knee area. According pleats are also on the back of the waist for comfort and mobility.

A connection zipper at the back of the pants can be used to connect with compatible Shift jackets.

The slash front pockets are excellent! They are easy to zip up and down, are deep, and you can get into them even with gloves on. When paying for gas I like to get in and out of there as soon as possible to get back on the bike. Having to take my gloves off and re-adjust them is a pain. The Shift Havoc pants solve that problem.

The Havoc pants have a tunnel system waist adjustment as well as two Velcro waist adjustment straps. These pants are designed to be worn over top of casual pants - when ordering select the size waist you would choose for a pair of jeans. I made the mistake of ordering one size larger, thinking that I would want some extra room when wearing jeans underneath. They ended up being too big even on top of jeans and I had to exchange them for another pair.

safety

As we mentioned earlier the pants are made primarily of leather material 1.0-1.2mm in thickness which gives you plenty of abrasion protection.

Removable CE approved armor can be found in the knees.

A reflective piping strip is stitched down the legs to give you increased visibility.

quality

The Havoc pants are well stitched and the combination of leather and textile material is flawless. The accordion stretch panels are well padded but are also very flexible.

The zippers are top-notch, opening and closing with ease, unlike some zippers that catch material and get stuck as you are zipping them up.

show me the money

The Havoc pants are priced at an economical MSRP of USD $199.99.

overall

The Shift Havoc pants are an excellent leather entry level pant. They are comfortable to wear on their own or over top of casual pants and the textile material will give you the ventilation you need. Considering that most leather pants are in the USD $300-$400 range - the Havoc pants are perfect if you are looking for a pair of leathers but want to keep your money in your wallet. We would have liked to see some armor in the hip area and perhaps some knee slider pucks - but Shift has saved those features for their higher end (and higher priced) Redline Leather pants. However, for the price of the Havoc's, we realize it is more than fair.

To summarize this review in one sentence - if you are looking for a pair of leathers that are comfortable, even in hot weather, and are easily affordable - buy the Shift Havoc's. (and remember to choose the same size waist you normally wear!)

rating

• Style: 8/10
• Features: 7/10
• Safety: 7/10
• Quality: 8/10
• Price: 10/10
• Overall Value: 8/10