Bull-it Men's Cargo SR6 trousers

Covec | Denim | Oxford Products | Armoured

There was a time when the only thing we wanted to be seen wearing when riding our motorcycles was a leather jacket, matt black lid, T-shirt, cotton shirt, motorcycle boots, gloves, shades and a pair of Levis—or maybe a pair of Wranglers to maximise our street cred and keep a foot in both camps.

But Levis and Wranglers ain't the jeans they once were, not in terms of fit or quality of manufacture. And we ain't quite the shape we once were either. Consequently, as the years roll by, the impulse to sally forth into the world of men (and women) clad in increasingly expensive denim isn't as strong. So the cheap/middle-age/crusty options are saggy-ass 'George' jeans from ASDA, or a pair of saggy-ass cargo trousers from Primark. And of these two fashion evils, Primark wins (but not by very much).

Trouble is, if you're a cargo trouser kind of guy or gal, they're not exactly ideal for riding around in, anyway. True, you can carry lots of junk in the pockets—not that you want to tote anything hard or sharp, mind; not unless you enjoy digging house keys and mini-screwdrivers out of your thighs when you take a spill. But beyond that, you'll probably get more protection from your hairy legs than you will from flimsy Primark cotton.

So it was inevitable that when Oxford Products waved a pair of these straight-leg "Bull-it Men's Cargo 17 Easy SR6 Long" trousers, we were keen to get ourselves inside a pair and take a closer look.

The first pair we received, however, were simply un-wearable. They had the right size waist (well, pretty much; more on this in a minute). And the leg length was fine. But something had evidently gone wrong with the cutting at the factory, because the ankles were way too tight. We're not talking about merely uncomfortable. We're talking about rigid. We're talking about Chinese foot-binding.

Oxford put that right quickly enough with the second pair, and these fitted fine. Actually, Oxford sent us two pairs; the second being one size up. However, what it all taught us was that the waist dimensions of these jeans are pretty generous. In other words, if you usually squeeze into a 30 waist, then a pair of 30-waist Bull-it cargo trousers will feel more like a 31 or a 32. Or if you try a pair of 32-waist cargos, they'll probably feel like 33 or 34.

So why the up-size discrepancy? We don't know, and we suspect that Oxford doesn't either. The manufacturers, we figure, have simply designed-in a little extra room, possibly for thicker upper body clothing, or something. Or maybe Bull-it is more realistic about men's waist sizes. Or maybe there's some other factor. Just remember to query/consider the waist sizes when buying. And you might want to check the ankle size too. Note that we're reluctant to give hard dimensions here. Everyone's got their own requirements depending on whether they want to wear these trousers outside of boots or inside. Just be aware. It's not as straightforward as it might be.

▲ Bull-it knee protectors aren't standard with these cargos, and note that we're talking gravity pockets. However, as with all such protection, the pads might not end up where you need them to be—and they might well be fine when seated, but look awkward when you're hoofing it. Take this issue seriously for best results. Try it before you buy it. Check the armour pockets at the rear too.

And here's another consideration. There are no half sizes, and there's plenty of latitude—meaning that two pairs of 30s might come up slightly different (just our guess, note). So you might well require a very sturdy belt—or, better still, a pair of braces. And even a good fit will probably require some light support.

Beyond that, we like these cargo trousers. They're reassuringly heavy and are at least twice the weight of a pair of everyday cotton cargos. The construction feels solid and secure. The YKK zip is as smooth as you'd expect. But the plastic button securing the fly was, on all three pairs we examined, painfully tight (it took us about three minutes on one pair). Now, that's pretty good inasmuch as it suggests it will stay reasonably tight as and when the trousers wear in. But ideally, we think it warrants a brass button up top, and perhaps riveted rather than sewn. It's a (relatively) minor point, though, and not a deal breaker for us.

The pockets, meanwhile, are all deep and easily accessible, but we don't much care for Velcro (it's not on the front hip pockets, note). So if Velcro is an off-switch for you, you can switch off right now. Many supplier claim these cargos have five pockets. But including the small key/coin pocket, there are in fact seven.

As far as the manufacturers are concerned, the really important message to get across is the Covec material used in the construction of these trousers. We're told this high-tech black denim laminate is designed for high abrasion resistance, has an "extremely low thermal transfer", has high tear resistance, has high chemical resistance, and is non-flammable. It seems that the only thing these cargo trousers aren't resistant to is human stupidity. Actually, on second thoughts they are resistant to human stupidity. They're just not infallible.

These cargos, even in winter, are very warm. And if you're of a wimpish disposition (like one or two of us), you can supplement them with long johns (we tried it). But it remains to be seen just how hot these trews get in August. Bull-it, however, reckon they've got that sorted and tell us that these trousers have an insert designed to wick away moisture and are "optimised" for fit and cooling.

The price is £149.99, and for this kind of protection and riding comfort, that's a price we'd be happy to pay.

Testing products such as these is a long term commitment, so as time goes by we'll report on how well these strides fare in all weather conditions and we'll see what, if anything, fails or doesn't match its marketing promises. But we ain't deliberately falling off just to see if they live up to the manufacturer's mechanical claims. Gravity armour inserts are available for the knee pockets, incidently.

In conclusion we can say that these cargos certainly feel impressively tough, and now that we've had a chance to review a pair, we wouldn't have any hesitation in putting our hands in our pocket and buying more of the same. So if you're purchasing at a shop, try a few sizes before buying. Your usual waist dimensions might not apply. Check the ankle fit. Factor in a belt or braces. Or both. Remember the Velcro. And watch that top button.

If you're buying online, you might have to return your first pair and nail it with the second.

For years we've managed with jeans and cargo trousers (with a pair of heavy duty waterproofs when the occasion demanded it). But these Bull-it cargos have now supplanted everything else—and we'll probably also take a closer look sometime at the Bull-it range of protective denim jeans and see how they compare. They probably won't look anywhere near as cool as our old Levis. But it will take a lot more than a pair of jeans to improve the way we look these days, anyway.

How about you?

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