Women’s Tobacco Indigo Protective Riding Jeans Review

[Hugh Janus]

Tobacco’s women’s riding jeans provide ultimate comfort and abrasion protection for the casually dressed rider. (Jeff Allen /)

It was the 2019 HighPipe motorcycle festival at Mountain High Resort in Wrightwood, California. I walked the grounds and took stock of the motorcycle riding gear, insurance, and manufacturers’ products on display at the lodge. Among the various companies represented was LA-based Tobacco Motorwear Company. The casual gear under Tobacco’s tent intrigued me enough to try on some of its offerings—or was that the marketer doing their job? I tried the Jet Black riding jeans and then the Indigo ones and loved the fit of both. They were incredibly snug. At the end of the day, however, I did not buy them. The $300-plus price seemed a bit steep for something that didn’t have D3O impact armor included; I find that defense against impact would have been a plus. But, ah, they were so comfortable. And they did offer heat and abrasion protection with the DuPont Kevlar lining.

Flash forward a couple of months and I receive a gift from my husband. Lo and behold…the Indigo Tobacco jeans were unboxed. I immediately tried them on again and knew that we were meant to be together—me and my husband, of course. If you get moto gear as a gift from your significant other you know you got a keeper.

How They Look And Protection They Offer

Aside from possibly recognizing the brand name as a motorcycle apparel company I bet you would be hard-pressed to figure out if these were casual, everyday street jeans or if they were riding jeans. No bulky armor thickens the knees (although the lack of impact armor and armor pockets is a drawback), but rather a layer of DuPont Kevlar lines the buttocks and front of the legs all the way down to the shins. This neon green liner is one of the only other hints that these jeans are suited for something more than a casual pant.

With just enough flex, the jeans fit comfortably both on and off the bike. (Jeff Allen /)

How They Fit And Feel

I find that size 29 accommodates my thin-ish 6-foot-tall frame well. It sits very comfortably on my hips, hugs nicely at the thighs, and hits perfectly at the ankles. Sizes range from 24–40, which is an extensive offering for various body types.

The 2-percent stretch denim allows for just the right flexibility when swinging a leg over the bike and does not bunch up in the crotch or knee areas when in a riding position.

With other motorcycle jeans, I have had a problem with bunching behind the knees and chaffing in that location as well, however, the Tobacco jean material is soft and supple enough for ultimate riding comfort.

Size 29 is perfect for my 31-inch waist and 32-inch inseam. (Jeff Allen /)

What They Cost

As mentioned earlier, the sticker shock did have a bit of a zap to it. A retail price of $339 is somewhat high considering there are others in the market that sell for about $100 less. But what you are paying for is supreme comfort. That’s really what it comes down to. The Tobacco jeans are very comfortable while still offering more surface area of the abrasion-resistant liner than its competitors.

Now that I have these Tobacco jeans in my moto gear wardrobe (and have the potential to mix it in with my casual jeans accidentally) I am very happy that I ended up with these and will probably throw in a few hints to my husband to get me the black ones as well.

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