As you might expect, the Dainese Teren pants are the perfect match for the Dainese Teren jacket (review).
But the Teren pants would also make an excellent choice for all-weather wearing with other types and brands (Shhh — don’t tell Dainese!) of jackets.
The pants have the same “heavy duty” Cordura shell fabric used in the jacket and Dainese added a few of the unique tricks also found in the Teren jacket.
The pants are fully waterproof with the Dainese D-Dry liner system and a full-length removable insulating liner is also included and the pants have a removable rear bib and suspenders.
The vents in the front are the hidden type found on the Teren jacket. The snap on each thigh is the only thing that gives it away.
Fold open (fold up actually) the vent cover and a large mesh panel is revealed underneath, which provides about as much ventilation as you’ll find on a pair of all-weather, non-mesh motorcycle pants.
The leg cuffs have an adequate range of adjustability with a large “V” shaped dart covered by a zipper that allows the cuff to open to a large diameter.
Motorcycle pants usually seem pretty expensive for what they are, but our conclusion is that the Teren pants will work in a wide variety of weather conditions and riding types and they should last for years, so the value is there.
Dainese Teren Pants
Dainese developed its “D-Dry” system some time ago to compete with those name-brand waterproof, windproof and breathable membranes that can add quite a bit of extra cost to a motorcycle jacket or pants.
The D-Dry system works very well and Dainese sells many more jackets and pants with D-Dry than Gore-Tex, although the Italian company does have a few Gore-Tex items in the lineup.
The benefit of using D-Dry for us proles is that we get waterproof gear at a good price.
In the case of the Teren pants, $399.95 is about 200 bucks into the “gulp!” range, but since a pair of good quality motorcycle pants should last for, oh, about 10 years or so, all things considered, these can be considered something of a bargain.
If you don’t buy that, then just compare the Teren pants with, say, the Rukka Armas pants (review)at (double gulp!) $899.99. Dare we compare?
Well, you get a few more goodies on the Rukka pants, like SuperFabric on the knees and an Outlast liner.
Or how about another dare: comparing the Teren pants to the Klim Badlands Pro pants (review), which have a list price of $649.99?
Here’s the deal: we like the Teren pants better than both. They do everything we need, they feel more comfortable and they fit better. 400 bucks never looked like such a bargain…
Ventilation
The coolest (yes, we said it) feature of the Teren pants is the disappearing fold-open vent system in the front. The vents are hidden behind a panel of the same rainy-day gray Cordura used for the pants shell.
Hidden underneath a horizontal darker gray trim piece just above the knee is a section of hook-and-loop that holds the vent flap cover in place.
Undo the hooks from the loops, fold the Cordura up and it snaps on to that lonely-looking mate on the thigh. This uncovers an admittedly smallish triangle of mesh underneath that at least has the potential of letting a tiny bit of air flow into the pants.
Vents on motorcycle pants is somewhat of an oxymoron or maybe a moot point, because when you’re sitting down, there’s really not a lot of air flowing over the upper part of the pants anyway.
But, a little ventilation on the upper thighs can’t hurt.
The clever vent system designed by Dainese isn’t necessarily completely unique; it’s more or less a variation of other types we’ve seen, but the execution here is what counts.
And the fact that other than the little snap floating by itself on the thigh is a modest giveaway, you’d never know there’s a vent on these pants. That’s what gets some extra points with us.
Suspenders?
Some like ’em; some don’t. We suspect that motorcyclists on the left side of the Atlantic aren’t as keen on a rear bib and suspenders as riders back in the Motherland, but if you don’t like the feature, a simple unzip and it’s gone.
For winter riding, the suspenders and short bib are just the ticket; in fact, we wish the “bib” portion in back was even larger and taller. It helps to keep your lower back nice and cozy.
Once you adjust the suspenders correctly, you’ll probably never know they’re there and it just makes the pants feel that much more comfortable.
Suspenders aren’t unique to the Teren pants, of course, but it’s just one more feature that makes these pants more versatile.
Kind of a “poor man’s” Rev’it VCS Aquadefence vent system, but the same idea in the end. Vents closed on the left and open on the right.
Pockets
The Teren pants have two standard vertical pockets, one on either side. They are covered with a flap that closes with hook-and-loop and underneath each pocket has a zipper.
The pocket liners are the mesh lining used throughout the pants, underneath the D-Dry and insulating liners.
Protection
The Teren pants come with certified CE Level 1 knee protectors and CE rated padding on the sides. The padding on the sides feels very thin and it’s also narrow, so it’s a slight disappointment, but it’s there.
Zippers and Snaps
The pants have a full-length waist attachment for the Teren jacket on the outside. The front entry has a zipper with no fabric behind it and the waist secures with a sliding/locking metal snap and a button.
The metal waist snap is not rubberized, but assuming the pants remain underneath the Teren jacket, it should be ok.
D-Dry and Insulating Liner
The quilted insulating liner zips in to the waist with a one-piece, full-surround zipper. It attaches slightly below mid-calf to the inside of the D-Dry liner with two snaps on loops.
The D-Dry liner also zips in to the waist with a one-piece, full-surround zipper and it attaches to the inside of the pant legs above the cuffs with two snaps, also on loops.
The leg has a 30 cm long vertical zipper at the bottom. When the zipper is opened, the leg cuff goes from about 15 cm to about 23 cm in diameter, which should be enough to fit over just about any pair of heavy boots.
There’s a short strip at the bottom with hook-and-loop to secure the bottom of the leg cuff. The overall adjustment or cinch ability could be better, but we think there should be no problem stuffing the legs into a pair of off-road boots if necessary.
Sizing and Fit
The Teren pants come in sizes ranging from 44 to 64 (Euro), depending on color. Colors match the Teren jacket: black, dark gray/black or gray/light gray/blue.
The pants shown here are size 54, equivalent to a men’s size large and they fit as expected. They should fit a 35″ to 36″ waist with a 30″ to 31″ inseam.
The pants have attached belted adjusters on either side and there’s even a belt loop you can use if you’d like to for the adjuster, which is hook-and-loop.
Removable rear bib and suspenders.
Other Features
The pants have various sections of the Cordura fabric employed throughout as styling touches. The seat of the pants are a large section of black Cordura, with a single seam down the center.
This actually makes the pants feel pretty comfortable when sitting on a bike and riding.
There’s a large accordion pleated panel at the front, above the knees, which also works well. The knees have three darts sewn in to form a rounded profile, which adds to the comfort.
The knee/shin protectors are substantial and the pants come with the correct documentation to prove the protectors have been tested and certified to the CE Level 1 standard.
Conclusion
The Dainese Teren pants look good and feel protective. They don’t have SuperFabric or other types of added abrasion resistance, but the Cordura used in these pants feels pretty hefty and the certified protectors, or “armor”, should do the job.
The pants work well from the very coldest temperatures in which anyone would want to ride a motorcycle, to those warm days, making these an excellent choice for all-season use.
The combination of the waterproof liner and insulating liner may be a little clumsy when it comes time to remove or replace them to adjust for those weather conditions.
But we do think the Teren pants can be reasonably compared to motorcycle pants from Rukka, Klim, Rev’it and others that cost twice as much or more.
Note that the Teren outfit has proven to be a runaway sales success in every global market, so availability may be limited. The jacket and pants are snatched up about as quick as they come out of the factory and hit the shelves, so if you find a pair, act fast!
Part 1: Dainese Teren Jacket Review
| wBW Review: Dainese Teren Pants | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: Dainese (Italy) | List Price (2014): $399.95 |
| Colors: Black, gray/black, gray/light gray/blue. | Made In: Armenia |
| Sizes: 44 to 64 | Review Date: April 2014 |
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