The Rukka AirVision pants are, of course, the perfect match the Rukka Airway jacket, reviewed in Part 1.
The pants could be worn with other Rukka jackets or with jackets from other manufacturers, although that doesn’t seem likely.
The AirVision pants have the same Cordura AFT mesh fabric as the Airway jacket and the Gore-Tex Performance Shell removable liner is included.
The Rukka removable suspenders system and a nearly full-length zipper attachment are also included.
The pants have a special Schoeller Keprotec abrasion-resistant fabric in the seat, along with the “AirCushion” for seat comfort and the “Rukka Antiglide” system in the seat of the pants.
The AirVision pants provide a lot of air flow when the liner is removed, but the liner doesn’t fit quite right in this pair, even though it’s labeled correctly.
Rukka AirVision Pants Details
First of all, I’m not sure why these pants aren’t called the Airway pants instead of “AirVision”. Each Rukka jacket has its own matching pants, with the R-Star, Armas, Argo, Cosmic and Merlin jackets having pants of the same name.
Only the Airway jacket gets the AirVision pants. My only guess is that the pants matched an earlier version of a Rukka summer mesh jacket? Don’t know…
The AirVision pants are made from the same special DuPont Cordura AFT (Air Flow Technology) fabric that I described in the Rukka Airway jacket review. This is a special weave, said to be stronger and more abrasion-resistant then normal Cordura.
It also has a very soft “hand” or feel, which makes the jacket and pants very comfortable to wear. In fact, the fabric is so soft that it causes the pants to hang more loose than I’d like, as you can see in our photos, as around the inner thigh and knees, for example.
I think Rukka might have been better served had they added a bit of solid Cordura or other textiles here and there to help give the AirVision pants a little more support in key areas.
The looseness doesn’t bother, but it does give the pants a baggy fit. It’s almost like the fabric is too finely woven, acting more like a super-fine wool suit grade or silk or something.
But the upside of the mesh is the huge air flow through these pants…when the Gore-Tex liner is removed, of course.
Extra Cordura AFT has been added at the knees for abrasion resistance and actually there is a small strip of what appears to be “normal” Cordura or nylon in a narrow band just above the knee.
The back of the knee has a 90 mm or so strip of the same.
The only other place where the Cordura AFT is not used on the AirVision pants is in the seat, which is a saddle of the Schoeller Keprotec as the Rukka “Antiglide” fabric to help seat friction.
The inside of the pants at the seat has a thin layer of the Rukka “AirCushion” fabric, which is designed as a slight barrier between the rider and the seat to help prevent moisture buildup and to keep things cool(er) down in the nether regions.
I can’t tell if it works yet, because every time it seems like the warm weather wants to break through, we get another cool day — 39 degrees this morning and it’s nearly the end of April!
The Gore-Tex Performance Shell Liner
Like the Airway jacket, the other marquee feature of the AirVision pants is the Gore-Tex Performance Shell liner. This is one of the top membrane types in the current Gore-Tex lineup, as described in our Gore-Tex membrane report, with the Pro Shell, used in the Rukka Armas jacket, taking the top spot.
What’s curious here is that Rukka lists the Gore-Tex Performance Shell in the AirVision pants as also having an Outlast liner.
There is some “Outlast” script on the leg of the AirVision pants, but I don’t see any other information about it on the hang tags, which is usually the case with Outlast or Gore-Tex membranes.
We’ve described Outlast before, in both the Rukka Armas outfit review and in other webBikeWorld reviews. It is a “phase change material” that is used to form the lining of gloves, jackets or pants.
The fabric has “Thermocules”, a proprietary material that actually can absorb, store and release heat; in this case, body heat.
Outlast isn’t just a cold-weather technology; it works in the summer also. When you get warm, the heat is absorbed into the Thermocules, and when heat is transferred away, you become cooler.
When the skin becomes cooler, the heat in the Thermocules is released for warmth. My experience with several garments with Outlast is that it works.
The inner face or lining of the Gore-Tex liner in the AirVision pants does appear to be the same type used in other Outlast garments we have seen, so I’m pretty sure this is the stuff, despite the absence of labels or info to confirm.
Why Outlast would be added to a summer-weight mesh pants and only in the pants, not the Airway jacket, is a bit of a mystery.
But consider it an extra bonus I guess and it also makes the pants at least wearable in cooler weather for sure. I should know, with the cold Spring we’ve had…
Liner Fit Issues
There’s a problem with the design of the Gore-Tex liner in the AirVision pants. The liner is also marked as a size 52, but the legs are too long, almost like it’s a men’s 52L liner in a 52R pant. But the liner is not labeled as a Long length.
There is simply too much fabric and material at the bottom of the liner legs, so putting the pants on and taking them off is a bit of a problem, because all of the fabric gets bunched up around my feet and hangs out the bottom of the pant legs.
This is compounded by the fact that the liner does not appear to be tapered towards the bottom of the leg. A small taper would help fit the leg more proportionally inside the leg diameter of the pant shell.
Also, the liner should have ended 150 mm or so from the cuff, again to allow more taper, especially when tucking the pant legs in a pair of boots.
This is difficult to do with the current design, yet it’s not easy to wear the pants over the boots either without detaching the liner at the end of the leg on the inside.
It’s just a strange issue and I’d like to hear from other AirVision pants owners if they are experiencing the same problem.
When/if summer ever arrives, I’d plan on ejecting the liner anyway, but it sure would be nice to get a correctly fitted liner in a pair of $700.00 pants…
Nearly full length zipper attachment for the jacket and front waist belt system.Rukka AirVision Pants: Fit and Sizing
The AirVision pants shown here are a size 52, which equates more or less to a U.S. men’s size large. Rukka lists the AirVision pants availability in three size ranges and lengths: 48-66 (short: +7 cm); 46-62 (regular); and 48-58 (long: +7cm). The pants shown here are a 52 regular.
The RevZilla size chart for the AirVision pants appears correct based on our experience. The size 52 should fit about a 35 to 36″ waist, but anyone with a waist much larger than 36″ may have to go to the next size up.
The pants have a small amount of adjustment at the waist, mostly for tightening, with a system that is very similar to the waist on the Armas pants.
It has some elastic in the rear for a bit of stretch, but feels like there could be a bit more adjustment in the waist of the AirVision pants.
The leg length of the size 52 AirVision pants is longer than expected, with the regular length in these size 52’s measuring a full 35″ from the crotch to the end of the leg cuff.
That’s pretty long, even when you figure the extra couple of inches needed for motorcycle pants to account for the riding position.
So the combination of the soft fabric, which could use more structure to hang or drape better on the rider, the extra leg length and the too-long and un-tapered liner gives the AirVision pants a slightly baggy fit, as you can see in the photos.
The proportions of the length on this pair seems a bit off for my 35″ waist, 30.5″ street pant size. Perhaps the Short length would work, but I didn’t have the opportunity to try them.
Stitching and Construction
This is a Rukka garment, so naturally the stitching and construction is top drawer, as we’ve come to expect. This is another one of those subtle yet important differences between the Rukka gear and lesser brands, and it’s one of the things you’re paying for.
Front Attachment and Suspenders
The front zipper in the AirVision pants is unbranded and it has a small metal loop as the pull. I haven’t had very good luck with this type of pull in the past, so I hope this one holds up.
There is no backing nor “V” shaped fabric dart or wind flap behind the zipper, but the Gore-Tex liner covers that area when it’s installed.
The waist attachment is also similar to the Armas pants, with a single unbranded metal snap and a nylon square D-shaped ring on the left side, through which a strap can be threaded and then attached to the opposite side of the waist with hook-and-loop. This effectively secures the waistband.
The removable suspenders are identical to those found on the Rukka Armas pants. They’re comfortable once adjusted and they help hold the AirVision pants up and on the rider without needing a belt.
Lower Legs and Cuff Adjustment
The AirVision pant cuffs have a 30 cm vertical zipper at the rear, which opens to reveal a wide “V” shaped fabric dart. There is also a hook-and-loop adjuster at the bottom of each leg on the sides.
This system is similar to the sleeve cuff arrangement on the Rukka Airway jacket; once the zipper is opened, the pants can be removed or put on without having to adjust the hook-and-loop.
Without the liner inserted, the leg cuffs have enough adjustment to fit either inside or outside of most boots, although I didn’t try them with a big, heavy pair of off-road boots like the Gaerne motocross boots reviewed recently.
With the liner inserted, the problem of length as I described earlier affects the adjustment and fitment over boots. But without the liner — and other than the length of the legs on this pair — the adjustments are fine for warm-weather riding.
Protection and Padding
The knee and shin protection in the AirVision pants is the Rukka “RVP Air” type. Protectors are also included for the hips. The RVP Air protectors are molded with a very open weave that allows excellent air flow.
The armor is accessible through a zipper pocket at the lower shin on each leg. The hip protection is accessed through pockets on the inside of the pants shell. The armor is comfortable and the open weave helps air flow. d3O armor is available as an option.
Pockets
The AirVision pants pockets include two horizontal zipper pockets at the upper waist. These pockets are deep and lined and useful.
Reflectivity
The AirVision pants have reflective strips bonded to the upper legs on the outside. The reflective material is excellent and it really “pops” whenever it is illuminated.
| webBikeWorld Opinionator: Rukka AirVision Pants | |
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| Picks… | …and Pans |
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Conclusion
The Rukka AirVision pants flow huge amounts of air when the liner is removed. But the overall proportions, at least on this size 52R, seem a bit off. The legs are too long and the liner even longer.
The liner is problematic, because the length really does affect the fit and comfort. It is possible that an incorrect liner was inserted in these pants, but both the pants and the liner are size labeled correctly, so this is something to look for in other sizes also.
To be honest, pants are more difficult to review than jackets or gloves or helmets. Pants are more or less pants and there’s not all that much to distinguish one pair from another.
It’s difficult to recommend the Rukka AirVision pants at $699.00, but I could recommend the Airway jacket and perhaps a less expensive pair of mesh pants to match.
See Also:
▪ Rukka Airway Jacket Review
▪ Rukka Armas Jacket and Pants Review
| wBW Review: Rukka AirVision Pants | |
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| Manufacturer: Rukka (L-Fashion Group Oy, Finland) | Suggested Retail Price: $699.00 |
| Colors: Black. | Made In: Unknown (not listed). |
| Sizes: 48-66 Short (-70 mm). 46-62 Regular. 48-58 Long (+70 mm). | Review Date: April 2013 |
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