Recently I compiled comments from hundreds of
riders to see which was the highest rated riding gear.
Klim ranked first for the best quality and durability.
We had an ulterior motive!
We are currently planning trips to the Australian outback, the Himalayas,
Vietnam, Romania and possibly even Mongolia.
So Jeff and I both purchased Klim Baja jackets and pants.
Regular viewers will know I am a cheapskate.
But over the years I have slowly realised going cheap on certain
items can be false economy in the long run...
especially boots, jackets, pants and helmets.
Enter the Baja S4 jacket.
Klim's mid-priced option that sits comfortably between their summer
and winter options when it comes to ventilation...
perfect for our upcoming trips.
As usual, we will start with everything we like, then move to things we don't like.
It's AA rated under the latest CE ratings.
Very few textile jackets can even meet the basic A, B or C rating under the EN17092 system...
even the road riding jackets.
It's a comprehensive test that includes sliding
along a road at 70kmh and still protecting your skin from abrasion.
See our video about this important rating system.
The Klim Baja jacket has D30 armour in the back, elbow and shoulders.
This is rated as level one under the CE system
which is perfect for adventure riding and keeps the jacket light.
Level two is for high speed impacts and faster road riding.
There is plenty of storage with six external pockets and six internal pockets.
I especially like the large rear pouch which comfortably
stores a raincoat for cool or wet conditions.
And there's hidden internal pocket behind your back armour for important documents.
Another internal pocket can store a two litre water bladder
and has a loop for holding the drinking tube.
There are the usual adjustment points at the waist, lower arms and wrists.
You can pin back the collars in warmer weather so they aren't flapping against your neck.
The wrist openings are also quite wide to allow lots of airflow when needed.
You can zip the jacket to matching Klim pants.
If you don't have Klim pants, is has the zip lining which can be sewn in to allow joining.
The jacket isn't made in China, a big plus for us.
Comfort? Excellent.
Quality? Top notch.
When Klim was purchased a few years ago by Polaris, I was concerned that the new owners
would maximise profit and drop their quality standards, as many other brands have done.
I asked this question on various forums.
It was good to see many Klim users saying there was no change in quality...
although some commented that the Klim gloves don't always last well.
Klim pants and jackets definitely last a long time.
I still have my extremely ventilated Klim Induction jacket after seven years
and it still looks brand new.
Unfortunately it's too ventilated for a lot of our upcoming trips.
Okay! What don't I like?
In cold weather, I find the collar rubs a bit against my upper neck.
Oddly, this doesn't happen to my brother with the same jacket.
Am I a mutant? It's not a big issue as I just add a scarf when it gets that cold.
And that's it. I can't find any other problems as yet.
But as always, I will add any further comments in the pinned first comment of the Youtube video.
I googled around for complaints and read a pile of owner reports.
Nothing.
A few mentioned the jacket is heavy with all the armour fitted,
but any jacket with approved armour is.
Remove the armour, it's very light.
Everyone agreed the ventilation makes it a good jacket for year round riding.
It's fine in summer, and warm in winter with a rain jacket over the top.
I expected more complaints about the price
but most owners had researched the other 'top shelf' jackets and said Klim's pricing is on par.
Do you use this jacket?
What do you think?
Any complaints?
We are keen to explore the good and bad side of all products so let us know in the comments.