Finding the right leg protection for adventure riding is usually a game of frustrating compromises. You either wear a bulky, "astronaut-style" ADV suit that cooks you alive in the summer, or you strap on uncomfortable separate knee braces that chafe your legs raw after three hours in the saddle. If you wear tall motocross or adventure boots, you also know the specific misery of trying to jam standard knee armor inside the boot, creating a pressure point that makes shifting painful.
I’m Kristen, and we’ve been helping riders solve these exact fit and comfort problems at Bohn Body Armor since 1997. We realized years ago that the standard "pad in a loose pant leg" design just doesn't work for serious riding, especially when the temperature climbs.
Proof in the ride: Bohn’s armored base layer delivers all-day comfort and mobility, whether you're cruising highways or exploring backroads.
If you are looking for the best way to stay protected, cool, and comfortable while wearing tall boots, here are my top recommendations:
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Bohn Cool-Air Adventure Armored Pants – The ultimate solution for hot and humid weather. These feature our special 5 x 8-inch knee armor designed to fit perfectly inside tall boots without bulk, all held in place by a full mesh chassis that flows incredible amounts of air.
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Bohn Performance-Thermal Adventure Pants – A cool-weather Adventure option made with a thermal fabric to help you stay comfortable on chilly morning starts, mountain passes, and winter dual-sport rides.
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Shell Options – Since our armor is an underlayer, we recommend pairing it with a simple abrasion-resistant outer shell, like a pair of Kevlar®-lined riding jeans or a durable canvas pant, for a complete protection system.
3 Things Adventure Riders Learn the Hard Way About Armored Pants
1. Are You Dressing for the Ride or the Crash?
A lot of adventure pants are chosen for how they feel on a sunny fire road, not how they perform in a real crash. The problem is that many ADV pants still rely on thin, generic pads sewn into a hot, bulky shell. You end up sweating in heavy gear that doesn’t actually put serious armor where it needs to be when you go down.
2. The Boot Compatibility Problem Nobody Mentions
You buy $400 armored knee pads, then try to tuck them into your tall boots. Suddenly, the 12-inch shin guard is pushing against your shin bone or jamming into the boot's buckles. You either ride in pain or take the armor off completely.
3. Standing Position vs. Sitting Position = Two Different Armor Locations
When you're standing on the pegs, your knee armor needs to be 2–3 inches higher than when you're seated. Traditional pants can't solve this because the armor is attached to the fabric, not your body.
Bohn’s armored base layers move with you. Many riding pants protect you best in one position—seated or standing, rarely both. That’s why so many adventure riders still end up with bruised knees, even when they’re wearing “protective” gear.
The "Tall Boot" Problem Solved
If you ride dual-sport or adventure bikes, you likely wear tall, stiff boots—like the Alpinestars Tech 7 or Gaerne SG-12. These offer incredible ankle support, but they wreak havoc on knee armor. Standard motorcycle pants have long shin protectors that extend too far down. When you tuck them into your boots, the armor pushes against your shin bone or interferes with the top buckles of the boot.
Boot-friendly Bohn pants use compact knee armor that stops above tall boots, giving CE2 protection without bulk or pressure points.
We designed the Bohn Adventure Armored Pants specifically to fix this.
We swapped our standard 12-inch shin armor for a compact, high-performance 5 x 8-inch protector. It covers your knee cap and the top of your shin but stops above the boot line. This means you get CE-Level 2 impact protection on your knee, but your boot can close tightly and comfortably around your calf.
This small design change makes a massive difference when you are standing on the pegs for hours. You get the protection you need without the bulk that cuts off circulation or creates hotspots.
Impact Protection That Actually Stays Put
The core philosophy of Bohn Body Armor is that armor only works if it's in the right place when you hit the ground.
Our armored pants are designed as a base layer. They fit snug to your body, similar to a compression layer. This ensures that the CE-Level 2 armor from SAS-TEC stays locked onto your knees and hips. It won't rotate 90 degrees if you take a tumble on a fire road.
Bohn’s snug base-layer pants keep CE2 armor locked in place, with added thigh and tailbone coverage for real protection where crashes happen. Source
We also cover more of you than most competitors. While many brands give you tiny knee pads and maybe a thin hip foam, our pants include coverage for:
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Knees and Shins (CE-Level 2)
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Hips (CE-Level 2)
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Thighs (Unrated, but substantial coverage)
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Tailbone (Unrated)
We include thigh and tailbone armor because we know that handlebars and footpegs have a nasty habit of finding those spots in a crash. We list them as "unrated" simply because the testing agencies don't currently have a certification category for those specific zones—but the foam is high-density and designed to mitigate damage.
Riding in the Heat: The Cool Air Advantage
A major complaint we hear from riders is that European armored base layers (like those from Pando Moto, Bowtex, or Knox) are just too hot for the US. They work great in a mild British summer, but they can be suffocating in 90℉+ heat with high humidity.
Our Cool Air mesh fabric is completely different. It is a sheer, open-weave mesh that allows air to flow directly to your skin. When you wear these under a pair of ventilated moto pants or even lightweight jeans, you get meaningful impact protection without the "sauna effect."
Cool-Air mesh base layers beat the heat with open-weave airflow and wicking comfort—real protection without the heavy, sauna-like feel.
The moisture-wicking capability keeps you dry, which actually keeps you cooler than wearing jeans against bare skin. By managing your body temperature, you can ride longer without fatigue setting in.
A Fit for Every Body (Really)
Motorcycle gear sizing is notoriously exclusive. If you aren't "standard" size, you are often out of luck. We take a different approach.
We build our gear to fit real riders. Our sizing runs from 3XS all the way to 5XL. We also offer Short, and Big variations. Whether you are a 4'9" rider who struggles to find knee armor that doesn't hit your ankle, or a 6'10" rider who can never find pants long enough, we have a fit for you.
Inclusive sizing from 3XS–5XL with Tall, Short & Big options ensures armor fits real riders—because protection only works when it fits.
This size inclusivity is critical for safety. If your armor doesn't fit right, you won't wear it. And the best armor in the world is useless if it's left in the closet.
Versatility: Buy The Armor Once, Wear for Years
One of the best financial benefits of the Bohn system is versatility. Many customers ride both on-road and off-road, so we designed the armor to swap between pant shells.
Our Adventure Pants armor (for the tailbone, hips, and thighs) fits into the Original Pants, which are our on-road pant shell. If you want to run your setup on-road, you simply move the armor into the Original Pants, add the 5" x 12" knee/shin armor, and you’ve got an armored base layer that works off-road and on-road—without buying two complete systems.
The armor from SAS-TEC is reusable after impacts and is designed to last 10 years before degrading. This means you aren't buying new expensive armored pants every time your waistline changes or fashion shifts. You just keep wearing your Bohns underneath.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wash the armor?
Yes. You can easily remove all the armor pieces from their pockets. The fabric shell can be washed in a machine on a gentle cycle, and we recommend hand-washing the armor itself with mild soap and water if needed.
Why is the knee armor smaller in the Adventure pants?
We use a 5 x 8-inch knee/shin protector in the Adventure model (compared to our standard 5 x 12-inch) specifically to accommodate tall motocross and adventure boots. The shorter profile ensures the armor doesn't interfere with the boot's shin plate or buckles.
Do they run true to size?
Yes, our size chart is accurate. However, because these are a compression-style fit intended to hold armor in place, they will feel snug. If you are between sizes, give us a call—we can help you find the perfect fit.
Is the knee and hip armor CE rated?
The knee, shin, and hip armor is CE-Level 2 certified. The thigh and tailbone armor pads are unrated because there is currently no CE standard category for testing armor in those specific locations. However, they are made from high-density foam designed to absorb impact.
Will I get too hot wearing two layers?
Most riders find they are actually cooler. The Cool Air mesh does not wick away sweat it transfers sweat to the outer most layer.
What is the return policy?
We want you to be happy with your fit. We offer a 90-day exchange and return policy on unworn items (tried on indoors is fine).
Can I wear these for other sports?
While designed for motorcycling, we have customers who use them for electric unicycles (EUC), Onewheels, and mountain biking because of the excellent hip and tailbone coverage that is hard to find in other sport-specific gear.
How long does the armor last?
The viscoelastic foam from SAS-TEC is designed to last 10 years. Unlike hard plastic armor that can crack, this foam can take multiple impacts and return to its original shape.
A Final Thought on Comfort
If you have ever skipped wearing gear because "it's just a short ride" or "it's too hot," you know the risk you are taking. We designed Bohn Adventure Pants to eliminate those excuses. They take ten seconds to put on, they disappear under your clothes, and they keep your armor exactly where it needs to be.
Ride safe, and dress for the impact.
