Reise x Spidi Diablo Riding Pants Long Term Review: Introduction

The Reise x Spidi Diablo are a pair of affordable riding pants from Reise Moto. The pants are made in collaboration with Spidi and are priced at Rs 7,999. We recently got a pair, and will be using them for the next couple of months. Here’s a brief overview of what the pants have to offer and what we plan on doing with them.

Setting Context

Before getting the Diablo pants I have been using the Rynox Bastion Bionic Knee Guards. I’ve worn these knee protectors during many of my weekend rides, and even twice when I’ve raced on the flat track. Although  the knee guards offer really good protection, I’ve always felt that they’re a bit bulky. 

I had been considering getting a pair of riding pants, as they would offer more protection, particularly in the form of hip protectors. Now that I’ve got the Diablo pants, it would be interesting to see how the experience is going to be like, compared to what I am used to.

Breaking In

The Reise x Spidi Diablo pants have a lot to offer in terms of protection. It gets CE-certified Warrior Tech level 1 hip protectors and CE certified Warrior Tech level 2 knee protectors as well. Along with this, the pants feature abrasion-resistant 600D polyester fabric on the knee and buttocks.

For a better fit, the brand has also added an elastic crotch panel along with an elastic waistband as well. The pants get elastic mesh panels at the shin, thighs, and calves for better ventilation. 

My initial impressions of the pants have been quite positive, and for my build (5’7 and 63kg) the M size fits quite well. While walking around in them I didn’t have any difficulties, the pants offer good flexibility and range of motion.

During my initial rides with these pants, the armor stayed in place very well, and during these rides I didn’t have to take any effort fiddling with the protectors to get a comfortable fit. Even when standing or walking around, the protectors didn’t move around too much. This is something I really liked about the Diablo pants.

Riding in the heat with these pants on is quite easy as they offer really good levels of ventilation. This comes down to the mesh panels used on the thighs and back. Although this is something I appreciate about the pants, it makes it hard to wear them without base layers. It can be done, but I personally wouldn’t recommend it as your legs feel a bit too exposed without them.

The Plan

The Reise x Spidi Diablo pants will be my go-to lower-body gear for the next few months. I will be riding with it during my weekend trips, and also on the occasional trail rides. This should give me a good perspective on how the pants hold up in different situations. Along with this, I will also be testing out how well the pants are able to hold up after a few months.

Additionally, I will also be posting reels talking about certain aspects of the pants and also featuring it in YouTube videos as well. Overall I am quite excited to see what the pants have to offer and how they actually perform in real-world conditions. 

Price: Rs 7,999

Pros: Good protection, decent levels of ventilation and a comfortable fit

Cons: Only gets one pocket which limits convenience, the mesh construction makes it difficult to wear without base layers