Rukka Argonaut Trousers Review
Rukka is famous for being THE top end biking brand; expensive but high tech and incredibly tough – so tough that police forces around the world kit their riders out in the stuff. It’s also known as the lottery-winners suit of choice on account of the wallet-stinging prices; a top-of-the-range Armas suit retails for nigh on two grand in the UK.
There’s always a strong debate on motorcycle forums as to whether the quality of the Rukka product justifies the price. Certainly the quality itself is rarely in doubt. This is especially true of the technology employed, and most particularly Pro-Shell. That’s the stuff where the outer abrasion resistant layer and the waterproof membrane are bonded together. Result; rhino-hide toughness with 100% waterproofing and superb breathability. In fact, only the top three Rukka ranges feature pro-shell. In descending order of price these are; the Armas, the Cosmic and the Argonaut. Here Mayfield 07, a regular Bigbikemad contributor from the CBR1100XX forum, appraises a pair of the Argonaut pants.
There’s always a strong debate on motorcycle forums as to whether the quality of the Rukka product justifies the price. Certainly the quality itself is rarely in doubt. This is especially true of the technology employed, and most particularly Pro-Shell. That’s the stuff where the outer abrasion resistant layer and the waterproof membrane are bonded together. Result; rhino-hide toughness with 100% waterproofing and superb breathability. In fact, only the top three Rukka ranges feature pro-shell. In descending order of price these are; the Armas, the Cosmic and the Argonaut. Here Mayfield 07, a regular Bigbikemad contributor from the CBR1100XX forum, appraises a pair of the Argonaut pants.
The Right trousers?
Having bought the Rukka Cosmic Jacket I intended to buy the matching Cosmic trousers, but they felt too bulky and stiff when I tried them on. The Cosmic gear is aimed at adventure riding – so no the best for my K1300S. But I wanted Pro-shell, so went for the Argonaut – with the added bonus of these being cheaper, although at £600 in the UK ‘cheap’ is a relative term (You can get them cheaper – see below).
Pro-Shell A technical miracle
In pro-shell clothing the protective outer layer is bonded directly to the waterproofing membrane – no separate waterproof liner. This stops water at the surface – no more heavy, cold, dripping clothing when you get in.
Fit
Pro-Shell feels quite unforgiving initially – but it wears in quickly. I wore the pants around the house for an evening to break them in before trying to ride in them and they became noticeably more comfortable within hours.
Armour and thermal liningThe Argonauts use the older technology RVP Air armour, rather than the D3O stuff in the Cosmics – breathable, but less flexible. The hip protectors are fine, but I find the knee armour isn’t . It’s shaped to fit in the trouser leg, which creates a looser fit than the road leathers I’m used to. The result is that when sitting in a sport touring position, the armour puts too much pressure on the front of the knees. Uncomfortable; but they’d be just fine on a more upright bike.
The RVP Air armour can also be replaced by the D3O system, which is more forgiving, but I suspect that the result won’t be much better. I decided to remove the knee armour altogether and I’ve ordered Alpinestars Vapor knee protectors (at around £30) to wear under them, so we’ll see how that goes. The light but effective thermal liner zips in at the ankles and the waist. It’s not the Outlast phase-change stuff in the Cosmic gear, but it seems to suit our UK winter weather.  Back to top >
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Conclusion
Armour gripe aside (and that should be simple to solve), these are a really fine addition to the winter riding wardrobe. They are pretty much the top of the food chain under these circumstances, but it will be interesting to see how they fare in warmer weather, when the thermal liner gets taken out. I’m hoping that they will be comfortable weather despite them not having any vents at all. They cost me just above £300 from a German website, about half the price at which they are available here, but they are by no means inexpensive even at that price. So being able to wear them for most of the year is important.
Build-quality of the argonaut seems first class, and you certainly feel protected in them. They are warm and look good. So far – so good, and I’d recommend them. But I’ll keep you posted….
Views expressed in this article are those of the contributor and not necessarily of Bigbikemad.com
Build-quality of the argonaut seems first class, and you certainly feel protected in them. They are warm and look good. So far – so good, and I’d recommend them. But I’ll keep you posted….
Views expressed in this article are those of the contributor and not necessarily of Bigbikemad.com