Weise Psycho Trousers – Review

Meet Mr Tough Guy

Why would a manufacturer want to chose a name like Psycho for a biking outfit? The list of sensible features for the product suggests it can’t be because it’s aimed at the mentally unstable amongst us. Instead we think it may be a reference to the Mad-Max / Post Apocalypse styling, where tough leather is stitched, with almost Frankenstienien enthusiasm, onto equally tough cordura. The overall look is street-fighter hard. Here we take a look at the trouser part of the Psycho outfit – a suit that seems built to survive Armageddon.

Weise’s Psycho Jeans, like the matching Jacket, are a leather / textile combo, aiming to utilise the benefits of both materials; the lightness of cordura for much of the body, but with the high abrasion resistance of leather for likely impact points (specifically knees and rear end).

The visual effect is to produce a robust, almost armour- plated design that, our research tells us, has proved popular with people who do a lot of miles; dispatch riders, commuters and the like.

Some folks like the idea of combining materials in this way, but others have doubts about the wisdom of wearing leather in the rain. We put these tough-guy jeans through an equally tough test; over 1000 miles over some of the bumpiest, dustiest, wettest roads in Europe – the Cork and Kerry Mountains of South West Ireland.

The basics

The trousers (or ‘Jeans’ as Weise refers to them) are made predominantly from 500D Cordura, but with substantial leather panels. The leather is waterproofed and the stitching seems to be robust. And yes, it is pre-shrunk.

There is a waterproof breathable drop lining and a 60g detachable thermal lining is also provided. Removable CE approved armour is fitted in both knees and hips and the trousers have both 360 and 6 inch zip attachments to fit to suitable jackets. There is reflective 3M piping on the front. The trousers have an RRP of £169.99.

Sizing and Cut

Sizing is pretty accurate – a 3XL for example is supposed to be a 40 inch waist and it is. Cut is slightly on the generous side but there are adjuster poppers to tighten it up if needed. The waist is also part elasticated and additionally has handy Velcro adjusters.

Unlike some competitors, the lower leg is wide enough to fit over just about any boots, and is both zippered and adjustable. The liner pops out without any trouble and there are two waterproof pockets with leather trim.

Build quality

Build quality is excellent, well above what you’d expect at this price point, which does seem to be a Weise trick, with strong stitching and chunky plastic YKK zips used throughout. Poppers are good too. When so many products seem to have limited life built in, these look robust enough to last for years in normal, regular use, whichever side of the Thunderdome you are on.

Real world test

Dave wore the trousers on a recent Irish Tour (1000 plus miles over 2 weeks) and found the Jeans to be extremely comfortable thanks to the soft lining, adjusters and generous cut. He thought that the level of protection was reassuring over rough and rocky roads, littered with suicidal sheep, mad bends and cunningly deposited horse droppings.

During a 2 hour downpour the jeans remained 100% waterproof. Although the leather did absorb some water, it was never a problem, and the trousers were always dry after a night (or less) spent hanging over the bath. No problems with differential shrinkage.

Pockets are a decent size and didn’t let in any water. Dave’s only gripe was that some zippered vents would have been nice to give more flexibility over temperature range.

Verdict

The Psycho Jeans are tough, reliable, hard wearing and protective, whether from wind, rain or abrasion. At this price point they are extremely well priced, especially considering the quality of the materials. A real ‘Ronseal’ product, which does exactly what it says it will, these jeans get our vote. In fact, following the test, Dave has decided to swap his Heine Gericke textile lowers for these. Enough said.