2023 Klim Badlands Pro A3 ADV Moto Riding Suit Review: Certified Better Than the Competition

After 6 weeks of adventure riding across Europe, our reviewer found the 2023 Klim Badlands Pro A3 Jacket and Pants to be the ultimate combo. It's rugged, versatile, and ultra-protective, but this level of bad-assery does come with a very large price tag.

Following recovery from a rather ungraceful get-off, I embarked on a mission to find the best all-weather armored adventure gear money can buy. While I was licking my wounds, my quest for the holy grail of adventure gear ended when Klim launched its next-generation Badlands Pro A3 Jacket and Pants in early 2023.

In short: The Klim Badlands Pro A3 adventure riding suit not only lived up to my rigorous requirements but far exceeded my expectations.

After my recent mishap, impact and abrasion protection was the highest priority in my selection criteria for new technical riding gear. Aiming for the highest level of impact protection, I only considered gear with CE Level 2 protectors. For the outer shell, I wanted a technical fabric with the highest resistance against abrasion, tearing, and cutting.

That criterion includes sturdy seams stitched with high-tensile-strength sewing thread to ensure the integrity of the chassis. Your skin still risks being shredded if the seams get torn apart while sliding along the asphalt.

What caught my attention, making the Klim Badlands Pro A3 (BLP A3) unique, is that it’s the first-ever GORE-TEX textile motorcycle garment that received a CE AAA rating certified to EN17092-2. If you’re not familiar with the CE rating system, obtaining the top rating for complying with the requirements set out in the EN17902 norms is a pretty big deal for a GORE-TEX-lined garment.

The European health, safety, and environmental protection standards are the most rigorous in the world. So far, no other GORE-TEX textile motorcycle garment has obtained this coveted CE AAA safety rating.

As motorcyclists, most of us wear riding gear, but do we know what those safety-rating labels sewn into the lining stand for? If not, the following synopsis will present what you need to know.

The EN17902 is the harmonized CE standard — CE stands for “Conformité Européenne” (French for European Conformity) — governing the safety rating of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). More specifically, motorcycle clothing for leisure use. The CE is the world’s most elaborate and rigorous safety test and rating system for a broad range of products and materials.

Under EN17092, products are tested against the norms specified in five rating categories: AAA, AA, A, B, and C. The A-class rates combined abrasion and impact protection, and B and C-class rates, respectively, only abrasion and impact protectors.

The CE rating system for impact protection (C-class) has two levels: Level 1 protectors whereby the maximum transmitted force upon impact cannot exceed 18 kN. Level 2 offers double the impact protection, not exceeding 9 kN.

The EN17092 regulation for protective motorcycle gear has divided the body into three zones ranging from the highest risk (zone 1) to low-risk zones (zone 3) for impact and abrasion.

The CE AAA certification is the highest possible rating for impact and abrasion protection. It’s usually only achieved by leather racing suits and heavy, bulky, stiff pants or hi-tech base layers made from space-age, nonwoven composite fibers (such as Bowtex Elite base layer). But none of those AAA-certified garments carry the coveted GORE-TEX label.

Following the fast-growing popularity of adventure (ADV) and dual-sport (DS) motorcycling, most gear manufacturers jumped on the gravy train and started catering to ADV/DS riders. But surprisingly few brands excel in this particular segment. The reason for this lack of excellence lies in the difficulty of achieving the main objective of the design brief: versatility.

Similar to ADV motorcycles, ADV gear has to be versatile to cover a broad spectrum of riding applications and weather conditions. From riding in pouring rain, to lane-splitting in sweltering heat, to crawling up a gnarly mountain track, to standing on the pegs while fishtailing through desert sand, to traveling down the highway on a cold winter night, to … you get the picture.

This broad spectrum of applications requires ADV gear to be the Swiss Army Knife of motorcycle apparel. The ADV apparel segment separates the men from the boys. It’s where manufacturers showcase their know-how in making versatile apparel that maximizes comfort and protection from the elements and crashes.

Klim, an Idaho-based brand, is renowned for its superior-quality motorcycle and snowmobile gear. But that was not the case when I bought my first Klim off-road pants in 2004. Back then, Klim was a new motorcycle gear brand I had never heard of, but a friend in the trade offered me such a sweet deal that I bought two pairs. My pants were part of Klim’s first off-road apparel collection launched that year.

In the ensuing years, Klim developed a reputation among hard-core snowmobile and off-road/ADV riders for producing the toughest technical riding gear on the planet. Klim’s radical “No Compromise” approach to quality has made it a household name at the pinnacle of the adventure powersports outfitters industry.

But this remarkable success story and Klim’s market leadership didn’t occur by happenstance. Through innovation and a relentless pursuit of perfection, Klim continuously pushes the boundaries of technical garments.

Launched in 2011, the top-tier Badlands Pro (BLP) has become Klim’s bestseller. This made the brand famous and the envy of its competitors.

With the BLP having reached iconic status, Klim could easily have rested on its laurels and continued to milk its cash cow. But the folks at Klim’s HQ in Idaho are wired differently, as “good enough” is not part of their lexicon.

Instead of being satisfied with racking up sales, the company spared no expense and effort in taking the BLP to the next level. And that higher level was a new milestone, not only for Klim but also for the entire industry.

The Klim Badlands Pro A3 was awarded the first-ever CE AAA certification for a GORE-TEX textile motorcycle garment. The R&D collaboration with Klim’s material suppliers made this remarkable achievement possible.

A marvel of advanced design and innovative fabric technology, Klim’s new flagship ADV combo has moved the benchmark against which all other high-end ADV motorcycle gear will be measured.

Thanks to cutting-edge technical fabrics and improved pattern design, the BLP A3 is stronger, tougher, lighter, and more cut- and abrasion-resistant than any other ADV garments currently on the market — according to Klim, my testing, and demonstrated by the CE AAA rating.

But this begs the question: why was AA until now the highest CE rating that GORE-TEX ADV gear could achieve? Was the competition sleeping at the wheel? Or had the ADV gear industry acquiesced in the fact that no AAA-rated fabric existed that let enough water vapor through to meet the exacting standards of GORE-TEX?

Producing a triple-A garment — even a waterproof one — is not a technical challenge. The crux of the matter lies in making one that breathes enough for the GORE-TEX membrane to function. Without a high level of breathability of the outer shell, the ePTFE membrane is ineffective in evacuating vapor, and GORE-TEX will refuse its use.

Klim accepted this seemingly insurmountable challenge and went to work with its suppliers. Together, they developed state-of-the-art materials that could not only pass but also exceed the most demanding tests. For the BLP, Klim worked with the manufacturers of CORDURA, SuperFabric, and D3O. And now Vectran was added as the BLP A3’s main outer shell material.

Given the investment in R&D and the cost of manufacturing these space-age materials, it’s no surprise that Klim’s crown jewel is pricey. The MSRP for the jacket is $1,500 and $970 for the pants.

But before you raise your eyebrows at this price tag, you should know that it includes a replacement guarantee of garments damaged in a crash. As far as I know, that’s unheard of in the motorcycle apparel industry.

But still, that’s a big chunk of money for riding apparel. However, it only takes one injurious crash to realize that penny-pinching on riding gear makes zero sense.

When things go pear-shaped, you’ll want all the protection you can get. Sliding along the asphalt, the price you paid for protection — read: for preventing skin grafts — will be the least of your concern. And protection is what the BLP A3 delivers at a hitherto unsurpassed level.

While packing my luggage for my flight to Spain, where a Husqvarna Norden 901 was waiting for me, my spirit soared at the prospect of riding a motorcycle again instead of a wheelchair. My 6-week-long journey across several European mountain ranges and climate zones would offer a good opportunity to test the new BLP A3, the Husqvarna Norden 901, and my brand-new artificial body parts.

My orthopedic surgeon had given me the green light for this test ride, on condition of a gentle break-in period. I suppose he referred to the Norden 901. Although I take my testing duties seriously, my wife asked me to refrain this time from volunteering to be the crash test dummy. A reasonable request, given that my previous test ride in Thailand ended catastrophically.

After collecting the bike from Dakar Rally legend, Norden 901 and Klim Ambassador, and Races-to-Places RTW adventurer, Lyndon Poskitt in Malaga, I embarked on my journey. I rode nonstop twisties across the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Andalusia toward the southernmost point of Portugal. From there, I headed north across the Algarve toward the Pyrenees, the Massif Central, and the Alps.

After exploring the Trans Euro Trail (TET) network in France and Spain last year, I would ride the Adventure Country Tracks (ACT) in Portugal and the Pyrenees this time. The ACT is the European equivalent of the Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR) in the U.S., and if you haven’t ridden any of them, you should put them high on your bucket list.

Let’s look at the specs of the BLP A3 and elaborate on its features and my experience on the European battlefields with this armored suit.

The BLP A3 chassis shares the majority of the shell/construction details listed above with its CE AA-rated sibling, the BLP. The only significant difference is the main outer shell material, which is Vectran (more on that later).

Thanks to the GORE-TEX 3-Layer Pro Shell and the YKK water-resistant zippers, Klim guarantees the BLP A3 will keep you dry. This claim is not just a marketing slogan, as Klim’s customer service is renowned for backing up its promise, evidenced by testimonial feedback on social media and forums.

My personal experience with riding in pouring rain for hours on end showed zero leaks. I stayed bone dry, as expected. Still, this is no small achievement given the jacket has 20 external zippers (one main/front, 12 vents, and seven pockets), and the pants have nine zippers (one fly, six vents, two pockets). To prevent water ingress, the zippers’ termination points feature hoods to push the sliders into.

The GORE-TEX 3-Layer Pro Shell is a laminated construction combining a sturdy, abrasion-resistant exterior fabric, the breathing/waterproof GORE-TEX membrane in the middle, and the membrane’s nylon backing material on the interior. The expanded PTFE membrane is durably bonded to both the rugged outer shell fabric and the membrane’s woven substrate. The advantage of the three-layer lamination is that it feels and behaves like a single layer, reducing weight and improving the flexibility of the chassis.

The high-impact and abrasion-prone zones, namely the shoulders, elbows, forearms, and knees are covered with custom-engineered, variable-density SuperFabric, an ultra-abrasion-resistant hybrid material. SuperFabric consists of a dense pattern of tiny, round, embossed ceramic dots or guard plates printed upon a durable, flexible, breathable base layer. Heat and water vapor can pass through this backing material and the gaps between the ceramic dots.

Unlike leather or fabrics that scrape or shred under abrasive friction, ceramic plates generate considerably less friction when sliding along the asphalt. Thanks to ceramic technology, SuperFabric is 10 times more abrasion-resistant than aramid (Kevlar) and twice that of leather.

The leather panels on the inside of the knees are useful when you stand riding off-road. The leather not only prevents melting the pants’ fabric when touching the engine or exhaust, but it also offers better grip when standing on the pegs and clamping the bike with your knees.

Where the BLP A3 diverges from the AA-rated BLP is in the technical fabrics used to construct the outer shell of the chassis. Earlier editions of the BLP had chassis panels of FPL 400 and SPL 200 GORE-TEX 3-Layer Pro Shell combined with Karbonite 500D Ripstop and Cordura 630D. The third generation of the BLP saw the addition of SuperFabric in high-friction zones.

The main material used for the outer shell differentiates the BLP A3 from the CE AA-rated standard BLP version, which remains available. The main panels in the BLP A3 chassis are made of Vectran Fiber Fabric, which offers superior abrasion and cut resistance. Vectran is thinner, lighter, and more flexible than CORDURA, which is noticeable when you hold the BLP A3 next to the standard BLP.

Vectran is a high-performance multifilament polyester yarn spun from a liquid-crystal polymer. Compared to Kevlar (aramid), it has superior abrasion resistance (3x more), the same tensile strength (5x stronger than steel), and better resistance to strong acids and alkalis.

Apart from better resisting abrasion, another significant advantage of Vectran is that it doesn’t transfer heat generated by abrasive friction as Kevlar does. The problem with Kevlar’s thermal conductivity is that you can suffer burn wounds even if the aramid fabric remains intact during a slide.

Vectran is genuinely a space-age technical fiber, as it’s frequently used in applications for NASA (space suits, airbags for landing vehicles on Mars, etc.).

Klim is so convinced of the SuperFabric and Vectran fabric holding up in a crash that the BLP A3 comes with a crash damage replacement guarantee. A bolder statement of confidence in the quality of Klim products is hardly thinkable.

D3O, the material used for the impact protection pads, is a colloid (a polymer suspended in an oily, liquid lubricant). It greatly outperforms traditional foam-based protection.

D3O appears to perform magical trickery. As a non-Newtonian material, it’s soft and flexible in its resting state but stiffens instantaneously upon impact to disperse the energy across the pad’s surface area. By absorbing and dissipating the energy from the impact, D3O reduces the amount of force transmitted to the body.

To achieve the high breathability required by GORE-TEX, Klim collaborated with D3O, its armor supplier, to develop Level 2 vented armor pads that offer five times more ventilation.

The vented D3O armor pads are limb- and side-specific to optimize coverage and stability during a fall. Also, the internal mesh pockets for the knee and elbow armor have sewn-in Velcro strips to adjust the position of the D3O pads, which I did for my knees.

The BLP A3 fully met my requirements for impact protection. Its D3O armor is certified to Level 2, the highest CE rating for impact protectors. I was impressed by how thick and large (44% more coverage) the D3O armor is, which is reassuring. Thanks to the many big ventilation holes, the pads are lighter than you’d expect given their large size and thickness.

The jacket comes stock with a pair of perforated XRD impact protection foam chest pads (yellow pad on the right in the above photo), but I upgraded to the much thicker D3O CE Level 1 split chest vented pads that are available separately (orange pad on the left in photo).

As mentioned earlier, I’m serious about testing, and I can confirm that the D3O armor absorbs impacts flawlessly. But just don’t ask me how I know (in case my wife, surgeon, or medical insurance agent comes across this review). Let’s just say that the “uncontrolled experimental test” on this trip was a replica of the one that befell me during that fateful test ride in Thailand. Thanks to the D3O protection impeccably bearing the brunt of the impact, my prosthesis remained intact.

And thus, the BLP A3 already paid for itself. If anyone questions the price tag of the BLP A3, let me assure you that it pales in comparison to the cost of surgery.

With so many vents, you may wonder if it’s not overkill. On a hot day when riding with all the vents open, you may not be fully aware of how much air flows through them. But when the temperature drops, you realize that a massive amount of air is streaming through the strategically placed intake and exhaust vents. Thanks to the spacious fit, the air is unobstructed and flows freely around your torso and limbs.

I frequently used the collar tabs to keep the collar open. It’s a simple but smart way to effectively enhance ventilation around the neck and upper chest without the upper front panels of the jacket flapping in the wind.

I’ve had a ton of motorcycle gear in half a century of motorcycling on five continents. And the BLP A3 is the best-ventilated, all-weather, four-season jacket and pants I’ve ever worn, bar none. I commend Klim’s designers for getting the ventilation spot-on.

With 16 pockets in total, I can’t imagine anyone wanting more storage in the BLP A3. Combined, the jacket’s 10 external and four internal pockets and the pants’ two large cargo pockets have the storage capacity of a daypack.

I found the dual-access, gusseted back pocket to be very practical, as it offers large storage with easy access without having to take the jacket off. I frequently used it for storing a midlayer, rain and cold-weather gloves, and maps.

Smart details of the pockets show Klim incrementally improves its designs. The internal organizer compartment in the right pocket. The forearm emergency ID stat card/hidden stash pocket. A concealed “secret” document pocket behind the back pad. Pocket tabs for gloved access. Even MOLLE-compatible utility panels.

Having so many pockets may be a blessing for storing frequently used items for easy access, but can easily be a curse. You’d better have a system in place, otherwise, you’ll be continually unzipping and rummaging through the pockets searching for an item you need.

Klim is known for the roomy fit of its apparel. Compared to the more figure-hugging garments of its main European competitors, Klim’s sizing is decidedly generous. Some might argue that the spacious fit doesn’t make for the most flattering apparel, but that’s irrelevant for ADV gear. It needs to be functional and versatile, offering comfort and protection from the elements in all temperatures and weather conditions.

Thanks to its roomy chassis, the ventilation is far more effective than if the jacket and pants had a tighter fit. The air coming in through the intake vents can freely flow through the ample space and mesh liner between the garment and body/limbs before exiting through the exhaust vents. To maximize ventilation, the quick-adjust straps on the forearms, biceps, and knees should be loose.

Apart from offering lower back support, I found the integrated, stowable kidney belt effectively stabilized the jacket around my waist. This is particularly useful, as it prevents the jacket from billowing out when riding in hot weather with the front zipper partly open.

The spacious fit also pays dividends when it’s cold, as it allows for layering up with several midlayers without feeling restricted or rendering the thermal insulation ineffective because it’s unable to trap air.

A third advantage of Klim’s roomy fit is that it offers ample freedom of movement, which is welcome when you’re riding off-road, shifting your body position while standing up on the pegs.

The difference in sizing between Klim and its European competition may be due to the Euro brands having their roots in street riding whereby streamlined, tight-fitting apparel is customary. Contrastingly, Klim is rooted in snowmobiling and off-road riding, whereby thermal layering and mobility and freedom of movement are a top priority.

The BLP A3 comes in three colors: Stealth Black, Monument Gray – Petrol, and Petrol – Potter’s Clay.

The 2023 Badlands Pro A3 Jacket is available in SM, MD, LG, XL, 2X, and 3X. Badlands Pro A3 Pants come in regular (30 to 42), short (30 to 40), and tall (32 to 38).

As a reference, I measure 6’3″ and weigh 212 pounds. My jacket’s size is XL-Regular and my pants are size 36-Tall, and it fits me perfectly. Klim’s sizing chart is very helpful in establishing what size you should order and was spot-on in my case.

Donning the Badlands Pro A3 feels like putting on armor, as it feels so tough and sturdy, exuding an air of invincibility. Touching the ceramic-plated SuperFabric overlays is enough to inspire confidence, as it feels indestructible.

At the same time, it’s very comfortable to wear thanks to the rugged but supple Vectran fabric, articulated position design, mobility-enhancing gussets, soft collar liner, leather cuff trim, moisture-wicking, cooling mesh lining, and myriad ways to adjust the fit with the kidney belt — Velcro, zippers, cinch cords, and straps.

According to Klim, the 2023 Badlands Pro A3 is 17% stronger and 10% lighter than its CE AA-rated sibling, the standard Badlands Pro. That’s a significant improvement worth the few extra hundred dollars.

If you consider buying the BLP A3 — and you should — but the price tag makes you hesitate, ask yourself how much your safety and comfort are worth. Don’t think of it as a cost but as an investment that’ll keep you safe and comfortable for many years to come. If you’re looking for the most durable, versatile, protective, and ventilated GORE-TEX ADV jacket and pants on the planet, look no more: the Klim Badlands Pro A3 Jacket and Pants delivers all that, and more.

The author wore the following apparel and gear during the 6-week Trans-European journey on the Husqvarna Norden 901:

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