My plan was to ride Backcountry Discovery Routes for three months, so I wanted the best possible protection against the elements and crashes. After spending countless hours doing online research, the Klim Badlands Pro Jacket and Pant, now in its third generation, ticked off all the criteria on my list.
The Klim Badlands Pro is truly a four-season suit, which proved to be a life-saving quality when, at the end of September, I rode into an unseasonal blizzard that swept across the Alvord Desert in Oregon. Slipping and sliding for hours down muddy tracks in freezing temperatures while constantly wiping snow off my helmet visor, my survival depended on staying dry and warm. My Klim Badlands Pro lived up to its promise, enabling me to stay focused on grappling with the treacherous trail conditions in low visibility.
In a similar incident a year ago, a tire blow-out left me stranded in a blizzard at 17,400 feet in the Indian Himalayas in Ladakh. To survive the bitter cold, I had to enhance my less-than-capable gear with an aluminum foil survival blanket. When you consider that your life may be at stake, Klim’s price tag for the Badlands Pro is entirely affordable.
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Klim Badlands Pro Jacket and Pant
Many companies offer ADV gear, but when you whittle it down to RTW-expedition-grade quality, only a handful of brands stand up to the test.
YAMAHA TENERE 700
The wait is finally over. The Yamaha Ténéré 700 is probably one of the most anticipated bikes to come out of the Yamaha factory in quite some time. Yamaha teased us with what appeared to be a production-ready model three years ago and every model year came and went without show. We were starting to wonder if it would ever show up on the showroom floor. Well folks, the day is finally here, and it was worth the wait. The middle-weight class has been gaining a lot of attention over the last three years and is likely to be the most popular segment for years to come.
HOLIDAY HEROES
Nonprofits in the Moto CommunityWho Deserve Your Support
DESERT ODYSSEY
The security guard at the gate had a particular look on her face, one I’d become accustomed to over the previous month. I met her gaze with a big, cheesy grin. She looked confused. “What the hell are you doing out here mate, and where the hell have you been?”
Trails End Dual-Sport and Adventure Tail Bag
I’ve said it many times, I’ve never been a big fan of tank bags. However, they’re a creature comfort hard to resist once you’ve ridden with one that’s well designed.
Garmin zūmo XT
Garmin has long been the big fish in the pool of GPS, and their zumo line of products has graced motorcycle handlebars for years.
A REACH TOO FAR
This is not the story I thought I’d be writing when I began my motorcycling adventure on Namibia’s gravel roads.
3 KEYS TO HAVING A STUDENT MINDSET
We all do it. We get comfortable riding what and how we ride. Why bother stretching ourselves? Why try something different, more challenging, and unusual? Because having a student mindset focused on learning and growing will make you a safer rider. And, it’s downright fun!
2020 KTM 390 ADVENTURE
BIG BIKE IMPACT IN A SMALL(ER) BIKE’S FRAME
BACKCOUNTRY DISCOVERY ROUTES MARATHON
It was late afternoon, high on a ridge in the Rockie s, and I must have come into signal range, as my phone lit up with a message. Stopped in the middle of the trail, it indicated that my youngest had tried calling. She wanted me to come home, as she was ill. Although concerned, I also felt relief that this would give me a valid reason to jump ship. Fo r several weeks I’d been riding nothing but gnarly trails day in and day out and had begun to question whether taking on one Backcountry Discovery Route after another was a good idea.
THE NUMBERS GAME
Patryk Klimala feels his goal tally should be higher and he is intent on remedying the situation
THE STRAVA DILEMMA
Now that Strava is charging £4 per month for full access to leaderboards, Hannah Reynolds assesses whether, in terms of motivation and training benefits, it’s money well spent
WELCOME, PATRYK AND ISMAILA
The recent transfer window saw some comings and goings at Celtic Park
Decade Dave
David Reynolds is known as the larrikin of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, but there’s much more to the man with a 10-year deal locking him in with Erebus Motorsport until he’s 44 years of age.
Sadness Behind Klim's Big Journey
Alex Bywater talks to Namibia’s Lesley Klim about the problems he faced in his early life.