Klim Gear: Behind the Scenes

Kelsey started designing motorcycle gear for Klim in September of 2016. She has been able to go through two design seasons, so her first was the Spring 2018 line and she is currently in the process of designing the Spring 2019 line.

Kelsey, how is motorcycle gear created, from idea to shelf? What does the process look like?

First, I get briefed on the collection from my Product Line Manager, Jayson, where I am directed on what pieces need to be redesigned and what pieces will be brand new for the season. I then go ahead drawing and getting my ideas on paper. I sketch different design lines and think through new ways of constructing our signature features.

We are always trying to create a better experience for the rider, so I must hit all the minuscule details of how the garment looks, fits, feels, and functions. Once a sketch of the garment is complete and the majority of the details are thought through, I hand the finalized tech pack off to my technical designer, Rhylea, who specializes in the constructions and measurements of the garment. Rhylea then sends it off to the factory.

We get three to four prototypes of each design of which we fit and correct all the details on before the next one is made. We will typically take a trip to the factory before our salesmen samples are made to make any final corrections, see the salesmen samples in our most accurate version of a prototype for any last judgement calls on color, trims, and overall look, and then production is officially started.

How do you test your protective fabrics?

We have a material developer who specializes in ensuring the testing capabilities of all of our fabrics. Whenever a new material is presented for use, he will send it off to a testing facility to retrieve all the basic information necessary to determine a fabric’s quality and how it will withstand to the elements.

In addition, we have a few of our own tests in the office that we perform on all of our fabrics as a small secondary test. We also rely on the wear testing that we have done on all of our garments. Once we deem a fabric usable, we will get garments made and immediately send them out into the field to test for fabric, fit, and function before going to market.

We put these on riders that we can guarantee will do enough mileage necessary to get back telling results. We also use our internal crash report system where we receive crashed garments back that are submitted by riders with a police report, so we can see how the fabrics reacted in real life scenarios. We evaluate these on a regular basis, so we can make good decisions on not only the fabrics used, but the placement of these fabrics for their optimum use.

Klim is one of the most expensive gear out there. Why?

We use the best, and it just doesn’t come cheap! Fabric, fabric, fabric… We specialize in making the most protective and most enjoyable gear out there and we do that by not falling short on the fabrics we use.

There are obviously a lot of other factors that contribute to this, but we want to make sure to provide the best all-weather gear that we can and it starts with our fabric story. There are limited GORE-TEX motorsport-approved qualities of fabric because they have to withstand a certain level of durability and abrasion resistance. Secondly, our overlay fabrics are also held to a certain level of abrasion and durability standard to make sure you are extra protected in the sliding and impact zones. Finally, to make sure we give you ample amount of venting and storage, we start cutting into these fabrics all over the garment to then insert vent and pocket zippers. Every time we do this, we have to seam tape around these openings to ensure you stay waterproof. It is an expensive process!

All of our garments also come with our guarantee and our warranty promise because we want to ensure that our gear performs as we say it will, so that is a definitely a perk in buying Klim.

In a nutshell, we use GORE-TEX which has the best waterproof breathable fabrics for motorsport use, we use D30 who makes the best impact protection pad system, we use YKK who is the global leader in quality control and ensures superior performance zippers, and 3M Reflective who prove to make the brightest, most durable, and highest quality of retroreflective material in the market. We give you what you pay for and no less!

How has Klim’s motorcycling gear changed in the past 4-5 years and why?

Truthfully, this is a harder question for me to answer since I started at Klim last September and am still learning some of the history and heritages of past seasons. I would say what I have noticed the most is the constant effort to enhance the rider’s experience - coming up with new and more intuitive ways for the rider to have a great experience on and off the bike.

For instance, I have developed a new way of having a collar hold back system for those hot days where the collar is stubborn and in the way, without impeding on the overall look of the garment or having massive exposed snaps on the chest panels. It’s subtle, easy to use, and works as it needs to.

Coming up with innovative ways of doing feature sets that we know work is a challenge that I accept and look forward to working on. Even down to zipper placements for optimal venting. We have gone completely away from under arm vents on most of our motorcycle gear because we have tested and proved you get better air circulation by staggering them around the jacket and that was initially a big change.

I spend time cutting up jackets to find the perfect vent placement to ensure we are doing it the right way!

In the same realm, gear is also evolving in the material department. Gaining new knowledge season after season of how to make lighter weight fabrics that perform better than the existing ones that have been trusted for years is a huge advancement in the gear. It goes back to making the experience as enjoyable as possible without sacrificing the protection and guarantees that we stand for. Helping the consumer to understand that heavier does not always mean more durable and ideas like that are a constant challenge that we are pushing for because we are constantly focused on being the best.

Outside of function, just making sure we are staying on trend is also very important. Watching the market and taking notice of what riders are wearing in what regions of the country and the world is key to making successful motorcycle gear. Not everyone wants to ride in a Badlands because they aren’t riding the crazy terrain of the mountains, and we understand that, so we are starting to branch out to see if we can start outfitting all the different types of riders that still want that same protection and safety that comes with wearing Klim.

That’s where our 626 collection comes in and gives those more heritage and casual looking riders the option to wear Klim and not have to sacrifice their style. The constant evolution of the market is something I am definitely keeping an eye on!

What’s new for Klim in 2018?

We have a brand-new women’s riding suit, Artemis, comin out soon. It’s more or less a women’s equivalent of the Badlands – a suit made for female riders hitting the toughest regions of the world.

For men’s, there are a couple of very exciting pieces coming this spring. First, the new Badlands Pro Jacket and Pant. It is a redesign and revamp of the existing Badlands and it is going to be insane! We partnered up with D30 to create our own Klim AEROPRO pad system that will be released with the new Badlands. They have 44% more coverage, they are five times more ventilating, and are joint specific so to put it in D3O’s words, “they are the most ergonomically correct, highest performing, most well ventilated and widest covering Adventure riding-specific impact armor on the planet.”

We also custom engineered our Super Fabric and improved our overall material map, updated our vent placements, and added secret storage such as a hidden passport pocket for that world traveler. We are also going to have a new Latitude Jacket and Pant this spring, that will transcend even further into the touring category. I designed it with more leather panels and details and a cleaner and more sophisticated look for that touring aesthetic.

It still has a very Klim vibe with its aggressive paneling and color blocking but it will definitely thrive in the touring world with its updates and features. I also created a new jacket for Klim called the Marrakesh which is a stripped down, more casual-looking stretch woven motorcycle jacket made for that day to day riding where you just want the most comfortable jacket you can get that still offers all the Klim protection.

There are a few other things, such as a new riding jean with a modern fit and finish, new Induction mesh jacket for him and her, and a revamp of some layering and casual pieces to finish off the kits. It’s going to be an exciting year!

Gear Designer Profile

Kelsey Runge graduated from Buffalo State College with a bachelor’s degree in Apparel Design and Textile Technologies. She immediately started working at Under Armour Inc. headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland as a designer for men’s hunting and fishing gear.

“I grew up hunting, fishing, and riding dirt bikes with my dad and brother of whom both raced motocross, I loved the outdoors and any adrenaline-filling activity that got me there, so I was hopeful that I would do well at designing for those same activities. I then decided I wanted to move out West and explore the outdoors even more, so I took the design position at Klim”, - says Kelsey.

She has been working with Klim since 2016.

Kelsey rides the trails on her Honda CRF 250X and is still trying to figure out the right adventure bike for her, experimenting with a KLR 650 and an Africa Twin 1000.