Road Tested: New Jeans and Gloves from Saint
One of the perks of this job is the steady flow of fresh motorcycle gear to test, and Saint consistently appears near the top of my inbox. That’s partly because the Australian brand has been around for more than ten years, but mostly because its lineup is always evolving. I’ve worn and reviewed nearly every version of their riding jeans, most of which have earned a place as riding—and often casual—staples. Their leather riding gloves have also made a strong impression.
Saint’s latest offerings are the Unbreakable 12 oz Coretec riding jeans and the upgraded Road 2.0 gloves, both delivered to my doorstep recently. So, how do they hold up? Let’s dive in.
Saint Unbreakable 12 oz Coretec riding jeans
This version is designed as a more budget-friendly alternative to Saint’s flagship Unbreakable jeans. The Unbreakable 12 oz Coretec jeans use a lighter version of the brand’s single-layer Coretec denim. The fabric’s construction is the same at its core: a blend of recycled cotton, Lycra, and UHMWPE (ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) to boost strength and abrasion resistance. The key difference is that the 12 oz version uses a lighter 12 oz Coretec, while the higher-end model uses 14 oz Coretec.
On paper, the lighter denim nudges the CE safety rating from AAA to AA and trims the price from AU$579 to AU$529 (about $374 USD). In practical terms, the weight difference between the two Coretec fabrics is barely noticeable, though you can feel a difference. The 14 oz Coretec jeans feel almost rigid, reminiscent of selvedge denim, while the 12 oz pair moves closer to a classic Levi’s vibe in heft and flexibility.
The Unbreakable 12 oz Coretec jeans are offered in slim (skinny) and straight cuts. I chose straight in my usual size (40). They’re available in black or a new bleached denim, and I picked the bleached option.
I’ve long sung the praises of Saint’s jeans for balancing protection, style, and comfort. This pair comes close to that ideal, with two notable caveats. First, the 12 oz fabric fits the waist more snugly than the 14 oz, and it runs slimmer through the leg despite both versions sharing the same size and cut.
This difference isn’t unusual for casual brands—varying denims can fit and feel distinct—so it’s worth noting if you prefer a looser fit. Despite the tighter fit, the jeans look sharp and remain comfortable all day, as long as you can align the knee armor with your knees.
One recurring issue I’ve noticed with several Saint jeans is the inseam. Saint adjusts inseam length to match size, so my size-40 12 oz pair has a 35
