Klim Adventure Ralley Jacket vs. Klim Badlands Pro Jacket

If you had to choose betwen these jackets, which would you choose and why? Aside from price difference?


Thank you for anybody who is willing to repsond.

I bought the badlands, basically due to price. but i really like the rear water bladder and leat ability on the adventure

I have the adventure and was going to sell it to get the Badlands because I thought it would vent better.. but after trying one on and reading some reviews in the big Badlands thread I kept the Adventure. The rear water bladder accessibility was one of the man reasons, and the full suspension system.

I bought the Badlands because it has about 95% of the Adventure's features, and I didn't need the bladder system, but even with the Badlands I can add one easily. I also believed the Badlands would vent a little better, although I wasn't able to do a comparison... the Badlands vents pretty good, which is very good since I'm sitting behind a huge FJR fairing and an extra tall windshield. Up to 95° I'm good... after that, it's all hot all the time.

The Adventure Ralley has a lot of nice extras, but I didn't need them, so I went with the Badlands.

Plus it's $400 cheaper.

I went with the Adv jacket for numerous reasons: bladder feature is nice, the extra pockets make for not having to carry a box or something like that onboard when day tripping in the hills with tools or tubes, camera fits in one of the front pocket. Great jacket!

I was planning on spending about half what the Badlands cost me to begin with, so moving up to the Adventure was out of the question... So obviously cost was a factor for me. However, the Badlands had basically everything I could ask for in a jacket anyhow, so I couldn't see spending the extra money on the Adventure. Besides, I knew i wouldn't use the hydration system with harness sytem (I prefer to strap my camelbak to the bike) or any of the back pockets, so those were all wasted features.

Honestly, even if money were no issue to me, I just don't really see anything on the adventure that would make me want to choose it over the Badlands. It seems like a bunch of great features that would be wasted on me. Besides, I like the look of the Badlands better anyhow.

Just received my Badlands Pro jacket and pants a few weeks ago. After using it for a short time, I believe it fits the niche between something like a Darien and the Klim Adventure. It is a full on racing suit with all the features most "adventure" riders will ever need and then some. The main difference between the Adventure and the Badlands comes down to the suspension system. This is designed into the Adventure for the rider that needs to carry all of their equipment, tools, first aid, survival gear for a multi day competition on their person. For example, the Dakar where fanny packs, back packs, tank bags, seat bags, paniers, and tool rolls are either impractical or prohibited from being attached to the bike. Neither of the Klim suits is a slip on piece of gear like the Darien. They aren't really very practical for throwing on for a ride into the market for a six pack like the Darien. It is more along the line of suiting up for a race in full combat gear (ie: chest protector, spine protector, kidney belt). Its twice as heavy as my Darien but a little lighter than the Adventure. The weight is no problem when you're wearing it, but don't expect to be removing either the Adventure or the Badlands to go into a movie or the market like you would with a slip over garmet. That said, both Klim Suits perform exceptionally well for what I use them for 90% of the time and that is lots of miles of tarmac to get to gnarly 2-track on which I am required to be able to move around on my bike a lot to control it. If you don't need to carry your survival gear, tools, first aid kit, etc. on your person, it is doubtful, IMHO, that you would notice the difference between the two.

Thank you to everyone for the great insight.

Having owned both, here's what you need to know.

If venting is your #1 priority, get a Badlands.

If carrying stuff, including an easily accessible water bladder is more important, get the Adventure.

Or wait until next year and get the Adventure v.2 which will be a combination of the best of both. Assuming they make it.

+1

I was curious about the difference too. I recently got a 100 page Klim catalog in the mail to keep in the bathroom.

After reading, it seems the Adv is all about being a pack mule. The Badlands less so. But I also seem to have read that the Badlands has some kind of suspension system in it as well, contrary to some previous posts. I could be misinterpreting the catalog.

The Badlands can carry a bladder, it just doesn't ship with a bladder.

The Badlands apperas to have slightly different armor in it. It's still D3O but I think it's called XT Pro or something. I didn't see the Adv having that, just regular T5 D3O armor. Again, it could just be me misinterpreting the lit. You know marketing and their lack of consistency when printing product lit.

I presonally would not want to go down with a jacket fully loaded with all kinds of shit in the pockets that can potentially poke, cut or make a localized inpact point on my body. Plus it adds unnecessary weight on the spine. "Stuff" belongs in luggage, IMO, so all those pockets in the Adv is just extra weight from extra fabric.

So I would likely pick the Badlands as more suitable to "my" needs. I don't see it giving up anything to the Avd in performance other than a waterproof brace collar and coming with a bladder. Bladders are 30 bucks. So why pay 400 more? Unless you like carrying tons of "stuff" to look the globtrotting part.

Or am I missing something?

See below in red.

Both KLIMS mentioned are made in CHINA.

And???

How many threads are you going to post this in? I buy American whenever I can, and will pay extra for it.. I own an Aerostich Darien jacket. .but it just doesnt come close to my KLIM Adventure for function or style.

Thanks for the clarification Scott.

I bought the Adventure because I though it would impress the guys at Starbucks more.

Seriously, only BMW riders in BMW-approved gear go to Starbucks. I think it's a law or something.

I mean, are you even allowed to sit on a BMW motorcycle without having at least three articles of BMW-branded clothing, plus the BMW-logo keyring?

And so if that's true they should cost about $35 dollars.

...I've owned a BMW GS (2011) for two years and still ride around with my $20 Wal-Mart rain suit in the in the pannier...I think I'm out of the club