Rev’it say the Globe Gore-Tex trousers were created to fulfil two purposes: high-end waterproof over-trousers and basic, go-to adventure touring trousers.
My last European trip of 2022 took in the quiet roads of Normandy and Brittany and the only cloud on the horizon was the weather forecast - rain predicted every day for the week-long trip.
Still, it made my trip ideal territory for finding out whether these Rev’it Globe GTX trousers live up to their billing as waterproof.
The forecast was accurate and it rained for the entire week I was in France, sometimes very heavily and sometimes all day. The amount of rain that week was a severe test for any waterproof clothing yet these trousers, which I wore zipped to a Rev’it Vertical Gore-Tex jacket, kept me completely dry and not one drop of rain got through.
The Gore Tex two-layer membrane is laminated to the outer shell, which means water doesn’t soak into the trousers. This stopped them getting heavy and eliminated the cooling effect you get from riding in sodden clothing, even if you are dry on the inside.
The other advantage of this for me was how quickly they dried. Even after a heavy day’s rain they were completely dry in the morning and ready to fend off another onslaught of rainwater.
Photography: Joel Blevins
That laminated construction means the trousers feel quite stiff and they are noisy while walking - you won’t be sneaking up behind anyone while wearing them. This doesn’t affect the comfort on the bike, where they were fine even on a long day’s ride.
These are not as snug over the hips as other Rev’it trousers I’ve reviewed, and they are bigger around the legs as well. This makes sense if they are designed to be worn over the top of a normal pair of trousers.
They come in short, standard, or long length, and short was right for me. Unlike some short-leg trousers these didn’t pull uncomfortably tight over my knees, which may be a positive from their over-trouser design.
On the downside, the relaxed fit meant I lacked confidence that the knee armour would stay in the right place in a spill.
The trousers are fastened at the waist with a sliding popper, which is possibly the most positive and firm waist fastening of any motorcycle trousers I’ve worn. Fit adjustment straps are provided either side of the waistband as well.
At the bottom of each leg is a zip, a two-position popper adjustment at the top of the zip and two Velcro adjusters at the bottom of the leg. I can’t imagine any boots that wouldn’t be accommodated inside these trouser legs.
On the front of each leg there are two ventilation openings that are closed with a sealed zip. The wet weather in France didn’t give me a chance to try them, although I am sure the airflow will help in warm weather.
The trousers have two generously sized, zipped front pockets. The tailored fit of the pockets makes it difficult to get my hands into them once I’ve fastened the waistband.
Two seat grip panels on the back of the trousers look very small and ineffective, however at no time did I slide around on the bike seat so, despite their size, they must work.
Inside there’s knee and hip armour. The knee armour meets the higher Level 2 within the CE impact protection standard and the hip armour passes at the basic Level 1. The overall protection rating of the trousers is AA, the middle level of three within the CE standard.
The material and style of these trousers do make them look and feel like over-trousers. I would not take these as packable over-trousers on a trip as they would take up too much room in my luggage, however for regular use over daily clothing these make a lot of sense.
For a commuter I have no doubt that if you combined these with a good waterproof jacket and boots you would arrive at work with dry clothes, however long and wet your commute is.
Rev'it Vertical GTX Textile Jacket
