The main aim of Kevlar jeans is to achieve abrasion resistance. Camino motorcycle jeans are constructed with UHMWPE protective fibres woven into the denim fabric rather than adding an additional layer of abrasion resistance fabric as a lining to the regular denim. Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) is the highest performing fibre available in motorcycle wear. It’s both significantly lighter and stronger than Kevlar and is also more comfortable on the skin. The superior strength of the fibre means we require far less material to achieve high levels of abrasion resistance. This results in jeans that are not much thicker than regular denim but still offer proven protection.

Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) as a fibre is higher in strength and lower in weight compared with Kevlar. This allows a high level of abrasion resistance to be achieved with much less fibre, reducing the trade off between comfort, style and performance. Compared to Kevlar®, Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene is 5 times more resistant to abrasion, 40% lighter and has 2.5 times greater tensile strength. It’s 15 times stronger than steel! The key aim of any of these high performance fibres is to achieve the highest strength at the lowest weight possible. UHMWPE is not only the clear leader in performance but it's also softer and more comfortable which is just as crucial in apparel applications like motorcycle gear.

Motorcycle gear is tested to a European standard and is made up of a range of different tests with the key element being abrasion resistance. There are a couple of standard tests used, namely Cambridge and Darmstadt. 

To put it really simply, they try to replicate road slide time in a lab. It's kind of like taking your electronic sander to your jeans and seeing how long it takes for a hole to appear, or more specifically; The Darmstadt method simulates the stress placed on motorcycle jeans worn by a rider weighing 75 kgs and with a height of 1.75m sliding at a range of speeds, on a concrete road surface until standstill.  In order for the test to pass, no holes with a 5mm or more diameter are to appear on the layer closest to the skin. 

Based on these tests, they apply ratings, from C all the way through to AAA. The A ratings are the 3 highest and the minimums recommended for riding  which is the highest. There is a huge amount of literature you can dive into but following the guide is the simplest reference point. 

• A - Urban - Low speeds
• AA- Touring and Commuting
• AAA - Higher Speeds, track