Review: Fieldsheer Mercury textile pants

My current primary riding pants are Fieldsheer Booster. They are black, waterproof, and have a zip-in liner for colder days. I've worn them in the pouring rain and in temperatures down to 25 degrees Fahrenheit, in comfort. They have armor in the knees but nothing more than some thin padding in the hips and the small of my back.

Heat is an issue, however. They are black and have no venting so wearing them in temps above 70 degrees is uncomfortable.

I've been looking for white or silver riding pants for quite some time and have had a difficult time finding them. They are uncommon, but are slowly becoming more available as manufacturers get a clue and realize that people want variety, especially if they ride where the sun shines (as opposed to where the sun doesn't shine?)

Fieldsheer replaced the Booster line with a new, updated version called Mercury. They improved some areas over the booster, such as added padding in the lower back, improved padding in the hips, and most importantly of all they come in black OR silver. They also have 'butt pads' inside the rear of the pant that give you extra padding where you need it most. On my first ride on the bike the additional comfort was immediately noticeable, and welcomed.

They do not have any vents, disqualifying them from being considered a true hot-weather pant. Where I live in western Oregon, that's less of an issue than hotter parts of the country. There are two vertical pockets on each thigh and they are lined with a mesh material, but there is a wind-proof liner inside that prevents air from coming through.

I purchased mine from Motorcycle Superstore for $134.99 with free shipping. They arrived on the estimated shipping date. I wore them on my 20 minute commute to work and have the following impressions:

The first thing I did was try them on with the liner inside. I was wearing a pair of blue jeans, which is typical when I ride in colder weather. They seemed much tighter than the same-sized pair of Booster pants I already have (medium). My jeans were somewhat baggy, however, and bunched up when I put my legs in. They felt fine but I could tell I'd need to relocate the knee armor. When I was pulling my legs out, I pulled out the snap that holds the lower part of the liner in place. The stitching came out completely. I was upset about it, but felt that I could live with it. I also assumed it was my own fault for wearing jeans inside that were too baggy.

They seem to fit tighter in the thighs and around the calves than their predecessor. The waistline and cinching belt seem to be more substantial. The bottom of the crotch flap is attached to the main body of the pant, however, unlike the Boosters. This makes putting them on a bit tighter. The overall attention to detail and quality seems to be slightly higher.

I next put on a pair of shorts and removed the liner. I also moved the knee armor up one notch. Putting them on and assuming my normal sitting position, I could tell that they were indeed tighter in the legs, which is a good thing; my Boosters are somewhat loose. The middle of the waistline in the back pooches out slightly when I sit. This isn't an issue, however, because that will be inside my 3/4 length Aerostich Darien jacket. This would be a problem, however, for someone wearing a shorter sport-bike type jacket.

Once on the bike I noticed the inside of the crotch and thighs is grippy, rather than loose, presumably to help stay on the saddle during dual-sport riding (I ride a V-Strom dual-sport bike but seldom take it off the pavement). The next thing I noticed was the padding in the seat area. I sit slightly higher as you can expect and definitely felt more comfortable.

They fit tighter around the legs but the knee armor was now placed correctly and was comfortable. I had no hot spots or binding points and in general felt the pants were very comfortable. I'm 5'10" with a 32" waist and 32" inseam so my dimensions are fairly standard; those that have longer legs will probably still find these pants to be comfortable. I raised the knee armor up one notch from the lowest position and the legs are plenty long enough.

So far I'm very happy with this purchase and feel the pants are worth the purchase price in value. I'll report more once I've had a chance to ride with them in the rain and also to see how warm the temp gets before I feel the need to take them off and switch to a vented pant.