GEARBOX
Komodo Leathers: Tough as TexasK3 Chris OnwilerPage 2
continued... There are three suits in the Komodo lineup; the $1149.95 K-FX which is intended for pro racers and serious experts, the $995.95 dual chest zipper K-LT which is cut for larger, harder to fit riders and the $849.95 K-XP, which was designed for the hard-crashing novice on a budget. While features vary, protection does not. Each model uses the same materials and methods of construction to insure that no matter whic h one you choose, you can wear it with confidence.
“Pakistan” has become a dirty word in the sportbike community since so many suits of sketchy quality have been made there. Yes, Komodo’s leathers are manufactured in Pakistan but with a huge difference. The company searched high and low to find an overseas manufacturer willing to create and consistently produce the premium product that they intended to market. Komodo may be a “Paki” suit but it’s nothing like the costume-quality gear which that phrase usually refers to. Only the finest materials and armor are used, while each garment is assembled to exacting standards of craftsmanship and quality control. Where most manufactures will proudly point out that their suit is built from 1.2 to 1.4 mil cowhide, Komodo specifies 1.4 mil leather for the entire suit. Since the thickest leather is used throughout, Komodo can afford to heavily perforate the material without compromising its ability to protect the rider. Remember, these guys are from Texas and want their suits to be cool! All seams are sewn, folded, glued and sewn again. Having experienced disintegrating suits themselves, Komodo’s owners have gone to great lengths to insure that their product will never burst or grind through at the seams in a crash. Komodo’s twin areas of concern are fit and protection, which can be conflicting goals. Leather accordion panels and stretch material are  used industry-wide to insure a good fit but can be weak links when a suit hits the asphalt. For this reason, all stretch material in a Komodo suit is Schoeller Keprotec and each accordion panel is backed by an internal layer of 1.4 mil cowhide. A second layer of leather is also used to protect the rider’s shoulders, hips, elbows, knees and butt. You could honestly say that this garment is a suit within a suit.
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