Pando Moto Commando UH and Skin UH 03: protective gear nobody sees

• Commando UH: class AAA, D3O LP2 in the shoulders and elbows, 1.64 kilograms
• Skin UH 03: class AA to EN 17092-3, 46 metres of slide distance according to the manufacturer, AAA version for 50 euros more
• Balistex made from 65 per cent UHMWPE, 15 times more tear-resistant than steel according to the manufacturer

Seen from the outside, this combination does not look like motorcycle clothing at all. A normal top on the upper body, jogging bottoms below, and underneath protective gear certified to the highest class that exists in motorcycle clothing. That is exactly the idea behind these pieces: the protection moves from the outer layer into the layer beneath. Anyone who previously had to choose between a heavy suit and a pair of shorts on a hot day now has a third option. With the trousers there is a further choice, because they are offered in two protection classes.

What is Balistex and why does the fabric feel cool?

Balistex is a knitted fabric made from 65 per cent UHMWPE and elastane that feels cool against the skin because it conducts heat outwards. The same plastic is used in cut-resistant gloves; originally it comes from police and military equipment. Pando Moto states that the fibre is 15 times more tear-resistant than steel.

For everyday use, a different point matters more. Balistex does not wick moisture away the way classic functional underwear does, but conducts heat outwards instead. The stretch works in two directions and keeps the protectors in place while doing so. None of the pieces is waterproof, but the fabric does not soak up water either.

How is the Commando UH built?

The Commando UH is certified to AAA, which is the highest class for motorcycle clothing. The shoulders and elbows carry the D3O LP2, a Level 2 protector that is additionally tested from minus 10 to plus 40 degrees Celsius. Both are included with the purchase.

Their surface area stands out, and that is not a cosmetic point: a large protector also absorbs abrasion energy on impact. Balistex sits everywhere the jacket makes contact in a crash. The chest and the inner arms use Cordura mesh, because nothing normally hits there. The outer sleeves are double-layered throughout. At 1.64 kilograms (3.6 lbs), the jacket is light for an AAA certification.

A stretch band sits at the collar, which neither scratched nor chafed during the test. The same material is used at the cuffs, there supplemented by a thumb loop. It is meant to stop the jacket riding up in a crash. The cuff itself already sits tightly. At the lower hem, two silicone strips are added so that the jacket sits snugly on the layer underneath.

A zip closes the front. The material at the front is airy and translucent, so a top underneath makes sense. At high temperatures this prevents heat building up. Nothing negative stood out in the workmanship during the test, everything looks cleanly and solidly made. The jacket is available in grey and in all black. The colour is not purely a matter of taste: grey reflects more sunlight than black and heats up less. This exact point comes up several times in customer reviews of the black version. For women, Pando Moto offers the Stealth UH as a separate model with the same level of protection: it is also rated class AAA and carries D3O Level 2 protectors in the shoulders and elbows, plus Cordura mesh at the chest and the inner arms and a pocket for a Quatroflex back protector. The cut and the design are tailored to women.

How does the Skin UH 03 differ from the AAA version?

The Skin UH 03 comes in two versions that are not equipment packages of the same trousers, but two separate products with their own item numbers. The version tested here meets class AA, and alongside it stands the Skin UH AAA.

The most important difference concerns the seat. The AA version is certified to the third part of the EN 17092 standard, the AAA version to the second. Only from AAA upwards does the standard require the seat to be built as an impact zone to the same extent as the knees and hips. On the AAA trousers there is a double layer of Balistex at that spot. Anyone sliding away sideways or backwards makes contact at exactly that point first. On top of that, the AAA version comes with higher-grade protectors. The AAA trousers cost 50 euros more.

The tested Skin UH 03 has the flatter, thinner protectors at the knees and hips. They turn out a little small, but in return they are practically unnoticeable under normal trousers. The larger versions, like the ones in the shoulders and elbows, take more punishment but show through normal clothing more clearly. Based on our own assessment from the test, other protector material should also fit into the existing pockets, so anyone wanting more can at least look into that route. The labelling is nicely done: outside and inside as well as the fitting direction can be identified without any guesswork.

What slide figures does Pando Moto quote?

For the Skin UH 03, Pando Moto quotes 46 metres or 5.2 seconds, and for the Skin UH AAA 70 metres or 6.0 seconds. These figures come from the manufacturer’s own certification test and were not verified during this test.

On paper, six seconds does not sound like much. Anyone actually finding themselves in that situation, though, is likely to experience the time span as considerably longer. The difference of around 24 metres between the two versions is the measurable part of what the extra A means.

What should you know before buying?

Neither the trousers nor the jacket has a pocket, and the back protector is ordered separately. With the trousers that makes sense, because they are designed as a base layer and the pockets of the outer trousers remain accessible anyway. Under a normal pair of trousers you would not be able to reach your own pockets at all.

With the jacket it is worth thinking about in advance, because in high summer it can also be worn on its own. It is built for exactly that airstream. For keys, wallet and phone you then need your own solution, such as a leg bag, a belt bag or a tank bag. MOLLE loops sit on the torso for this, a mounting system that bags can be attached to. With the right accessories this mount can certainly be put to use, and the same system is now found on tank bags from various manufacturers as well.

The fact that the back protector has to be ordered separately is not a special move by Pando Moto: on most jackets, only a foam placeholder sits in the back pocket ex works rather than a certified protector, because many riders prefer to wear a back protector under the jacket. That works here as well. The jacket is therefore prepared for a back protector, but not for a chest protector, as the corresponding pockets are missing. On the road, chest protectors are still not standard, unlike off-road and on the racetrack. Anyone who wants one anyway has to fall back on accessories, for example vests covering chest and back.

Vayu Runa: a mesh top that lifts the look

Alongside the jacket and the trousers, the Vayu Runa, a mesh top, was also available for the test. All three pieces are sold individually, there is no set. The Vayu Runa is made almost entirely from Coolmax and, according to the manufacturer, is explicitly not CE-certified. Pando Moto itself writes that the fabric keeps out some stones and branches, but offers no abrasion resistance for a slide.

In the test it stayed in place thanks to tight cuffs and caused no additional heat build-up. Visually it recalls a race shirt, functionally it is not one. It belongs over a base layer with protectors and not on the bike on its own, but based on the assessment from the test it lifts the look of the whole combination by a good margin.

How many motorcyclists ride without suitable protective clothing?

According to an observation by the Austrian Road Safety Board KFV, 45 per cent of the motorcyclists recorded were not adequately protected. For this, the KFV observed around 13,900 riders in July of this year. In urban areas the share was 76 per cent, on rural roads 31 per cent.

These figures come from Austria, but the pattern behind them is likely to apply elsewhere as well. The reason is rarely that someone considers protective clothing unnecessary. On a hot day and over a short distance, it is more the effort that puts people off, along with the wish not to walk around at the destination looking like a motorcyclist. A base layer addresses exactly these two points.

How does class AAA compare with a leather suit?

AAA is the highest class that exists in motorcycle clothing, and the Commando UH meets it. On paper, a base layer like this therefore stands on a par with a one-piece leather suit, because there is no further class above AAA.

In practice a difference remains. In abrasion resistance, leather reaches values that textile clothing does not match, based on the assessment from the test, it is just that there is no separate rating for it. On the racetrack or in case of doubt, the choice therefore still falls on leather. Within textile clothing, however, the combination of Commando UH and Skin UH ranks well towards the front, and that as a base layer. The practical advantage is that you can wear whatever you like over the top, from normal jeans to a shirt, without the protection underneath being visible.

Discount code and where to buy

For orders at Pando Moto the discount code MN10 is available, granting 10 per cent off. The products can be reached via this link: https://pandomoto.pxf.io/MN10

Frequently asked questions

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