Halvarssons Wish ladies pants in black

The Wish trouser is a pretty amazing motorcycle trouser. The Wish trouser have the comfort of a typical Halvarssons trouser and, most amazingly, they're priced like a typical Halvarssons trouser. But the Wish motorcycle trouser are actually constructed from a two-layer laminate material. Now, these days, most serious motorcyclists know the difference between a drop-liner suit and a laminated suit but, for those who don't, here's a quick synopsis.

A drop-liner suit has a separate waterproof membrane that is suspended inside the outer layer. 99% of waterproof pants are constructed in this way. And the method works. But in persistent and prolonged rain, the outer material will eventually 'wet-out'. The trouser will become heavy, and because there's so much rain water absorbed by the outer material, the rider can become cold, and eventually wet.

For most riders, such conditions are quite rare. The other issue with a drop-liner garment is how long it takes for them to dry out. This is a problem for those who commute for, say, more than an hour into work because it means that in the evening when it's time to ride home, the trouser might well still be wet. This is not very nice.

The other method of construction for textile motorcycle apparel is to use what is known as a laminated fabric, where the waterproof membrane is heat-sealed, on the inner side, directly on to the outer material. Because water cannot be so easily absorbed, the trouser will be more waterproof, and importantly it will dry out much more quickly; normally inside an hour. Now this is manna from heaven for commuters. But there are normally some downsides to laminated garments. First, they're not always particularly comfortable because the fabric can be a little stiff. Second, they can be extraordinarily expensive; sometimes twice the price of the equivalent drop-liner product. But this is where Halvarssons really has re-written the rule book. First because the wish trouser is incredibly comfortable. There's virtually no stiffness to the material. It simply doesn't feel like a laminated trouser. The second shocker is the price!

On the outside, the wish trouser has a supremely durable Teflon water repellant. For abrasion resistance, the trouser is lined in all the key vulnerable areas with Halvarssons' Hi-Art lining that increases the strength of the outer material by 500%. For thermal protection, the Wish trouser have a removable Outlast lining backed with Thinsulate; this is the same as in the Prime and Prince.

Obviously, there's CE approved armour in the knees and hips. And this is Level 2 armour. The trousers can be attached to a jacket. There's always been clear blue water between drop-liner garments and laminated ones. For comfort, it was the former. For value for money too. The Wish trousers are laminated garments, but are priced very much in drop-liner territory. There's nothing like this on the market. Simply put, you get laminated performance, with drop-liner levels of comfort. All for drop-liner money. It's almost too good to be true. But this is Halvarssons. These guys always have their feet on the floor, so it's going got do what it's meant to. The Wish trouser comes in regular and short leg lengths. For a more detailed size chart, please see here.

Read our review of the Halvarssons Wish pants.