Klim Induction Jacket Has Been Disaster Tested

Klim Induction Jacket Has Been Disaster Tested

The all-new Induction Klim Jacket was created for motorcyclists who need the functionality of a premium, fully-ventilated mesh jacket without compromising the protective qualities found typically in heavier textile jackets. Constructed with proprietary Klim Karbonite Mesh a highly-flexible material that is up to 750 percent stronger than polyesters used by other brands. The Induction Jacket exceeds military spec requirements for tensile strength and includes impact protection technology with integrated D3O armor in the elbows and shoulders. Designed for the “urban adventurer and sport-touring aficionado,” the Induction is reinforced at high-wear areas with heavy duty Cordura, and Scotchlight reflective panels enhance the hi-viz quotient.

A few months ago, adventure rider Cyndy Kelso inadvertently tested the Induction jacket in conditions well beyond its original design parameters. Her group of nine was on a guided adventure ride in Colombia, where conditions ranged from cold mountain passes to hot and humid jungle. “Daylight was fading,” she wrote, “and we needed to get moving.” The route included several primitive bridges without railings, over a river. As darkness fell, nearing the end of a bridge, Cyndy’s front wheel plunged into a hole and she was pitched over the bars into the river.

“I don’t remember landing. I found myself in the river and must have blacked out for a moment. I remember gasping for air and not getting any. It was pitch black and I was in water, fighting to breathe. My nose and mouth were full of mud and water. My face shield was suctioned shut and I had to lift up my wet, muddy arm to open it. It took what seemed forever to get the shield up, but when I did, water poured out and I took a deep breath. I needed to get the helmet off. I was able to take my gloves off and get to the chin strap. I unlatched the strap and pulled the helmet off. It was so dark I could not see anything. I was spitting out mud and silt. I was chest high in the water and my boots were full of water. I could feel I was next to a slippery, muddy bank, I had one arm on the bank and I could not believe what had just happened to me.”

A local had seen the crash and come to her aid, followed by her fellow riders. Covered in mud, her boots full of water, she was dragged on the river bank, only to find her left arm swollen from elbow to wrist, and that she was covered in ants. Cyndy was still dazed when the support truck arrived, and she felt every rock and pothole on the jungle road to the hotel.

“I have to say, if I had not been wearing all my gear I would surely have died. My Klim Krios helmet has deep scratches on the visor and on both the right and left sides of the helmet, evidently from striking the bridge structure where I fell through. It’s a lucky thing I was wearing my Klim Induction jacket, the D3O armor provided great protection. I had brought my Klim Badlands Pro jacket along and was wearing it most often, but at the power plant stop I changed into the Induction jacket because of the heat. The Induction jacket was much lighter and cooler but still offered the critical protection I needed. I was wearing the Klim Badlands pants, and other than a few bruises my legs were fine.”

It took Cyndy a few days to regain her strength and appetite, and she rode in the support truck for the rest of the ride. But, she writes, “I had the most Bad Ass story a motorcycle rider could have and live to tell about. I look forward to more adventures and, as always, I will be wearing all my Klim gear. I truly believe it saved my life.” Can’t ask for a much better endorsement than that.