Royal Racing says that the Apex Race Pants are a culmination of 20 years worth of top-level downhill and enduro racing. The result is a reasonably well-designed, comfortable, and well-fitting pair of pants, proven to be rather versatile.

Royal Racing’s Apex Race Pants are designed for trail, enduro, and downhill riding, thanks to a water and dirt resistant four-way stretch construction. The fabric is also moisture-wicking, and the pants come sorted with a pair of zipped pockets at either thigh, and a single ratchet closure.

2022 royal racing apex race pants rear graphic.jpg
2022 royal racing apex race pants rear graphic (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

They come with a relatively simple build but with a few creature comforts, including a bonded stretch-yoke rear section that articulates with your body. The raised rear panel then gets a strip of silicone to keep the pants in place while offering a bit of extra protection against spray.

2022 royal racing apex race pants perforations.jpg
2022 royal racing apex race pants perforations (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

For the most part, the pants fit really nicely; however, they are quite tight around the thigh when pulling them on. This was because the pants come with an open fly that’s sewn shut halfway up rather than employing a zipped fly. I asked Royal Racing about cutting this part as I thought this might be similar to those sewn pockets found on suit jackets, but they recommended not to. It would have been great to see a Velcro tab or a zip just to make them slip on a little easier.

2022 royal racing apex race pants thigh zip.jpg
2022 royal racing apex race pants thigh zip (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

Once past the tight portion, they’re nice and comfy, with plenty of room for bulkier pads. They taper around the ankle too, so there’s very little fabric free to flap about and snag on the drivetrain or stray twigs.

2022 royal racing apex race pants knee perforations.jpg
2022 royal racing apex race pants knee perforations (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

The laser-cut venting found at the front of the upper thigh and behind the knee came as a pleasant surprise. These little perforations encouraged a good level of airflow, but not so much that the Apex Race Pants became cold. The perforations behind the knees are especially useful as, as expected, things can get a bit more toasty when wearing knee pads. These just allow most of the warm air to exhaust, making for a mighty comfortable pair of trousers.

2022 royal racing apex race pants knee.jpg
2022 royal racing apex race pants knee (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

The Apex Race Pant’s simple build and style are definitely something to be revered. Though at their price point, they join a market saturated with top-performing pants, one of those being the Rapha Men’s Trail Pants. They come at the very same price as Royal Racing’s offering, but their conventional button and zip closure and softer fabric make the Trail Pants luxuriously comfortable. They come with more pockets, too, making them a bit more trail-friendly.

 

Compared to a cheaper offering, say the Altura Esker Trail Trousers, the Apex Race Pants offer a noticeably burlier build with an extra pocket, a better fit, more adjustability, and better security.

 

If you’re looking for a performance pant, the Royal Racing Apex Race Pants are great for trail, enduro, and downhill riding. Apart from perhaps too simple a closure, they’re comfortable and surprisingly cool, making them a versatile option if you’re in the market for a racier pair of trousers.

You might also like:

Test report Royal Racing Apex Race Pants review £130.00

Shorts and 3/4s

Product purpose: 

Royal Racing says, “Apex Pants have been tailored with our unique ride-position fit and are shaped to sit properly on your hips while you’re in an ‘on-bike’ position. The raised rear panel and bonded stretch-yoke rear section add comfort, moving as you do. Articulated shaped knee areas allow room for kneepads and the tapered lower leg keeps them safely away from your chainset.”

Build extra: 

The trousers come with a ratchet closure, four way stretch fabric, micro ripstop fabric at the knee. The fabric is moisture wicking and DWR coated. There are two zipped pockets and perforations at the front at the top and rear of the knee.

Product construction 


Product construction extra: 

Great, burly build with thicker fabrics.

Product performance 


Product performance extra: 

Great fit, great ventilation. Closure could do with some refinement as sewn portion gets tight when putting the trousers on.

Product durability 


Product durability extra: 

No signs of wear anywhere.

Product comfort 


Product comfort extra: 

Very comfortable apart from the tightness when putting on.

product value 


All the deals displayed on our review pages are pulled from a constantly updating database feed of the best affiliate deals available. The criteria for deciding on what are the best deals is who is offering the lowest, delivered price. In most cases we will be showing the very best deal available online, but sometimes you may be able to find an item cheaper. If you can please feel free to post a link in the comments box below. To find out more about affiliate links on road.cc click here.

Product value extra: 

Not as feature rich as similarly priced trousers

Overall performance: 

Good. Comfortable, cool and surprisingly versatile.

Product likes: 

The fit when on, and ventilation.

Product dislikes: 

Closure system.

Enjoy: 

Yes

Buy: 

No

Recommend: 

Yes

Conclusion: 

A solid pair of trousers if you’re looking for something with a racier and burlier build.