The Richa Orion Gore-Tex trousers are laminated textile trousers aimed primarily at touring and commuting. After 1700 winter miles on a Honda Africa Twin 1100 and Honda CRF250L, I've found them to be a highly capable option for riders who want dependable performance without sacrificing comfort.
What stands out straight away is the premium feel. From the fit and finish to the way they perform in poor conditions, the Orion trousers give the impression of a much more expensive product.
Fit & comfort
The fit is a real highlight. As someone tall with a long inside leg, I struggle to find trousers that fit properly while still feeling comfortable, but these suit me brilliantly.
They have a tailored shape, so they don't feel baggy or clumsy, and the stretch in the construction helps them move naturally.
I needed to go up one size, which I expected because these are a men’s fit and I am quite hippy. Even so, once I had gone up a size, the stretch design helped them fit fantastically.
Comfort on and off the bike is excellent. They are easy to move around in and do not feel restrictive when pulling boots on, walking around or even getting in and out of my car to move it out of the way of my bike before a ride.
Some winter trousers can feel bulky or awkward with a thermal liner in place, but these remain soft and plush rather than over-padded. The ease of movement even carried over to some light off-road use, where they were surprisingly comfortable and easy to wear.
There is very little to fault here. The soft material and stretch are huge plus points, and they are simply enjoyable to wear.
Cold & wet weather performance
The Orions' laminated outer shell has been excellent at keeping me dry, and the removable thermal liner has stayed in place throughout my time with them. Together they make these trousers feel purpose-built for winter riding.
In cold weather, they have done a great job. I have worn them with the thermal liner fitted and just a pair of gym leggings underneath, and I have yet to suffer from cold legs. I wear a heated under-jacket and heated gloves, which help overall, but I have never once found myself wishing I also had heated trousers. That says a lot about how effective the Orion trousers are at insulation.
Their waterproofing has also been outstanding. On my first proper ride in them, from Leeds to the NEC in Birmingham in mid-November, the weather was brutal with heavy, sideways rain, yet I stayed completely dry.
Since then, they have dealt with everything a West Yorkshire winter could throw at them and have never let me down. There is nothing better than arriving at your destination, stripping off your kit and finding no damp patches at all - and that has consistently been the case here.
Drying time is equally impressive. A quick shake after a wet ride is enough to leave them effectively dry, which is exactly what any rider wants from laminated kit.
Turning up soaked on the outside but then being able to hand them over at a cloakroom feeling dry and light is a huge plus, and even better is not having to pull on damp, cold trousers for the ride home.
Hot weather performance
I have not yet had the chance to use the Orion trousers in genuinely warm weather, so I cannot give a full verdict on how they behave above 20°C. However, they do have two thigh vents designed to let air in and improve cooling.
That should give them at least some ability to cope in milder conditions, though based on my experience so far they are much more obviously at home in colder, wetter weather than in summer heat.
Protection
The Orion trousers carry an AA CE rating and come fitted with CE Level 1 armour at the hips and knees. The standard armour is very soft and comfortable, which helps maintain the trousers’ overall easy-wearing feel.
Photography: Jose Mas
I changed the knee armour to Richa Level 2 D3O Ghost armour, partly because I have nerve damage in my left leg and prefer thinner armour with a higher level of protection. Even so, the standard set-up was comfortable and sat well in use.
More broadly, the tailored fit helps the trousers feel supportive and secure. They hold everything in the right place, which adds to the sense of confidence when riding. Combined with the robust feel of the materials and the premium overall construction, they inspire a good level of trust from a protection point of view.
Pockets & practicality
The Orion trousers keep things fairly simple, with two pockets, one on each side. I don't tend to use trouser pockets while riding because I don't like objects digging in or putting pressure on the outer material, so I can't comment much on day-to-day usefulness.
I checked them after riding in the rain, though, and they appeared dry, which is reassuring. In general, these trousers prioritise fit, comfort and weather performance over lots of storage.
Durability
After four months and 1700 miles of winter use, the Orion trousers have held up extremely well. They still look like new, despite regular exposure to poor weather and the usual wear that comes with everyday riding. Even being brushed against and jumped up at by my dogs when I get home has not left them looking worse for wear.
They have been washed once using Nikwax products and still perform exactly as they should, which is always encouraging with waterproof laminated kit.
I have also worn them on my off-road bike to see how easy they are to move around in, and they coped with that without complaint.
So far, durability has been excellent.
Final thoughts
The Richa Orion Gore-Tex trousers are outstanding winter trousers for touring and commuting. They combine superb weather protection with a tailored, comfortable fit that makes them far easier to live with than many bulkier winter options.
Their waterproofing has been flawless, their warmth has been more than enough for winter riding, and the laminated construction means they dry almost instantly after a soaking.
Add in the smart fit, plush comfort and impressive build quality, and they feel every bit like a premium product.
What really seals the deal is the value. At £430 at the time of writing, they feel like trousers that could easily command a much higher price, and the five-year warranty only adds to that impression.
For riders looking for high-quality winter trousers that perform brilliantly in cold, wet British conditions, the Orion Gore-Tex trousers are seriously hard to fault.
