Thor Draft Gloves

Continuing on with our minimalistic motocross glove reviews this week, we are going to break down the Thor Draft gloves. Made with a maximum flex four-way stretch mesh, expansion panels that try to allow a full range of motion of your hands, optimal air flow venting mesh throughout the backhand, perforated palms, notched wrist openings, silicone treated finger tips, a hook and loop wrist closure system, a single-layer palm, rubber details for added structure, and made out of  100% nylon, this glove has quickly become one of my favorites to ride with. 

The Thor Draft gloves not only form to each finger, but they are stretchy enough to allow for proper movement when using the clutch and front brake. When putting on the Draft gloves each finger port feels tight, but once inside, each one of my fingers feel like they are wrapped into little tiny soft hugs of happiness. The way the material of the gloves wrap around each finger has alwasy given me a positive connection to my grips. The Draft gloves DO NOT bunch up in your palms and the sizing is spot on. I did try Thor’s “Agile” glove, but I had to go down to a medium in that style of glove, that’s not the case with the “Draft” gloves. 

I like that the material on top of my hand is soft, yet has more padding than your average minimalistic design, which helps deflect roost a little more than other thin designed gloves in the marketplace. The wrist opening of the Draft is not so tight that it takes you ten minutes to put them on and the seams have held up extremely well to my abusive “hurry up and get these things off of me” nature. Most minimalistic gloves have weak seams and always tear near the thumb area, but the Draft’s have been great in this department. 

The silicone that is also on the top part of the hand makes the glove feel secure and the palm has enough padding to make my calluses not turn into blisters on long test days. The palm is not as sticky as a Fox Flexair glove, but they do have a soft natured feel on the grips. The hook and loop wrist closure is little overkill with the type of rubber they use however. It’s a very stiff material, is not super flexible, is thick, and is hard to bend over to actually close. It sometimes can pop off while you're riding; if you're not attentive and really make sure the velcro is fully attached when putting the gloves on. If Thor can make that rubber closure thinner and more flexible it would cure this problem. 

At the end of the day I really enjoy wearing the Thor Draft gloves because of the comfort that I get when I’m on the bike for 7-8 hours. They are durable, they can be thrown in the washer, are soft on my hands, and are true to size, which makes them one of my favorites. The Draft gloves cost $24.95 and come in four different colorways. Check them out at thormx.com. #KeeferApproved

Thor MX Prime Fit Pant And Jersey

When it comes to gear I am a complete madman! I am so finicky that it's sometimes hard to please my picky ass! The growing trend in today’s motocross world is athletic cut fitting motocross gear. I for one am a big fan of this type of gear, but I am also 6’0 and 170 pounds. As my wife would say I am all D&R! Bigger dudes come up to me and say “there’s no way I can wear that stuff because I am too large of a guy”. In some cases, yes, if you're 260 pounds, maybe the compression/athletic cut isn't for you, but that is why Thor makes other lines/sets of gear to choose from. If you’re a size 38/XXL I am telling you right now there is nothing wrong with getting some athletic cut gear. There is no shame in being comfortable and this gear is just that. Comfy! Thor’s Prime Fit is in my top three favorite sets of gear to wear in 2018, so let me break down why I like this stuff so much. 

Thor’s Prime Fit pant and jersey is an evolving concept that is built around a very lightweight, breathable athletic inspired chassis that allows for complete movement on the bike. Thor's Prime Fit jersey utilizes compression technology (in the sleeves) and moisture wicking away fabric to try and give the rider the lightest and most breathable jersey possible. The Prime Fit pant is made up of spandex and polyester, along with a generous amount of leather in the knee for grip. These combinations of fabric almost make you look down to check and see if you are wearing any pants at all. It's that light!

Thor’s Prime Fit Pant is true to size and once you put the pants on it almost feels like you’re not wearing anything at all. The knee area of the Prime Fit pant is very generous and accepts all types of knee braces and does not restrict movement whatsoever. I also like that the leather of the knee is very durable on the Prime Fit and withstands the abuse of knee brace hinges. The ratchet style front closure system and velcro adjustments make the pant snug enough so the yolk/rear of the pant doesn't slip down under acceleration. The pant conforms to your legs and stretches, yet doesn't feel like an “athletic cut” when moving around on the bike. The looks of the Prime Fit pant are more athletic than what it feels like when riding. Ventilation is superb and provides enough airflow for even the hottest of days. For how light and thin these pants are they have withstand some heavy abuse. Just note that this material doesn't like tree branches and will rip if you're an off-road guy. This is a more motocross style built pant. If you have a ribbed seat cover, that is fairly aggressive, the Prime Fit pant will wear out sooner (than other sets of pants) in the butt area. 

Thor’s Prime Fit Jersey feels and looks like an athletic cut jersey. It is tight around the whole upper part of your body, but not restrictive. The Free Flex four way stretch sleeves allow plenty of unrestricted movement and hugs your upper torso nicely. You will have to get used to the tighter compression feel on the sleeves when you ride however. This isn't a big issue, but if you're coming off of a standard cut jersey it can take a moto or three to get used to the feel. When it comes to ventilation the closer fit noticeably helps cooling, while the moisture wicking fabrics, ventilated mesh panels under the arms and on the back assist in this area as well. The combination of the close fit plus moisture wicking, ventilated materials make this jersey a complimentary piece to go with the Prime Fit pants. The jersey is true to size, but again it might take you a moto or so to get it stretched out enough to where you are comfortable. A new Prime Fit jersey can take a bit to “break in” much like a pair of boots. I love that the collar is soft, doesn't ride too high up on the neck, yet keeps dirt from going in between you and the fabric. The Prime Fit jersey stays tucked into the pants, so if you are a “no tucks given” kind rider look elsewhere or un-tuck the jersey yourself.  

The overall fit and looks of the Thor Prime Fit pant and jersey is some of the best stuff I have seen from a gear company in 2018. I am a fan of the performance and looks of this gear and I like that it can win a “Best Dressed” award on any given day. Not to mention the simple, clean colorways that Thor offers in this line of gear. The Prime Fit pant is $119.95, comes in sizes 28-38, the jersey is $59.95 and comes in sizes S-XXL. They have eight different colorways to choose from and I approve seven of those eight.  You can check out the complete line at www.thormx.com. 

If you have any questions about gear, you know that I got answers, so email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com. 

Thor Sentinel GP Roost Deflector Product Review

I haven't been on the chest/roost protector bandwagon since I was 18 years old. My dad used to make me wear one when I was young, but once I turned 18 and I started paying my own way to race, I thought I would try not wearing one at the track. Well.... That turned into not ever wearing a chest protector because I got used to all the freedom I had on the bike by not wearing one. Throughout my professional career I didn't wear any chest protection and luckily for me the difference of not having one on never came into play. I would occasionally wear something under my jersey to protect my chest from roost when I raced, but if the dirt was soft enough, I would just raw dog it for the most part. Fast forward to 2018 where my own son now sits and asks me, “Dad, how come you don’t wear a chest protector and I always have to when I ride”? Crap, that little sucker got me! I really had no answer for him. So in order set an example for my kid and try to promote better safety, I went searching to get back on the chest protector bandwagon and now I find myself here. 

 I can tell you that I have tested a lot of chest/roost protectors over the course of 15 years with Dirt Rider, but I recently only came across a couple that I could actually live/ride with. The Thor Sentinel GP Roost Deflector comes in six different colors, three size options and will cost you $129.95. The Thor Sentinel is a lightweight certified stone shield that is constructed with energy dispersing molded panels and is a level 1 back protector constructed to reduce impact energy transmission. The Sentinel has an adjustable elastic torso strap with a ratcheting buckle closure that comes with strategically placed ventilation ports for maximum cooling. Its chassis has a soft liner molded for maximum comfort and also supports a back strap kit (just in case you want to remove the back panel) and ID panel that is sold separately. The Sentinel stone shield is tested and certified according to European Standard and the back protector is also tested and certified according to the European Standard. 

Note: Stand by for the AMA to step in at some point and require all AMA sanctioned events to have some sort of standardized chest/back protection rule in place soon.  

Sizing is true to form as I wear a size medium/large in the Sentinel, which is normal for my 170 pound 6’0 frame. I wasn't all that excited (on the inside) about setting a good safety example for my kid, but once I slipped the Sentinel on over my jersey, I started to re-think my fatherly decision. The Sentinel hugs your body and wraps around just enough to where it feels like it’s a part of your body. I was also impressed by the lightweight feel of the Sentinel and that it had enough ventilation for me not to bake out in the desert heat. I love that it has a ratchet style closure system and not a clip on style system as well. With the ratchet style system I can really feel the closure system start to hug around my torso and the Sentinel doesn't flop around on my body while riding. The soft shoulder pads don't do much for protection, but in this case for me, I do not mind the lack of plastic protection up on the tops of my shoulders. The downside to the soft shoulder foam padding is that it can rub the skin around your neck a little raw. If the collar of your jersey doesn't go up far enough around the neck area it can be bothersome. Although I didn’t have this problem on my Sentinel, my chest protection, pot-stirring son Aden did get a little chafing around the neck (from the foam padding moving across his skin). The Thor protector also is neck brace friendly as it accepts the Leatt and Atlas braces that I had on hand to test with the Sentinel. 

There are only two things that can get me to wear a chest protector. One is my son telling me he wants me to be safer and the other is the chest protector has to be very, very comfortable. It can’t hinder my movement on the bike and must be cool enough to where I am not hot as hell when riding. The Sentinel checked all those boxes for me, but it took me a while to find a chest protector that fit my way of moving around on the bike. I figured I would pass on the information to all of you about how comfortable the Thor Sentinel GP Roost Protector is and how I have come to really enjoy wearing this when I ride. Yes, even when I wear other sets of gear besides Thor, you will now know that there could be a Thor Sentinel GP Roost Deflector under my jersey. Yes, it can be worn under the jersey as well so you don't have to worry about mix matching while riding. You’re safe! You can buy some Thor gear (Prime Fit is my favorite out of what Thor offers) and wear the Sentinel over the jersey like me or if you’re wearing another brand of gear you can wear it under. 

Thanks Aden for bugging me enough to wear some protection. Your dad is getting up there in years and I guess I need to start dressing for the crash and not the ride. Thanks Thor for making a nice chest protector that isn't bulky and protects me well. You can check the Sentinel out at www.thormx.com. 

If you have any questions about this test feel free to email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com