Bell Moto 9 Flex Helmet Review

The Bell Moto 9 Flex has been around for several years and from what we hear there will be a Moto 10 on the horizon soon, but in the meantime the Moto 9 Flex is Bell’s current top tier off-road helmet offering. Bell uses an inner impact absorption system that is said to have better low, medium, and high speed energy management. Also, this three-layered-foam design creates a unique fit and ventilation system. The Moto 9 Flex helmet comes in several colorways, but most recently Bell has introduced some of their new 2021 colorways like the one shown here. 

Most helmets have a one layer of EPS foam that is designed to absorb the energy from a crash at any speed. Yet helmets are tested to withstand very high-speed impacts and to pass such tests, some helmets have to sacrifice at least some of its ability to absorb low and medium speed impacts. The Moto-9 Flex has three layers of different density foams that address all impact energy levels. There is a standard EPS layer for high speed, then there are two different layers of polymer materials that are designed to absorb low and medium impact energy levels. Both of these inner foams bounce back rather than crush, and stay crushed like EPS (similar to helmets designed for multiple hits such as football helmets).

Also, the middle layer of foam can rotate within the outer foam layer to absorb some of the rotational forces in a crash. Additionally, the two inner liners of foam are segmented to, according to Bell, create a much more personalized fit for each individual rider. Each of the liner segments can move minutely to better accommodate different head shapes, a technology that Bell has already been using in its bicycle helmets. Lastly, the segmentation of the Moto-9 Flex creates many channels in the foam liners that should allow a ton of ventilation. 

There are many different types of helmet technology for the consumer to choose from these days and that is a good thing. I can’t say that I have had huge crashes with the Bell Moto 9 Flex, but I have taken a few crashes with no effects of a head injury. This DOES NOT mean that Bell’s helmet technology prevents concussions/head injuries, but I do know it is good in low speed crashes. I have a round shaped head and the Bell fits my noggin comfortably. 

Below are a few key bullet points of what I thought of the Bell Moto 9 Flex. 

Positives:

• Quality – You’d expect an excellent quality of finish on a $700 helmet, and this thing delivers. With a carbon compose shell, it’s both lightweight (1300g) and strong. As an added nice touch, it comes in a cool padded carry bag.

• Style – Aside from the cool carbon finish, it’s a good-looking lid with a contoured shell shape.

• Comfort/Fit – The sophisticated three-layer impact liner and soft padding produces an exceptionally good fit. In fact, you can feel the ‘Flex’ liner actually mould to your head shape once you put it on and this allows you to opt for a firmer-fitting sizing (rider who’ve always worn a Large in other helmet brands may well be better off with a Medium-sized Moto-9 Flex). In other words, it gives you a more personalized, adaptive fit.

• The Padded Liner – With its uncomplicated design (no tabs, just four plastic clip-studs), the liner is simple and easy to remove/replace. And in addition to being convenient, the magnetic cheek pads are a real advantage in the case of an emergency.

• Ventilation – The fact the three impact liners are segmented allows much better airflow and ventilation than helmets which the conventional single EPS impact liner. I wouldn’t say it ventilates better than a Fly Formula helmet but it’s in the top three of ventilated protective lids.

• Attention to Detail – The stainless steel mesh that’s used in the chin-piece and ventilation exhaust ports is stylish. I absolutely love the magnetic tip in the fastening strap. This makes it extremely easy to secure with gloves on. The built-in Eject Helmet Removal System cavity in the liner means there’s no need for any modifications to fit this system (which is now mandatory for racing in many countries).

Negatives:

• Visor Screws – They have an inventive design (they’re recessed, designed with breakaway tabs, flick out to use and then back to flush), but with only two lateral screws, you have to run them super-tight to keep the visor fixed in place. Even when you do run the tabs tight, the visor still can move. 

• The Chin-piece – The shell’s compact design puts the chin-piece close to your mouth, this can accelerate goggle fogging in wet/cold conditions if you start to breathe heavily. Removing the chin-piece’s generous foam insert in wet conditions helps with some of this issue. I also have a big nose so if feels like the chin piece is right in my face. I would prefer a slightly longer chin bar area. 

• The Eyeport – It’s a little smaller (top-to-bottom) than average, so you may need to dump the helmet’s removable nose guard if your goggles are too tight a fit.

Alpinestars Tech 7 Boot Review

I have worn Alpinestars Tech 7’s on and off for several years now and enjoyed the mid level price point boot so much that I put my 14 year old son in them because of a few reasons we will get to below. The Alpinestars Tech 7 is one of the more popular motocross boots in the states as it’s lucrative price point seems to gel more with the blue collar rider. The Tech 7 is designed and developed in Italy, but manufactured in Alpinestars’ facility in Asia in order to keep the cost down. In doing so, the Tech 7 comes in about $230 less than the company’s top-line boot, the Tech 10. The most noticeable difference between the two is the fact that the Tech 10 uses an inner bootie, while the Tech 7 does not. The Tech 7 boot features several flex points and four aluminum buckles on plastic straps. There is also a Velcro closure at the top with a gaiter for closure. The Tech 7 has undergone some changes in the past couple years which include a redesigned dual-compound sole, as well as the instep and the Achilles accordion flex zone.

The Tech 7 requires almost no break-in as it will literally take a moto or two to get used to the feel of the boots on the track. The pivot and flex zones are well thought out, so you can unbox them for the first time on the morning of a race and have no problem. Another bonus is the fact that they are easy to put on, even for those of us with bigger calves/ feet. This is often a problem with inexpensive boots; manufacturers will resize the foot compartment for larger feet but use the same upper section. That means you can’t get your foot through the ankle opening or secure the top of the boot, but not so with the Tech 7. The Tech 7s are easy to put on and once the four buckles are fastened, they fit well and are comfortable. Sizing of the Tech 7 are true to size. I wear a size 10 and the Tech 7s fit just like my Tech 10s due, but with a slightly more ankle room.

In terms of shape, the Tech 7s fall right between Sidis, with a narrow toe box and Gaerne SG-12’s, which are wider. I still think if you have a wider foot, you can still appreciate the toe box area as well as how protective that area is when hitting objects on the track or trail. Protection is outstanding even without the inner bootie. I am more of an inner bootie type of rider, but not having one with the Tech 7 didn’t leave me wishing for more ankle protection. The sole is moderately flexible and wears very well. This is always a difficult balance; too much rigidity and you can’t feel the shifter or brake pedal, too much flex and the footpegs can beat your feet into submission very quickly. Wear can also be an issue with flexy boot soles, but the Tech 7s have tougher material right where the footpeg comes in contact with the soles as well as a steel shank. The sole and footpeg inset are replaceable, which is nice if you plan on living with these boots for more than a couple seasons. I like that the inside grip material on the Tech 7 actually works when squeezing the spars of the frame and do not wear as quickly as my Tech 10 inner grip panels. 

Overall, for $369.95 the Tech 7 to me is one of only a couple pairs of boots I would even wear in this price range. My son Aden loves his Tech 7s and prefers them over the Tech 10 because of how much lighter they feel when he rides. The tech 7s are 1.3 pounds lighter than the Tech 10 on the scales so when you’re putting in longer motos with deep ruts the lighter feel on your legs can come in handy.  

If you have any questions about the Alpinestars Tech 7 boot or any other boots for that matter email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com. 

Asterisk Zero G Pant Re-Visit

Sometimes when you ride as much as me, some things like getting geared up to ride gets monotonous. I am usually pulling different bits and pieces of protective gear out weekly, but then I will pull my head out of my ass and realize there are a few things that have been a staple in my gear bag. One of those things has been my Asterisk Zero G knee brace pant. There is nothing more annoying then having a pair of knee braces slide down during a moto. With the new wave of Velcro secured knee braces, slipping is almost unavoidable, unless you give it the death grip and then your legs lose movement as well as circulation. I am simply not about that life! I want my braces to stay in place all day without having to touch them, so the Asterisk Zero G Pant is one of the pieces of gear that I can’t ride without. Here is a re-fresh on what the Zero G is all about in case you missed it when I posted this a couple years ago. -KK

Before the Asterisk Zero G came along I was always pulling my knee braces up during a long test day and I was tired of it. Not only did my knee brace slip, but more often than not they would dig into my knee and gouge the crap out of them. No matter what knee brace I had (and I have tried a lot), they slipped during the course of the day. The Asterisk Zero G pant is a base layer compression pant that encompasses the knee brace to help keep the brace in place against your leg. The extra long length of the pant can fold back up and over the brace, traps the brace and a Velcro enclosure (located at thigh area) holds it all together. So simple! Why didn't I think of this?! Not only does it keep your braces in place, but you also can tuck any excess laces you have inside the pant (if you are old school and use lace up knee braces). If you're up to date and have Velcro straps on your braces, those will not get caught on the liner of your pant and make life much easier. The Zero G pant is designed to make it simpler for all of us to slide the pant over the knee brace, as well as allowing the brace to move with your legs without restraint on the bike. For durability the Zero G pant features a Cordura Built-in Gear Guard (to protect the riding pant from the knee brace hinges) and it also has Anti-Rotation Tether Slots for riders that tether their knee brace to the boot. If you are not running Asterisk knee braces, it doesn't matter, because the Zero G pant will work with any knee brace that you are currently using.

Is it hot where you live right now? Of course it is, it’s Summer! The last thing I want is to get swamp ass on a long hot testing day wearing extra layers, but the pant actually doesn't make my lower extremities any hotter. When I put these suckers on for the first time I thought I would be too hot to wear the Asterisk Zero G in the summer time, but it didn't make my body any warmer when I rode. In fact when I started to perspire, I noticed my legs felt slightly cooler. If I wear just regular old long socks/knee socks my legs are full of sweat when I remove them, but not with the Zero G’s. Riding on the track felt normal with the pant on and doesn't constrict any of my long leg movements. My knee braces do not slip AT ALL during the day and the braces I am wearing do not dig into my knee because they don't slide down. Hallelujah! Most knee braces come with some type of Velcro closure system and you can find yourself taking the pants off and having to readjust them in the middle of the day, but if you have these Zero G pants, that doesn't happen. Boom! I do wear short Moto socks however with the Zero G pant, so I’m not tripling up on the layers below your knee. On the older style Zero G’s, I had some of the Cordura pieces and their stitching (inside the pant) tear away. However, on the new updated Zero G pants, the Cordura/Velcro parts have stayed in place and haven’t torn away. Asterisk beefed up those parts and created a more durable pant. I have a coupleyears on the updated versions and they have been great so far. 

If you’re tired of your knee brace sliding down, getting hung up on your riding pants and having to adjust them several times a day, do yourself a favor and pay the $89.00 for the Asterisk Zero G pant. It’s one of my top 5 things that I must have when I ride and I am pretty picky. You can order your Zero G pant directly at asterisk.com. Or call Morgan at Asterisk at (951) 268-6790 and tell her Keefer sent you.

Leatt GPX 5.5 Boots

My Leatt GPX 5.5 Boot Background: 

I get to test a lot of things behind the scenes and this Leatt GPX 5.5 boot was one of them. When I got asked to do some initial testing on this boot from Leatt a couple years ago, I was happy to help, but I warned them that I was a picky SOB when it comes to boots. I don’t necessarily have bad ankles, but I do like my ankles to feel secure/protected when I come up short on jumps. I also want a boot that doesn’t weigh a ton because my old ass doesn’t need any extra weight to haul around when I am doing a long Moto. I put in almost 100 sneaky testing hours in the GPX 5.5 boots and although we had some revisions along the way, these boots surprised me on how comfortable they were. With a price point of $389.99 you might expect not to get all the bells and whistles of a top tier off-road boot, but to me a lot of those boxes are checked with the GPX 5.5’s. The engineers over in South Africa, where the Leatt main offices are located, listened to any short comings I may have experienced with the boot during initial testing and fixed those problems along the way. After riding with these boots in silence for a while, here are some of my findings with the final production version that could be of use when maybe looking to purchase a pair of new boots in the future.  

I do know that Leatt is committed to protection, but getting a boot to look good is tough to do. I feel Leatt did a good job of getting a boot to look unique without it being ugly looking. The Leatt 5.5 boot comes in three different colorways and should please even the pickiest of gear snobs. The GPX 5.5 boot uses a FlexLock system that makes for adjustable boot flex, lockout of ankle movement, force reduction to ankle (up to 37 percent) and knee-force reduction (up to 35 percent). It has a SlideLock Velcro top closure, 3D-shaped impact foam over the ankles, a heel-grip ankle design and the toe box is low-profile and shifter-friendly. The Leatt boots’ sole has a DualZone hardness and has an extended footpeg zone to accommodate varying riding styles with a steel shank for additional support. It uses a grip material inside of each boot for rider feel, the buckles are forged with an over-locking function, and the inner liner is breathable mesh with anti-slip reinforcement for zero heel lift. 

For reference, I feel like the Fox Instinct boot is one of the only boots that I am able to ride with right out of the box without any break in period. The Leatt 5.5 boot doesn’t quite have that instantaneous take out of the box and ride feel, but does break in quicker than a set of Tech 10’s. It’s unique with its FlexLock design that actually DOES absorb energy, yet offers a good amount of feel on the brake/shifter. This is one area where a non-hinge boot usually lacks in feel and requires a longer break-in before you get totally comfortable with mobility, shifting and finding the brake pedal. The FlexLock is a multi-directional system that allows the boot to hinge forward and backward. Additionally, it has an inward and outward flexing ability that is designed to mirror your ankle movement. The amount that the boot flexes in this direction is limited by the FlexLock system.

The Leatt GPX 5.5 has far better foot mobility than a normal non-hinged boot, yet gives you the ability to lock out as much ankle movement as you want. The GPX 5.5 size 10 weighs just under nine pounds, which is around the same weight as most mid to top tier off-road boots. For most riders, especially us older guys, the lighter the boot, the better it can be for our legs, as it’s easier on your knees and mobility. It’s funny because when I weighed the boots I was expecting the GPX 5.5 to weigh less than it did because when riding with them, it didn't feel like nine pounds of boot on each leg. They feel lighter than a Tech 10 and DO NOT cause my legs to get as tired when the track is deep. 

I love the GPX top SlideLock closure (you can secure the Velcro, then buckle the top strap, which slides against itself in one direction), it’s simply genius! I appreciated the grip of the sole and how long the sole lasted, especially during my durability test of the boot. You can do yourself a favor and make sure to keep an eye on the small screws that hold some of the plastic pieces on the boot together as they can back out over time. If you are concerned about the fit for wide feet, don’t be alarmed as I feel the GPX 5.5 boot accommodates a wider foot. I don’t have a wide foot, but a couple of my test riders do and they didn’t complain about pinching. I however did get a pinch initially near the top of my foot during break in, but once the boot seated to my foot, the pinch went away. 

With the minimal break-in time, the fit as well as the feel through the ankle, along with the ease of the buckling system, I feel this is a lower cost option for the off-road consumer. I felt that the protection and comfort levels rated high, the durability of the boot was adequate and the price is very friendly, considering the high-end appeal of some other boots.  As of right now, I have around 28 hours on the production Leatt GPX 5.5 boots and plan to at least get to the 50 hour mark. 

If you have any questions about the Leatt GPX 5.5 boots or anything that relates to dirt bikes, Keefer Inc. Testing is here to assist in anyway we can. Email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com for any philosophical thoughts or questions. 

Fly Racing Patrol Off-Road Gear

By: Michael Allen

Being a test rider I have had the opportunity to test almost every brand of gear on the market. Doing so has really shown me what works and what doesn’t when it comes to gear design, fit, function, durability and overall quality. Being that I ride moto, but really love off-road, I have found that although most moto gear looks and fits better than off-road specific gear, moto gear never seems to last as long as off-road gear. Why? Because to me off-road gear is designed to be abused out in the elements, most moto gear is not. I was looking at the Fly Racing website while getting information for my review on the new Patrol jacket (https://www.keeferinctesting.com/gear-2/2020/1/15/fly-racing-patrol-jacket) and I came across Fly’s Patrol off-road gear line. I was going to be racing the Tecate Enduro and figured this would be the perfect test to see how the gear would hold up. If you’ve ever raced Tecate you know just how hard the tight Baja single track can be on jerseys and pants. It seems as though the bushes in Tecate reach out and grab you and it almost never fails that I come home with at least a ripped jersey. 

I ordered black Patrol XC pants (they offer an over the boot version also) as well as the Patrol jersey in maroon/black, and the Patrol XC lite gloves in black. When the gear showed up, I tried it on and was very pleased that the size of the pants as well as the jersey is true to size (and also has extra adjustment both ways). I have big hands, so you know what that means (I wear big gloves) and in most cases I order XL gloves, which I did with the Patrol set, but these XL gloves seemed to be a tad on the small side. Just note that they still fit around my hands, but took a little tugging to get on. 

The Patrol jersey uses mesh, multi paneling to help with ventilation while trying not to compromise performance or durability. The cuffs have a relaxed fit in order to not squeeze your writs too tightly while riding. Unlike some off-road gear the Patrol pant/jersey wasn’t baggy and was even slightly form fitting. It wasn't super tight where it looked like Spandex, but had the perfect amount of material for my 6’ 185-ish pound frame. The jersey also features a slightly longer tail to stay tucked in and it did just that for the hundreds of miles that I logged in this gear. For being as vented as the Patrol jersey is, it has held up surprisingly well and has yet to rip. My only complaint about the jersey (and this is going to sound weird) is that it vented too well. Since I have been riding a lot in winter, the massive amount of air flow can sometimes be too much and if I started the ride without my vest, it tended to be pretty chilly when I would stop on the trail. I think it would be great if Fly offered the same style jersey with a little less ventilation for colder climates. 

The Patrol XC Lite glove offers more protection than your typical moto glove, but slightly less protection than the Patrol XC glove. Going on looks alone, they look like they wouldn’t be too comfortable because of the slightly bulbous knuckle protection, but in this case, looks are deceiving. Like I mentioned earlier, the XL gloves were a little on the small side, but once on they were comfortable and I didn’t notice the knuckle protection at all, except when it saved my hands from the harsh Baja landscape. The gloves are secured with a Velcro strap which stays in place even when smacking trees. The area of the glove where the palm meets the writs started to tear after several uses, but I think this could be due to the gloves being slightly too small for my hands and me having to pull excessively hard to get the gloves on. We will be getting larger gloves to examine this further. 

The Patrol XC pants come in either black or grey and are offered in “over the boot” or “in boot” configurations. Inside the pants is a mesh liner for comfort and added ventilation on longer or warmer rides. Also to help with airflow, there are zippered vents that can be opened or closed depending on the weather. On hotter days my “manhood” really appreciated these vents as they really do add some airflow. There are also three zippered pockets integrated into the pants, which came in handy on more than a few occasions. The two front pockets are padded, which work perfect for a cell phone while keeping it protected and easily accessible. The third pocket is just inside the waistband and is just big enough to store an ID, credit card, and some cash. The knee panels are durable leather and have yet to show any signs of wear, but can mark up your shrouds when squeezing with your knees. The knee area is roomy enough to accommodate any knee brace, but also not super baggy and awkward looking so you don’t look like you borrowed your larger riding buddy’s pants. Riding off-road often has me out on the trail for many hours and the stretch ribbed panels make the pants extremely comfortable to wear all day long. To keep the pants secured Fly uses a zipper/ratcheting strap in front and one Velcro adjuster on the side in case you need a little more adjustment (some days I’m fatter than others). Overall, I was very impressed with the pants for two main reasons. The first is that they are SUPER comfortable for long rides and have the great fit to them. The second reason is because the options of having the vents open and closed is really handy along with having very functional pockets. 

The majority of the time when I ride off-road I wear moto gear and just deal with not having some off-road gear amenities. Usually I don’t mind, but the Patrol gear has really opened my eyes to how good off-road specific gear can get. The quality and durability of the jersey is impressive and I have yet to even have a frayed thread. The extra knuckle protection from the gloves really came in handy when my hands met the rugged Baja wilderness. Most impressive of all were the pants; the comfort, quality, ruggedness, and functionality was really a surprise. The Patrol pants have now become my off-road benchmark to which I will compare any other off-road specific gear I test in the future. The only real downside to the Patrol XC gear set is that the color options are pretty limited. Off-road gear that doesn't come in many different colorways? Shocking! I know! If you ride or race off-road, I highly recommend you look into the Fly Patrol gear set and give it a try. If you have any questions about the Fly Patrol XC gear, feel free to reach out to me at Michael@keeferinctesting.com. 

Patrol XC Pants-$ 129.95

Patrol Jersey- $38.95

Patrol XC Lite Gloves- $29.95

"On My Own Time" (Fly Racing Lite Hydrogen)

Time… It’s something more precious than any amount of money. When you get older time becomes more valuable and as you all know when you get older there seems to be less time in the day to get things done. When at the track, I get asked questions like “what do you ride on your own time” or “what product do you use on your own time, when you’re not testing something”? After getting these questions asked to me several times, I thought it would be a good idea to start a monthly article on what I like to use on my own time. Even though my own riding time is rare, there are times when I just go ride to just enjoy the ride, not for the sake of testing something. 

Coming from a business standpoint, people assume that I only use or test companies products that pay me, but in most cases that is simply not true. I left Dirt Rider Magazine to create a testing media outlet that has transparency and lets people in on what is REALLY happening within the walls of a media outlet. I didn't want any hidden agendas and I didn't want to just be an editor that you can only talk to through a magazine or website. I hated being at Dirt Rider and having to talk highly about a product that simply wasn’t good, just because they were spending money with the magazine. I hated hiding behind the print advertising wall. I lost sleep over it. I would come home moody because it just didn't feel right to me. Telling the consumer to go ahead and purchase a product when it’s inferior not only ruins integrity, but it throws consumers money into the trash. It bothered me. 

I grew up with a father that didn't have a shit ton of money and he would rely on magazines to guide him into the right purchasing decisions. Hell, I barely had a relationship with him because he worked so damn much. The times we did get to spend together usually revolved around dirt bikes, so getting the correct parts put on our bikes made our time spent together less stressful on him. However, that wasn't always the case. What I didn't know (at that point in my life) was that time together, with dirt bikes, had costed him a lot of money (as well as labor). Sometimes my dad would purchase a product that he thought he or I needed, but found out later, through trial and error, that he was misinformed. It turned out it wasn't as good as stock, was a POS, or didn’t fit right, but because “the magazine” said “it was a must have” he went out and learned the hard way. When I started working for Dirt Rider I really thought we were going to take the “hard way” out of purchasing products and/or machines for readers/consumers. That theory wasn't always the way it worked out at the magazine, because we normally had some hurdles to jump through before that would happen. Little did I know in that world the edit side of things do not met eye to eye with the sales side of things at times.

Of course any business has to make money to operate, but what if you believed in a product so much that you only took those advertising dollars from the ones YOU truly believe in? That was my thought process when I was thinking of leaving the magazine to start my own deal. I wanted that motto to be my guideline when I started Keefer Inc. Testing. I knew I probably wouldn't make as much money as the other big media outlets, but I didn't care. I would rather be able to sleep at night than have the weight of steering a fellow blue collar type of rider, like my dad, into the wrong direction with a product or machine. Maybe this is a horrible business model and I am doing it all wrong, but to me it’s something I can truly do that lets me sleep well at night. I had certain companies in mind that I grew to love after testing them over the years and I knew that they had great products, so I went after those companies to see if they were interested in advertising with my brand. I wanted to push those products more on the Keefer Tested Podcast and wanted to have those companies a part of the Keefer Inc. Testing mission statement so to speak. Hell, who knows? Maybe it was that damn movie Jerry McGuire that got me inspired, but I needed to know “who’s coming with me”. 

Now I won’t sit here and tell you that every single company or product that I like has come on board to advertise with us, but that doesn't stop me from using said product. I would rather spend my own money on something that works than get something free that doesn’t. If a product is good, I am not scared to go purchase it myself, for my own use, on my own time, and of course let you all know about it. If it isn't a great product, I want you to know about that as well. I am not here to bash companies products when they are not great, but I will let them know about it so they can try to make it better. Not everything works well on every bike or body and that company has the right to know that they need to be better. Just because we take advertising dollars from one company doesn't mean we will not test other competing brands and give you the straight scoop on if that’s a great product or not. We are trying to create an open line of communication between the consumer and the media testing world. Yes, our time is valuable, and so is yours, but if we can give you quality feedback that can help you smile, once you’ve used what you've purchased, it’s a win win situation.

So now that you have some background on why I am typing these articles, here is the first installment of “On My Own Time”. We will be diving into one company/product a month, some that advertise and some that don’t, but that doesn’t matter to me, because if I am using it on my own time, it could be worth yours as well. If you have any questions on any product you see here on keeferinctesting.com you know I will do my best to help you. Simply email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com and I will do my damndest to steer you in the correct direction. 

Fly Racing Lite Hydrogen Pant/Jersey

Fly Racing has been a part of Keefer Inc. Testing since the beginning. Why? A couple reasons. It’s because they have a great product and also the people behind WPS/Fly Racing are genuine enthusiasts of our sport. I have been a fan of the Lite Hydrogen gear since their pant was redesigned in 2018. That pant incorporated the BOA system. Fly Racing is one of about three gear companies that I would spend my own money on (we will talk about the other two companies in a future “On My Own Time” articles) and below are the reasons why I like this product so much.

I am extremely happy with the BOA system on the Lite Hydrogen pant. Every time I wear another set of gear I am looking to tighten the BOA reel, but quickly realize that there isn't one available. If there was one thing I don’t like about other minimalistic pants is that they can be too stretchy in the rear yolk panel while accelerating out of corners. That can leave me with an untucked jersey as well as pants sagging down by lap three. I don’t have an ass! If you have an ass, maybe you DO NOT have this problem, but for my flat ass this is noticeable quickly. With the BOA system all I have to do is turn in the reel and tighten, so that my pant is securely locked to my waist. If you want to loosen the waist area you simply pull the BOA reel outwards and it releases the tension on the pant. The Lite Hydrogen pant has held up great against my knee braces (especially the leather) and although this is a very lightweight pant it has superb durability. The Lite Hydrogen pant is not as light as the FOX FlexAir, but has held together better over time for me and ventilates very well. 

If you are a bigger guy don't fear because Fly sells the Lite Hydrogen pant in up to a size 38. I have seen a pair of 38’s on my large sized buddy and it doesn't look abnormal at all. Also chances are if you’re a size 40 the 38 is stretchy enough that you will be able to fit without any issues. When comparing the FlexAir and Lite Hydrogen cuts, the Fly pant is not quite as tight, has slightly more stretch, and doesn't hug against your legs as much. This left me with a little more room for an array of knee braces that I test. The colors that Fly came out with in 2018 is so much better than the colors they had in 2017. Bright yet clean colorways are what I prefer and that is exactly what the Lite Hydrogen is. Although I am not sure Fly recommends putting your pant and jersey in the dryer, I have done so on many occasions and the BOA reel sticks works flawlessly. Over the years the Lite Hydrogen pant continues to evolve and be one of the leaders in comfort and durability. It's tough to get a lightweight pant that can last more than a few months, but these suckers have held up to the abuse that I can give. 

The Lite Hydrogen jersey ventilates very well and the low profile/open cuff design is one of my favorite aspects of this jersey. Sometimes when you get an open cuff design the jersey will ride up your arms during a moto, but the Lite Hydrogen jersey’s cuff will stay in place and not go all Mike Alessi on you. The athletic cut of the jersey is on the snug side, but again not as tight as a FlexAir jersey. It’s important to note that the Lite Hydrogen is not as tight as the FlexAir for the bigger dudes with some extra weight in the belly region. Don’t fear the spare tire because Fly offers a 2X and I promise you will not look all EMO with a snug fitting jersey. Once you slip the jersey on you can feel how soft it is as Fly Racing’s material will not irritate your skin. You will also have enough stretch for an under protector if you choose to wear one (which I did on most occasions). Mrs. Keefer has washed the pant and jersey several times and the colors have not yet faded or dulled out. I also liked that Fly updated their collar in 2019 to a lycra collar that doesn't grab a hold of your neck like a WWE wrestler. 

I remember when Fly Racing wasn't even in my thought process when it came to picking out gear to wear on my own time. Back in 2011-2013 I always dreaded having to wear Fly’s stuff for photos because it was so hot, baggy, and just didn’t look that great. Fly has evolved their line of gear and have made the Lite Hydrogen one of my favorite sets of gear to wear “On My Own Time”. 

https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/fly-racing-lite-hydrogen-jersey-p/?ref=1009

Fly Racing Patrol Jacket

By: Michael Allen

Winter is my favorite time of riding here in Southern California because the ground is moist and the traction is high, but contrary to what most of you east coasters think, the temperatures can drop down below freezing out here on the west coast. Unless you’re running a windproof jersey, most other jersey materials have some sort of ventilation incorporated into them so this makes it hard to keep your body at the optimal temperature all day long. The Fly Racing Patrol jacket comes in either grey or black and is offered in sizes small through triple extra-large. The jacket is made of a lightweight shell that is windproof, water resistant, and uses a breathable membrane material. All of the zippers (main, pocket, and sleeve) are high quality and use a seal to keep moisture out. There are two lower pockets in the front and two breast pockets that I found fit a cell phone perfectly while being easily accessible. Inside the lower back of the jacket there is also a large mesh pouch, which can be used for storing the sleeves when they aren’t being used.

The ability to easily turn this jacket into a vest is easily one of my favorite highlights about this product. The inside of the jacket is fleece, which is super comfortable and unlike a lot of other jackets the Patrol comes out of the box very flexible (sometimes new jackets are super stiff and need to be broken in). The Patrol is easily adjustable as the wrist cuffs use Velcro so they can be adjusted to the rider’s preference. The fit of the jacket isn’t too slim nor too loose, but can be adjusted at the bottom with a shock chord to better seal around your waist. The fact that the jacket isn’t super slim fitting is nice because I wear my chest protector under my jersey and I need some extra room in the torso area. Who doesn’t like to have a beer or two out on the trail with your buddies? I like to pack some beers with me occasionally when I go trail riding, so there is plenty of room under the jacket, without having to stretch the jacket out too much (in order to get it zipped). In fact there were times I put the jacket over my fanny pack and adjusted the draw string tight underneath the pack. On the other hand the fact that it’s not too baggy is nice because I often wear my hydration pack over the jacket and it fits very comfortably.

When it comes to Jackets the main thing I look for is practicality and ease of use. Ever since I first started wearing vests I have been in love with them and how they keep your core warm while not letting you overheat. The fact that the Patrol jacket doesn’t have 37 pockets is part of the beauty. The Patrol doesn’t need a pocket for every gadget in the world, I mean come on, I am just trying to go trail riding over here! There are just enough pockets to store all your basic needs, which for me were my cell phone (in the front left breast pocket), and a few gel packets (in the lower pockets). For longer rides and when I was planning to go alone, there was enough room for a Spot Tracker that is a must have for adventurists. The ability to easily zip off the sleeves with two zippers (per sleeve) and store them inside the jacket was super nice when everyone is waiting on you to do it quickly. The sleeves are a little trickier to zip back on, but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty straight forward. Having the ability to adjust the wrist cuffs with Velcro is nice because I don’t like jackets that have tight elastic, which can seem too tight when the jacket is new, but can get clapped out when they get some time on them.

Although the jacket does ventilate well with the large vent in the back, I wish that there were a few zipper vents that could be opened or closed depending on the weather. Another thing I feel that the Patrol is missing is a slightly larger collar, or a collar that could be put up if it was super cold to protect your neck from the wind chill. The Patrol has become the jacket that stays in my gear bag and gets used almost every ride (even at the moto track on cold mornings). With an MSRP of $149.95 the Patrol jacket isn’t necessarily a steal, but I think it’s fairly priced for the quality of the jacket. So if you’re looking for a comfortable jacket that is simple and does everything well, give the Fly Racing Patrol jacket a look, or even better go to your local dealer and try one on. 

If you have any questions about the Fly Racing Patrol Jacket feel free to reach out to me at Michael@keeferinctesting.com. 

Fox Instinct Boots

Just in case you haven't listened to episode 7 of the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Keefer Tested Podcast (Boot Comparison) I will now go over the Fox Instinct boot and how it performs//protects/feels/lasts. When the designers and engineers at Fox set out to design a new high end boot, they didn't just shoot for "almost perfect", nor did they accept that a finished product had to be flawed. They spent a huge amount of time designing, developing, as well as race testing various components, and after several years of gathering feedback from the top riders in our sport, they came up with a design that was ready to go into production for all us mere mortals. The Instinct boot design has been in production almost 10 years and in my opinion is one of the most comfortable boots to wear. Let me explain how they did this:

The key goals in developing the Instinct boot were to combine freedom of movement with the highest level of protection possible; in other words, safety and comfort were a must for the Fox engineers. This starts in the guts of the boot where five key components have been utilized to create the perfect fit: An athletic insole provides running shoe-like cushioning, a steel shank supports the arch, a polyurethane midsole offers energy absorption, a TPU support is in place for impact protection and stability, and Fox's exclusive rubber Duratac outsole provides grip on the peg and is backed by lifetime durability guarantees.

The rest of the boot is just as highly developed as the inside. A patented floating ball-and-socket buckle makes for easy operation with gloves on. Flexion is provided by a stabilizing hinge, which also ensures that the ankle cannot hyperextend past the predetermined lockout points. A host of other technical materials grace the boot to help create a solid weld between ankle and bike, and the overall build makes for one of the lightest boots on the market. Fox truly left nothing on the table when developing these suckers.

Over the course of the Instinct’s production lifespan, the sizing has been improved. I have noticed a true-to-size fit since early 2019, so if you have a 2018 Instinct and notice you went up a size from your normal sizing, the new 2019-2020 sizing is much improved. If you decide to purchase a new pair (and have an older Instinct model) you may have to go back down to your normal size. The toe-box is a little narrower than a Tech 10, but not as tight as a Sidi Crossfire 3, and the buckles are so much easier to operate than those found on some of the biggest brands in the sport. The first positive aspect/experience of the boot you will notice is the lightweight feel to the Instinct. My legs certainly do feel less fatigue when riding tracks that force you to ride leg high through ruts/corners. To me these are the lightest feeling boots that I have ridden with to date. The feature that I was most surprised with was the inner comfort of the boot. I am so used to have having an inner bootie for ankle support, I thought I would feel naked without it, but it literally took me only a few minutes until I appreciated how much comfort my feet/ankles had. I don’t have bad ankles, but I do ride a lot and my ankles can get sore from riding all day long. The Instinct boots do have more movement in the ankle area than a Tech 10, but I also don’t feel like my ankles are being overworked or stretched. The sole also has more grip than I was expecting, which provides excellent absorption/cushion to my ankles when slamming into jump faces or when I really screw up and case the crap out of something. Here’s a tip: After break in (which isn't very long at all) I will tighten up my buckles tighter than normal, so that I get a more secure lock around my ankle (this is important with the middle two buckles). The inner potion of the boots have excellent grip against the frame and this is an important feature to me because I grip with my legs a lot! Some boots use a rubber like material that simply doesn't grip well when squeezing, but the Instinct boot comes “stock” with great gripping material on the inside of each boot.  

Like a good running shoe, the insole has enough cushioning and support without feeling too rigid or bulky. Off-road riders will love this boot based on the fact that it truly can be worn all day, but Fox also offers the Instinct in an off-road version as well with a more aggressive sole. The protection level certainly feels sufficient for the usual battery of rut-snags and rock-hits that I encounter on any given day of testing. However, to me, the Instinct is built for performance and comfort, but the integrity/support of the boot can break down a little quicker than other boots out there today. This is the only boot that I can wear straight out of the box and feel my pegs as well as my shifter/brake pedal without any issues. I can’t pull a set of Tech 10’s out of the box and feel “good” right away, but I am able to do this with the Instinct’s. The Fox Instinct boots DO NOT hardly need any break in period. They are ready to rock! 

The flip-side/bad news is when the Instincts get some time under them, they can get somewhat flimsy in the ankle area to me and I can feel my ankles flex too much when landing hard off of jumps. I usually keep boots for a fair amount of time (around 60-80 engine hours), but the Fox Instincts felt looser in my ankle area around 42 hours of engine time. This is where you will need to keep up pn your middle to buckles. I constantly adjust my middle two buckles to ensure I get a tighter fit around my ankle. I can’t stress enough how huge this is with this boot! Think of these middle two buckles as your daily routine of bike/gear maintenance. Just because the middle two buckles were good yesterday doesn't mean that they are correct for the another day. Tighten them accordingly and your ankles will thank you. Other pieces to the boot like the outsole, buckles, insole, and hinges never broke or failed, but I just feel the boot to be super soft (in ankle area) after some time of usage without adjusting the middle two buckles. Fox Instincts have lasted me over 40 engine hours, but have only seen stock pegs and not super sharp titanium oversize pegs, so your sharp peg riders keep an eye on your outsoles.

Send Them In!

The Fox Racing Instinct Sole Warranty: Something that you may not know is that Fox offers Instinct buyers a free outsole replacement if your Instincts meet their requirements. Do yourself a favor and make sure to keep an eye out on your soles, so they don’t get ate up past the red indicator strip/marker. If they are worn and aren’t past the red indicator strip/marker, send your boots into Fox Racing and they can install original Fox Duratac inserts in for you at no charge! Here is the link: https://nushoe.com/fox-head.html

Overall, the Instinct features an impressive level of performance and comfort that definitely lives up to Fox's claims. Coming in at $459.95, the Fox Instinct is less expensive than the Tech 10 or a Gaerne SG-12, so the decision to purchase shouldn't be about price. In my opinion, the Fox Instinct boot is the most comfortable boot out of the there, but will need more attention/adjustments to the middle two buckles, if you want them to protect your ankles, like Fox intended after some time of use. I look at the Fox Instinct boot like a factory spec tire that is available to us non factory guys. It provides maximum comfort and performance on the track, but just doesn't last quite as long structurally. Head over to https://www.foxracing.com/moto/mens/boots/ to get yours as well as view all the styles and colors.

If you have any questions about this test please feel free to email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com and I am here to help!   

Fox FlexAir Pant And Jersey

When it comes to riding gear there are only a few sets of gear that I really look forward to wearing day in and day out. I ride anywhere between 5-6 days a week and the gear that I wear must hold up over several hours of riding time, have enough stretch materials so I am able to move around on the bike freely, gives me enough ventilation that I am not getting over heated, have a comfortable fit, and of course make me look like I am the fastest on the track, even though I’m not. Fox Racing has been one of those companies that has been making sets of gear for the past few years that have checked all of those boxes. 

Fox changed some of the features to their top of the line FlexAir pant and jersey for 2020, which grabbed my attention enough for me to re-test and get some information back to you all. The FlexAir jersey has been refined to maximize breathability and increase mobility. The active-fit sleeves with laser perforated venting are changed for increased breathability and airflow. The pant’s chassis has been redesigned to increase mobility and comfort. Fox updated the waistband to improve fit, refined the rear yoke to increase flexibility, and redesigned the internal liner to reduce chafing (something that I thought was needed on last year’s FlexAir pant). If you want to red all the features to Fox’s pant and jersey you can simply click on this link: https://www.foxracing.com/moto/mens/gear-sets/. For this article I wanted to give you all the straight scoop on what it’s like ride with this gear on the track. As you all know, I may or may not be a gear freak. 

For warmer weather this FlexAir jersey is the best on the market with its Tru-Dri fabric material. The ventilation through the arms and a lightweight feel throughout my torso, there is no other jersey on the market quite like this FlexAir jersey. I don’t know if Fox changed the length of the arm for 2020, but after wearing my 2019 jersey and this new HOWK jersey back to back, it seems like the cut is slightly longer, so taller riders will like this feature more in 2020. However, I am 5’11 and the length of the sleeve/arm was adequate enough for my picky ass. The perforated sleeves ventilate insanely well, but unlike last year, when you happened to sweat, the sleeve doesn’t get crusty/hard feeling once your jersey dries. The 2020 FlexAir jersey doesn't have that harsh or course feel to the skin and remains soft throughout the day. The FlexAir jersey is athletic cut, but as snug as it is to your torso, the material of the jersey is super stretchy. All you bigger dudes out there do not stress on if this jersey will be too tight or reveal too much. It will be just fine! Trust me! You will like the way this jersey can conform to your body yet remain so comfortable throughout a long day of riding. 

The cuff doesn't get stretched out like the old FlexAir jersey over time and although it’s somewhat tight when sliding over your hand, it’s very comfortable when riding (and isn't restrictive). The FlexAir jersey feels so light, it’s almost like wearing nothing, so be forewarned of roost if you’re a non-chest protector kind of guy. It’s super thin, yet surprisingly durable! Most underprotectors work well with the FlexAir jersey because it’s sso stretchy. I have worn three different types of underprotectors and all have fit well with my normal jersey size. You will not need to go up a size if you’re wearing a underprotector. Durability of the jersey is superb, but DO NOT go riding through trees with this jersey and expect it to last. Tree branches will rip the material on the FlexAir! This is a motocross only type of material. The jersey fits true to size and stays tucked in throughout the day.

The Flex Air pant is an athletic style pant that fits tight/snug over my knee brace/knee area, but remains super stretchy through the thigh area. I am able to move around on the bike freely and feel less restricted compared to other non-athletic fit type pants. The word “snug” doesn’t have to mean “restrictive” or “uncomfortable”. Having a snug fit against your body can help make you feel streamlined while riding. This may sound like a line of bullshit to some of you, but I have gone back and forth enough with other brands of pants and jerseys that I can really feel the difference with the Fox’s FlexAir set of gear. Having a cut closer to your body that is stretchy really lets me move around the bike better without any hang ups or drag when riding (aka, seamless feel). It’s hard to explain how good the feeling is when wearing a pant and jersey that is snug enough yet can make your muscles feel more secure when riding, but also has enough stretch in it that you can move around/articulate your movements on the bike more efficiently while riding.     

What’s odd to me is that no other media testing outlet ever really talks about this, but when going back and forth between athletic/non-athletic cut gear, you can feel a difference in drag (especially at speed) and weight. When going from sitting to standing with athletic cut gear there is less bunching of material therefore when going from sitting to standing I can actually feel the lack of weight of the pant. At the end of a long test day my legs are literally less fatigued because of the lightweight materials inside the FlexAir pant. The updated closure system is like having a half belt around your waist with Fox’s two-piece design. When you cinch down on the buckle it feels like the waist area is firmly secure all the way around your waist, not just the front area. I am a huge fan of the BOA reel on the Fly Racing pants, but this half belt is the next best closure system to me. The taped seams inside the pant are great and I wish every manufacturer would do this because you never get snags when pulling the pants up. Not only do taped seams help when putting the pant on, it helps when moving around on the bike and keeps the pant lightweight feeling. Fox’s “RAP” system really does work and is not just a gimmick. The redesigned internal liner will not rub your ass raw when riding longer motos unlike like last year’s FlexAir pant. I will say that I only ran into this chafing problem last year when wearing boxer brief type of under garments (Ethika’s, BVD’s, tighty whitey’s, etc.) with the FlexAir pants. If you’re a cycling short under garment type of rider then don’t worry as you may not even notice the internal liner change.

The FlexAir pant bends with my natural motion on the bike and doesn’t bunch up near the leather of the knee area when I am seated on the machine. Not to mention that the leather knee is extremely durable for a minimalistic type pant. I have endured more than a few weeks of durability testing with the FlexAir pant and it has held up well against my CTi knee braces as well as a heatshield-less Pro Circuit headpipe/mid-pipe. The FlexAir pant fit is true to size and has a little extra room with how stretchy the pant is in the waist. So if you're a size 33, a 32 will work just fine. 

The Fox FlexAir price point has also been reduced for 2020. The pant costs $199.95 and the jersey is $69.95. That is $60.00 less than last year’s price point. I am huge fan of the materials, fit, durability, and function of the Fox FlexAir gear. I do wish Fox had more colorways to choose from in the FlexAir design, but without a doubt the HOWK is my favorite of the 2020 sets.

As for you older guys reading this that might think this type of gear isn't for you, I will have to say don’t knock it until you try it. I know us older dudes are stubborn and usually DO NOT like change, but wearing athletic cut gear could really open your eyes to some next level comfort you may have not have ever felt while you're riding. Like an older/wiser test rider once told me, “you’re only as good as what you try”.

Go to foxracing.com to see all of the Fox products as well as order this HOWK FlexAir set.

If you have any questions about this gear please email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com.

Pros: 

• Fit

• Comfort

• Durable for minimalistic type of gear

• Ventilation

Cons:

• Lack of different colorways

• Jersey can be hard to remove after riding (sticky)

EVS F-2 Roost Deflector

When I hear the name EVS, the first thing that comes to mind are those neck donuts that most of us wore when we were kids, or really anything safety gear in general. You know that EVS takes safety seriously if none other than Travis Pastrana has trusted them to protect his banged up body year after year. I was recently contacted by EVS to try their all new for 2019 F-2 roost deflector and see what I thought of it. The older I get the more and more I find it necessary to wear a chest protector (seeing as I don’t quite bounce off the ground like I used to). Being primarily an off-road rider I have worn a plethora off brands and configurations when it comes to roost guards and have become slightly picky about the balance between comfort, protection, and ventilation so this test was right up my ally. 

EVS went back to the drawing board for 2019 and re-designed the F-2, integrating some new technology into the deflector. The F-2 has a pivoting system built into the body of the unit that helps keep the guard form pinching on the rider no matter the contortion of the torso.  Also integrated into the guard are flow vents to help keep air moving across the body. This is used in conjunction with the Flyte liner which is a grid of impact dampening pads that lift the protective gear off the skin, allowing for increased air flow. The F-2 comes in either white or black as well as being offered in small, medium, large, and extra-large all while being completely adjustable to fit a large array of riders. This deflector meets CE standard 14021 for roost deflection, as well as CE standard 1621-1 for back impact protection. Leatt/Atlas neck braces are compatible with the F-2 and it comes with elastic shoulder loops that help keep the neck brace in place. 

Now that you know all about the technical aspects to the F-2 let’s get down to how I liked it out on the trail and track. To start with, since this is a “roost deflector” and not a full “chest protector” it doesn’t come with bulky shoulder cups. In my book this is a plus because those are usually the first thing I take off of a guard that has them. On top of that it doesn’t come with those dumb upper arm protectors that you have to slip your hands through, which I also remove because they are almost always super uncomfortable. Although I am glad there aren’t shoulder cups, I do think the pads that are on the shoulders could be a little larger and more protective for my frame. I am 6’ 185 pounds (although the pictures look like I’m 285 pounds) and I wear a large F-2 which fits pretty good out of the box. For height adjustment there are four adjusters on the shoulder straps (two per side) but they are pretty short and only allow for minimal fine tuning. When it comes to fine tuning for the waist, the side straps allow for a considerable amount of adjustment so that you can get a snug fit. The pivot system on the front of the guard is very functional and works well when you are leaning or contorting your body on the bike, so you don’t feel as though the guard is stabbing you or giving you any pinch points. The hard plastic front and back provided substantial protection from roost and trailside hazards as well as offering padded and hard protection on some small crashes that I experienced. The hard plastic is sewn to the thick padded under protection making the guard solid feeling, but it also feels a little on the heavy side. In terms of protection/comfort it was a big plus, but in terms of wearing it in mid June for a 102 degree motocross race, the deflector was definitely on the hot side. When worn under the jersey the F-2 majorly lacked air flow (also when worn under the jersey, the F-2 looks slightly bulky).

When worn over the jersey the air flow was more noticeable, but still the amount of foam under the plastic proved to be too much of an air block to be able to keep me cool. For me when it comes to roost deflectors there are three main categories; comfort, protection, and ventilation. The F-2 is very comfortable for a heavy duty style roost deflector, as it doesn’t give you any pinch spots are discomfort. The protection of the F-2 for a roost guard is very good and I feel like it gives protection for both decent sized crashes as well as plain old roost. When it comes to ventilation I feel like the F-2 does the best it can for the amount of coverage and protection it offers. Even with vent holes and the Flyte liner, which creates an air gap between the skin and guard, it’s still very hot to wear in summer. I am actually looking forward to wearing this deflector in the winter when you may want something to help keep the body heat in. The F-2 seems to bridge the gap between full chest protection and a minimalistic roost deflector. Other than being hot I feel that EVS did a great job of re-designing the F-2. When it comes to keeping riders safe and comfortable, I think the F-2 is a great option, but you may want to consider another option from EVS when it comes to those hot summer motos. Coming in at $139.00, the F-2 isn’t the cheapest option on the market, but I feel that for the amount of protection it offers, $139.00 is a ball park price point. If you have any questions about the EVS F-2 roost guard feel free to reach out to me at Michael@keeferinctesting.com. 

2020 Fly Racing Summer Camp

For 2019 Christmas morning came on July 24th. Why? Today I got to ride in the new FLY Racing 2020 line of gear and for those of you that know, this is a very big deal to me. FLY Racing has been putting on a “Summer Camp” to showcase their new 2020 racewear that will be available on August 1st. Fly Racing has been a huge supporter of the Pulp MX Show and The Keefer Tested Podcast and they kindly inited us to Boise, Idaho once again to try the new threads and also do fun other activities like white water rafting as well as some trail riding with Damon “Freakin” Bradshaw! 

Summer Camp kicked off on Tuesday night where FLY catered a dinner on the rooftop of a place called Jack’s Urban Meeting Place (JUMP) where we go to see the new line of FLY gear for the very first time. Riders like Andrew Short, Weston Peick, Damon Bradshaw and a host of media outlets were on hand to enjoy the festivities. The JUMP venue had a long slide that winded down five stories, but with dirt bikers that meant one thing… Who could get down the fastest. Racers will be racers. Slide times (AKA lap times) were on tap to see who could get down the quickest and most took the competition serious. I never did get the final results, but you can almost guarantee some sort of racing will find its way in the mix if there is enough downtime. Dinner, drinks, slides, desserts, and slide times go hand in hand.

Wednesday was designated the moto day as we got to spin some laps in the new gear at a facility called Skyline MX Park. When I pulled up to the facility it reminded me of a track that was on the Canadian Nationals for a while called Regina. It was muddy in the morning, turned tacky for a while, then went into straight hard pack mode in the the afternoon. FLY left gear bags full of new 2020 gear lined up for us media dorks plus had a fleet of motorcycles for us to ride. I am usually not a an all black kind of gear guy, but to my surprise, the all black/white/hi vis set of Lite Hydrogen that FLY put out for 2020 is sexy. Can I say sexy? Well I just did because I looked damn good and I felt damn good wearing the new colorway. I haven't spent a ton of time on the new FLY Formula helmet as of late, but after wearing it again (on this day) it made me realize how comfortable this helmet really is. It is super light weight, ventilates well, has a very plush liner/cheek pad feel, plus the looks are starting to grow on me. I mean let’s be real here… This set of gear that I had on today, along with the Husqvarna Rockstar Edition I was riding could have won some Best Dressed and Lit Kit awards. No lie… The BOA reel is Zach Osborne’s favorite thing in his life next to his family (just listen to his podcast) and the Lite Hydrogen along with the EVO line has the BOA incorporated into the pant. It works and I am huge fan of it as well. Maybe not as much as Zach, but it’s pretty damn good! 

The FLY gear line will be available to the public on August 1st and even though they didn't come out with an all white set of gear for 2020, I will have to say they did a damn good job with all the lines this year. The Kinetic line has a very clean blue and white set that I will be wearing for the 2020 YZ450F intro and the EVO DST line has a camo green that I am all in on with the KX250! None of the 2020 fit has changed, so if you have heard me talking about how well the gear fits on my podcast then you can guarantee the 2020 gear will be just as good. From big guys to D&R dudes, FLY Racing has a fit you will like! Trust me. 

Another bad ass thing that I witnessed was Damon “Freakin” Bradshaw wringing the shit out of his Gas Gas 250 two-stroke on the MX track. I usually pride myself on riding the most when we go to these type of events, but Damon had me handled by far. The dude absolutely hauls ass still, but more importantly, doesn't look like an old man doing it! He is smooth and moves around on the bike well. Weston Peick and Bradshaw were ripping around on the track at the end of the day and Bradshaw wasn't making it easy on Peick, let me tell you. This sparked up a debate with Matthes and I on what 90’s rider would be the fastest today if those riders were all on the same bike? Riders like Bradshaw, Dubach, Ward, Lechien, and Matasevich, RJ. Who would be the best? My money was on Dubach the night before, but that was before I saw Bradshaw ride the day after! Holy crap! The dude rails and still has that pissed off mentality when he rides! I Iove it! Off the track the guy is just chill and the most down to earth, mellow person I know. 

Tomorrow we head out to go white water rafting so say a prayer for me! Hope to see you guys in Washougal for the debut of the gear! 

2020 Alpinestars Gear Intro/First Impression

New gear season is upon us and Alpinestars had us out to ride in a couple sets of their latest offerings for 2020. There was some heavy hitters out at Milestone MX Park riding along side all of us media dorks. Factory riders like Justin Barcia, Jason Anderson, Ricky Brabec and movie moguls like Dax Shepard as well as Channning Tatum were on hand to rip around the Riverside, California track. The good news for you consumers out there is that the Alpinestars product line will be available at a few select North American distributors for 2020, including Rocky Mountain ATV/MC and BTO Sports. I hear a lot of people saying that you can’t get Alpinestars gear here in the states, but in reality it has been available online directly at alpinestars.com for a couple years now. So there are no excuses on why you can’t order yourself up some now! Instead of boring you with the happenings of the day, I will just break down what my first impressions are of the 2020 Alpinestars gear. 

I got a chance to ride in the 2020 SuperTech pant and jersey so here are some statements from Alpinestars about the product and a quick first impression from myself.

From Alpinestars:

Supertech is Alpinestars innovative Motocross apparel line, designed for superior dirt riding performance. Featuring an innovative performance fit design, a chassis consisting of advanced stretch material and an ultra-lightweight construction with a simple, clean design and an aggressive look, the Supertech Pant incorporates a host of race-proven technologies for comfort and performance-winning pedigree in Supercross and Motocross. 

• Meticulously designed to a new pattern keeping the pant perfectly positioned while riding aggressively and offering unrivalled levels of movement and flexibility.

• Main shell extensively constructed (80%) from advanced stretch fabric for freedom of movement. Textile fiber composition specifically developed by Alpinestars to offer high levels of mechanical properties, such as strength, elasticity and durability.

• Heavy (900 Denier) reinforcements on seat area provide seam strength, durability and critical coverage.

• 450 Denier knee panel for durability and freedom of movement.

• Strategically positioned stretch mesh inserts offer cooling comfort and freedom of movement.

• Localized perforations for enhanced airflow.

• Leather panels on inner leg provide heat resistance, grip, comfort and durability.

• Ratchet waist closure system with two flaps and a front metal fly
hook offers a precise, personalized and secure fit.

• PU reinforced knee area and on back.

• Leg cuff features stretch mesh insert for easy on and off.

• Silicon print on inner waist to keep the pants in position.

With a new performance design for an athletic fit, a chassis consisting entirely of advanced stretch mesh and an ultra-lightweight construction, the Supertech Jersey is Alpinestars lightest ever MX jersey, featuring a host of race-proven technologies such as the innovative floating arm construction for superior freedom of movement and an extended back panel to maintain a flawless riding fit. 

• Ultra-lightweight advanced fabric main construction for moisture-wicking and performance fit. Jersey features a more fitted, lightweight design.

• Chassis consists of stretch mesh chassis with open mesh inserts on arms and side torso for high levels of cooling airflow.

• Innovative, fully floating arm construction offers excellent freedom of movement.

• Neck and sleeves feature fully tape-welded hems for reduced weight and improved levels of comfort.

• Pre-curved sleeves for maximum comfort and performance fit.

• Extended rear design helps maintain a perfect riding fit.

• Sublimated fade-resistant graphics.

So what exactly was my first impression of the new Alpinestars 2020 SuperTech gear? I was worried that the pant would be too snug, but to my surprise the size 32 pant fits well and is true to size. The pant is an athletic fit yet is stretchy enough to be comfortable to move around on the bike out on the track. The ventilation of the pant is what you’d expect from a minimalist type of pant yet the knee coverage proved to be thicker than other minimalist pant I have tried lately. I am not a huge fan of the front metal fly hook, but it is something that could come in handy in case of a zipper failure. I may have to get used to latching the hook before ratcheting the buckle closure system. I also noticed immediately that the leather in the knee is very grabby against the shroud area of the machine. While gripping with my knees in corners I could feel the leather almost feel sticky, which was odd, but also great for gripping the middle of the bike. 

The SuperTech jersey is snug! It’s stretchy, but just know that the arms are very athletic, almost compression-ish. The SuperTech jersey is right up my alley because it conforms to my body, makes me feel streamlined, and is super thin/ventilated feeling. I do know that larger riders may not like this feel, but for my size 32/Large sized frame it’s great. I will say that once you have sweated in the jersey, it can get a little sticky to the skin when trying to take it off your body, so that can be tricky. The cooling effect of the jersey when perspiring is very good because of the materials the jersey is made up with. There are only a couple jerseys out there today that do as good of job of cooling you down and the SuperTech is one of those jerseys. 

Overall, I think Alpinestars really nailed the colorways of the 2020 gear lineup. Lots of solid colors along with clean lines make for the best looking Alpinestars gear that I have seen yet. I will be doing a more thorough review of the gear that will involve more of the durability side of things to see if the price tag of $229.95 for the pant and $89.95 for the jersey is worth it. Stay tuned… 

The Wife And Dax

Leatt Z Frame Knee Braces

When it comes to “brace” style protective gear there are many opinions as to their effectiveness.  Questions like does it hamper the rider’s ability to correctly ride the motorcycle? Or does bracing the knee make your femur susceptible for injury? Far be it from me to have the end all be all answer, but I can tell you what has worked for me. Up until 2012 I was just a knee cup/guard guy who basically thought knee braces were only for people with money, good insurance, and past knee Injuries. In 2012 a buddy of mine handed down his old pair of braces and I found them to be comfortable and in fact gave me a little more confidence in my somewhat flimsy knees (one is always slightly swollen, and the other pops out from time to time).  

Now that you know a little about my knee protection history let me tell you about the Leatt Z Frame braces. I have been wearing and loving the Leatt X Frame braces for the past nine months and they have become my favorite non custom fit braces. I was excited to get the lower price point Z Frame’s and see if the price really dictates comfort and protection. The way the Z Frame straps to your leg is slightly different than the X Frames, as they strap in a “Z” pattern behind the leg (hence the name). Theoretically once you adjust the Velcro to your leg size you can just unclip the plastic clips on the straps to take the braces on and off, but I found myself always adjusting the Velcro to get the right fit every time I put the braces on. Why? Because sometimes I will drink a beer or three and eat a cheeseburger the night before. Can you say sodium intake? 

Once on, the Z Frame braces are noticeably bulkier than the X Frames, especially in the knee cup area. To me the knee cup area was excessively large and I felt like my knee cap was floating around underneath the cup, which would occasionally rub the underside of the cup when my legs were bent. This excessive bulkiness also changed how my legs were able to grip the bike, which wasn’t necessarily bad, it just didn’t feel like the braces that I was used to. The protection of the knee, shin, and thigh area is substantial as well as provides a large coverage area to protect in the event of a crash or hitting trailside debris. The “brace” function of the Z Frame didn’t seem as strong or supportive as the X-Frame that I have been used to. What I mean by this is that my knee didn’t feel as supported and actually popped out once when I dabbed my foot wrong (this isn’t necessarily the braces fault). 

After wearing these braces for a few months, I have come to the conclusion that they may fit some people better than others. I think that for my smaller (weaker) knees I need something that hugs, fits tighter, and gives me slightly more support (like the X Frame does). They are not necessarily bad braces, maybe someone with bigger knees would have a completely different opinion, but I just felt that my knees were kind of floating in the braces (yes, I had the correct size). With an MSRP of $299.99 the Z frame doesn’t break the bank as badly as other knee braces on the market, but they still aren’t exactly “cheap”. This Z Frame brace would more than likely be adequate for the weekend warrior that wants to go from a knee guard to a knee brace. The type of rider that wants some more safety, but isn't necessarily out to win a local racing series.You can check out the complete Leatt lineup over at leatt.com or if you have any questions about this test please email me at michael@keeferinctesting.com. 

EVS TUG Core Temperature Regulator Vest

It’s already hot here in Southern California so I wanted to get the jump on some product reviews of some hot weather riding gear. EVS has their TUG line that stands for “Technical Under Gear” and in that line up are some cold and hot weather products that could be of some use for you riders out there. Technical Under Gear (TUG) products are built to enhance overall rider experience. EVS says that “TUG products features technical details that are designed to integrate seamlessly with protective riding gear for enhanced mobility and all day comfort”. Soft touch KWIK-DRI® fabrics are put in place to wick sweat from skin and help regulate core temperatures”. I will say that I normally DO NOT wear under gear and just go with the ol' under protector and jersey lifestyle, but I thought, hell, why not try something that may keep me cooler when testing here in the desert, these summer months. 

The EVS Core Temperature Regulator Vest is constructed of thin, strategically placed layers of super absorbent polymer that aid in the cooling of your body’s core temperature. Once saturated with water, the polymer is supposed to retain the cold temperature and slowly disperses around your core to keep you cool. There are elastic shoulder attachment loops for race collar compatibility, along with a four way stretch KWIK-DRI-Fabric that is supposed to wick sweat from skin and helps regulate core temperature. Finally there is another four way stretch airflow mesh fabric on the back panels of the vest to aid movement on the bike. 

Test Criteria:

I wanted to really check the longevity of the cooling benefits with EVS CTR Vest so I chose a couple specific hot weather days to test it in. The first day was a long durability motocross test I had to be at, in which temperatures peaked around 92 degrees with 32% humidity (I rode a couple hours “AKA four motos" without the vest on while testing and then rode another couple hours without the vest “four motos"). The second day was a long trail ride with some friends that had me in some canyons and situations that I would rather not discuss. That day the temps peaked around 96 degrees with 18% humidity.

Now before I put on the EVS CTR Vest I let it soak in my cooler for a few minutes (like EVS recommends) and then put it over my body. This is something I will never get used to! HOLY COLD SHOCK! Once you get over the initial shock (around 20-30 seconds) you will really start to feel the benefits of the vest. 

 I will say that I dislike the light shoulder padding built into the vest as I am looking for a minimalist design to hug my shoulders more. With the light padding EVS has sewn into the vest it will ride up over your shoulder rather than hug your body like the rest of the vest does. If you’re putting an under protector on over the CTR vest than you can disregard that comment, but if you're a “no protector” kind of rider, your jersey will look a little bulky around the shoulder neck area. Once you start riding and air starts going through your chest area you will immediately begin to see the cooling benefits. I noticed increased cooling around my body and although the EVS CTR dried a little over the course of two hours (still damp to the touch), my body was still cool against the vest itself. 

Under longer trail riding conditions, the CTR Vest proved to be better than I thought it would be. While we were gone riding over four hours the vest “almost” cooled me down the entire ride. I say “almost” because the last 45 minutes of the 96 degree ride I could feel less cooling benefits from the vest. As I got closer to our camp I could feel myself start to warm up slightly, but I wasn’t over-heating by any means. As I got to the van I peeled off the EVS CTR Vest and noticed it was completely dry, but also still fairly cool to my skin. I managed to do the same trail ride, without the vest, the following week (with temperatures a little cooler), but immediately noticed that I was warm around two hours into the ride. I could actually pinpoint the differences on the trail where I was warmer than the previous week. You will have to be careful when peeling off the vest if still wet as the seams will stretch out and lose its elastic integrity. You may need some help to pull it off so you will not have to stretch out the neck/arm area openings. If they do lose elasticity the vest becomes baggy and uncomfortable to wear.  

For the rider that likes to ride in the hot months of the year and possibly ride longer durations, this EVS CTR Vest could come in handy. For $50.00 it could be a good investment to ensure that you’re not the guy getting over heated in your motos or on long trail rides. I know I have personally left one in my gear bag at all times, just in case I decide to get all gnarly during the summer months. 

2019 Fox V3 Helmet

Fox introduced their updated 2019 V3 last month, but it has taken us a few weeks to get you an actual first impression of the helmet because we actually wanted to ride in it for a while. Call us crazy, but we really like to test products here at Keefer Inc. before opening our mouths. It also seems like a ton of gear companies are coming out with their own helmet technology and that sometimes can be overwhelming for consumers on which one to decide on. We at Keefer Inc. can’t sit here and tell you which one is the best, but what we can do is give you the information about the hemet technology and give you details on fit and performance, but it will be up to you to make the decision on which you feel the most comfortable with. Spending $500.00-$700.00 on a new helmet is a big investment on your part and we are here to help you through it. If you have any further questions about the V3 helmet please email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com as our open door policy is put in place to help you like no other media outlet can. 

Technology: 

Almost every helmet manufacturer is trying to address rotational energy as riders take hits to the ground. There are a few different systems out there and Fox has come up with their own called “Fluid Inside” (or FI). There are seven pods around the inside of the helmet that are filled with a food-grade mineral oil that is supposed to mimic the same type of fluid that is inside your skull (cerebral spinal fluid). Crazy right? Fox claims that with this system, the head is decoupled from the helmet allowing the pods to squish and deform on their own, thereby absorbing rotational and linear energy. The MVRS (Magnetic Visor Release System) has been updated to be more secure than the previous V3 visor. No more of the “NO VISOR GASJER” out there on the track! Seriously, no one likes a bullethead. On the new V3, the visor slots into the top-front of the helmet with a dedicated channel rather than just floating on a round section of the helmet. This keeps the visor from popping off as easy when getting hit with roost, rocks, branches, but still allows it to separate from the helmet if you have a good sized crash. According to Fox, the benefit of the visor breaking away is in the event of a crash, the visor doesn't act as a shovel and add energy transfer to the head and neck area. 

The dual-density Varizorb EPS liner is meant to provide and improve protection by spreading the forces of impact across a wider surface area. A patent-pending chin bar/eye port CAGE is intended to improve energy management in the event of an impact as well. The MCT (Multi Composite Technology) shell construction that blends Carbon and FRP resins are weaved to try and provide a light yet rigid external shell. Injected Mesh vent screens across the helmet are put in place to try and provide superior ventilation and airflow, while maintaining protection from dirt and debris. The removable, washable X-Static® comfort liner and cheek pads are antimicrobial and are put in place to manage odor while work together to wick moisture away from the head. The new V3 meets or exceeds DOT and/or ECE 22.05 standards. 

Criteria: 

I wanted to ride back to back with the older V3 and the new V3 version, so I spent a few weeks going back and forth between the two, switching helmets every moto to pinpoint what was better/worse. We are going to do a full blown helmet shootout very soon to compare a whole mess of helmets, but in the meantime here is how the new V3 feels/performs/ventilates/fits/looks compared to its older sibling. 

On The Head/On The Track: 

The first thing I noticed with the new V3 is that it ventilates a lot better than the older model and to me is the most ventilated helmet that I have tried in quite sometime. The newer V3 helmet has 12 intake and 3 exhaust ports compared to the 14 intake and 4 exhaust ports of the older helmet, but the vents that the new V3 version does have work amazingly well.

The second thing I should mention is that the new V3 fits a little different than the older V3. The newer V3 has a snugger fit around my ears when the helmet sits on my head. Just note that if you’re a medium (like me) the new V3 will fit slightly tighter than the older version on each side of your head. With that being said, I DO NOT feel any hot spots on my head when wearing the V3 for long periods of time as comfort is not an issue. The issue I have mostly comes when taking the helmet off. I really have to spread the V3’s strap/buckles apart to spread the shell out as far as I can so it doesn't rip off my ears when my head is coming out. Getting the helmet on and off was the toughest part for me, to the “fit” of the new V3 

The plushness of the new liner of the V3 feels a little different than its older brother. The old V3 had a nice feeling inside, but over time, as you sweat, then wash, ride, the liner would get less soft (harsher) to my skin. The new V3 is the opposite as I wasn’t impressed with the plushness of the helmet when new, but when I rode in it for a week, washed the liner twice, then wore it, it felt much better than the older V3. Weird I know, but something I thought that was worth mentioning. If you think the liner of the new V3 is not as soft as what you desire, try washing your liner in the sink, let it air dry, and re-install. Thank me later! ( Note: You can wash your liner/cheek pads in the washer, but put it on gentle wash) I will concur that the new V3 liner doesn't stink up to high heaven (after a long hot day) and that it does wick away sweat pretty damn good as well. 

I also wanted to mention the new MVRS is much better this time around. I had two visors blow off of me on the old V3 (once when I had a small wash out in a corner and one on a low hanging tree branch while trail riding), but the new MVRS system seems to be stronger. I had one low side crash through a corner with the new V3 and in that crash the front of the helmet took the brunt of the energy, but the visor stayed in place! Boom! Wiped myself off and continued on while hoping no one caught that lame spill. The bad news is that I don’t think the new V3 comes with an extra visor as I didn't receive one inside my box. Fox’s website also doesn't specify if they put an extra inside the box.

The eye port of the new V3 is improved for me personally. The older V3 eyeport let a ton of roost inside of the helmet and almost felt too large at times. Although I don’t know the exact measurements of each eyeport, the new V3 eyeport feels smaller to me because it doesn't allow roost in as easily, while maintaining a wide enough peripheral to insert large framed goggles. I did a wide peripheral goggle shootout with the V3 helmet and all “Big Three” goggle brands sealed nicely inside the helmet without an issue. 

I get this question a lot… “Kris what about weight? How heavy is it”? The new V3 “feels lighter on my head while riding, but my scales here in the shop say they are the same in weight (3.2 pounds). Is it the lightest feeling helmet I have worn? No, it’s not, but it’s definitely not the heaviest either. I have run across this “weight discrepancy/dilemma” with dirt bikes as well. I have ridden bikes that weigh heavy on the scales, but feel light when I tested them. This is what I also feel with the new V3. So in my personal opinion don’t look so hard on the “numbers”, but pay more attention to what it actually feels like on your head. This should also go hand in hand with other aspects of life. Pay attention to what things feel like rather then be enamored by numbers, dynos, graphs, etc. I know long distance riders (off-road guys) prefer a light feeling helmet, but I think this helmet is good enough for those type of riders. 

Again, I did not have a crash in this V3 helmet, but if you want to listen to someone who did have a big one, go to Donn Maeda’s website swapmotolive.com (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22r2qer2NOo) and you can listen to his testimonial. I always say that helmet technology is a lot like religion in that you will have to go with the one you believe in the most. None of these helmets are going to save you from getting a concussion if you hit hard enough! PLEASE JUST KNOW THIS! All of these new technologies that are popping up will only help our sport get safer and now Fox is doing their part to see this through. 

Last, but not certainly not least my metrosexual side has to kick in here people! If you’re a manly dude and don’t give a shit about looks you can stop reading now. I prefer the new V3 shape/looks much more than the older version. Why? A couple reasons…The new V3’s visor shape is longer, not so stumpy, and even though I can’t adjust the visor, the placement in which Fox put the visor on the helmet is perfect. The front of the helmet has a much more attractive chin bar area and the overall lines of the new V3 to me are much more race inspired than the older V3. Yes, I am 42, but I love the zebra print! You older dudes shouldn’t give a crap and rock the zebra stuff too! Just because it’s loud doesn’t mean you’re too old to rock some of this stuff! I always loved wearing Fox head to toe, but never was completely in love with the older V3 looks when I viewed photos of myself riding in it. The new V3 is sexy and looks much better than the old one. Ok, metrosexual talk is finished now. Thank You.    

Alpinestars SX-1 Youth Knee Protectors

I wasn't even going to do review on this product, but I kept seeing my then 12 year old son going back for these particular set of knee guards (over his knee braces) when getting his gear bag ready for a day of riding. Now I will tell you that I have been on knee braces since I was 16 years old and I prefer the feeling of a knee brace over knee guards, but I understand that some may not feel the same way. 

For those that prefer knee guards or may be interested in some protection for their kid, enter the Alpinestars SX-1 Youth Knee Protectors… The SX-1 Youth Knee Protectors are developed specifically for younger or smaller framed riders. The lightweight SX-1 Youth Knee Protector incorporates CE certified Level 1 protection with advanced polymer hard shells backed with thermoformed foam and a dual pivot system. What exactly is that? Basically it allows the natural movement of your child’s knee. The SX-1 Youth Knee Protectors are perforated for optimized levels of breathability and airflow so he or she will not be sweating up a storm.

The upper and lower frames are constructed from a high performance polymeric material blend for flexibility and strength as well as trying to keep the weight down. Polymer protector plates are perforated to try and allow more ventilation. The shell integrated dual pivot hinge gear system follows the natural movement of the knee and keeps the protector well positioned in all riding positions.

The patella cup is constructed from energy absorbing viscoelastic PU foam that is CE certified to Type A. The patella cup is also backed by soft padding for adaptive fit and breathable air mesh for ventilation and comfort. There is also a high abrasion resistant fabric on the outer central knee-cup area that can reduce the possibility of scratching. 

Now my son is not quite the test rider yet, but I did ask him why he liked these Alpinestars knee guards so much and he gave me four simple answers like only a 12 year old could. His four reasons were: 

1. I can squeeze my bike better with my legs because these guars feel narrower than my braces. (Dad: “Ok, I can understand that”) 

2. My legs don’t feel so heavy when I lift them up through corners. (Dad: “Ok, I can grasp that opinion”)

3. I can wear these when I go to the skate park with my scooter. (Dad: “Ok, I like that you’re thinking on your own”)

4. They are simple to put on and take off. (Dad: Insert face palm emoji here….”Ummmmm… Aden? That is what you call being lazy. It literally may take you 60-90 more seconds to put on your knee brace. COME ON BRO!”)

Ok, so three out of four reason are legit… Now as a parent I will have to admit that I prefer him wearing knee braces (which he is now currently in since he outgrew these SX-1 guards), but for protection at the time he was using the guards, I wasn't worried about his knees getting injured. Knee braces ARE NOT going to completely prevent a knee injury and I think that is a big misconception with a lot of consumers these days. I know a lot of top professional riders that prefer knee guards and have zero knee injuries so to say that knee braces are the end all be all of knee protection is ridiculous. 

These Alpinestars SX-1 guards have seen many hours of riding and plenty of crashes over the course of almost a year. Basically almost a year of nervous novice 85cc riding time is the equivalent of like adding five years of total crashes for me. The SX-1 Youth Guards have held up great and all of the parts on these guards remained intact today. Aden wore the Small/Medium size as he has dad’s chicken legs, but Alpinestars also offer a L/XL to fit youth riders that have more size to them. My son said that they were comfortable and he only had one complaint. His complaint was that the velcro straps would sometimes get hung up on his pant liner (while putting his pants on) so he would have to re-adjust the guards to get them back into place. Once his pants and boots were on, he had no problems with the guards slipping down. I also like that these guards fit into youth sized boots well and aren't too bulky. Another aspect I thought that was interesting is that my son could wear these Alpinestars guards directly on his skin, without anything underneath them, with zero irritation to his skin. That is something I couldn’t do, but he said that the material was soft and that it didn't bother him to do this. With his knee braces he has to wear long socks underneath and that gets him hot.

The downside to these SX-1 knee guards is that they are pricey at $89.95. However, if your child is riding a dirt bike please put some kind of knee protection on them. I can’t explain how many kids I see wearing nothing under their riding pants (to protect their knees) while they are learning how to ride. This is the most important time for them to dress for the crash not the ride. The Alpinestars SX-1 Youth Knee Protectors are a great piece of protection for your child and it’s Aden endorsed. Plus they can wear them while they scooter! This particular set of guards will be handed down to my friends eight year old boy as he is just now starting to get bit by the love of two wheels. #KeepKidsOnDirtBikes 

Wide Peripheral Goggle Shootout

As Matthes and I were driving home from riding one day he suggested that I do a goggle shootout. This sounded like something right up my alley since I have spent so much time in three specific pairs of goggles as of late: The Oakley Airbrake, Scott Prospect, and 100% Armega goggles have seen their fair share of riding time the past few months, so I thought could break down the positives and negatives of each one and compare them against each other. At the time of this test EKS Brand didn’t have their new wide peripheral goggle ready, so that is why they are NOT in this shootout, so don’t yell at me Steve! 

Criteria Breakdown: I went through several helmets while executing this shootout to ensure these goggles fit in the most common North American helmets. Each goggle was worn wearing a Shoei VFX-Evo, Arai VX-Pro4, Alpinestars M10, 6D ATR-2, Fly Formula, Bell Moto 9, and Fox V3. At the bottom of each goggle’s description is a rating for some key categories of each goggle for you to digest as well as pick which one you may like best. The rating chart is a ranking from 1-10. “1” being very poor and “10” being excellent. It’s up to you to decide which one fits your budget and type of riding based on the information that is given. If you have any questions about these goggles please email me at kris@keeferinctestnig.com. As always we keep an open door testing policy. 

Scott Prospect: 

Scott USA has been in the motorsport goggle industry for just over 40 years and have had the Prospect out for a few years now. A complete redesign from their top tier goggle “The Hustle”, the Prospect was in development for nearly two years. Some of the standout features of the Prospect is a polycarbonate lens that is 1mm thick (versus 0.8mm thick like the Oakley Airbrake lens), the Scott lens locking system that consists of four locking pins that secure the lens to the frame of the goggle for safety (instead of feeding the lens into a groove and securing it with tabs), a wider frame, an updated two position outrigger system that did fit a wide range of helmet sizes, a No Sweat 3.2 foam, and a wide strap for optimal grip to the helmet. The lens of the Prospect is not injected molded like the Armega and Airbrake, but still is very tough in its own right. I have yet to have a rock pop any lens out on me over my years of racing/testing, but to say that it can’t happen would be foolish. Having an injected molded lens almost assures that this will NEVER happen.

I am kind of a pain in the ass when it comes to comfort with goggles and the Prospect goggle was the only goggle (out of all three) that took me more time to get used to. Much like a pair of new boots, the Prospect has a unique feel. The way the foam (near the nose area) is cut out doesn't quite wrap around my nose like the other two pairs of goggles.The nose area of the the Prospect is wide and sits more near the bottom of my nose rather than on the bridge. That is exactly why it took some time for me to get used to them. Speaking of the foam however, the No Sweat 3.2 foam against my face feels plush and soaks up enough of my sweat that it doesn’t drip inside the goggle on very hot days in the desert. There was no need to purchase any maxi pads products to add to the top of the goggle’s foam as it soaked up sweat adequately. The field of vision is very similar to the Oakley Airbrake and Armega as the Prospect goggle is as wide as its competitors. It is however not so wide that it didn't fit/seal in the helmets used in this shootout. Compared to the others, the Prospect will ride down almost to the edge of my nose and I have a large nose. Adjusting it to your face is key and I found the best way to get it to ride a little higher up on my nose was to get the goggle strap extra tight and to remove the nose guard that the Prospect comes with. Doing this would allow the goggle to ride a little higher on my face and give me less pressure on the wider part of my nose. It didn’t affect the way it sealed to my face after doing so, but it did take a little longer than usual to find a way to position it correctly. So if you feel like the Prospect is riding a little low on your nose, try tightening the goggle strap a little more than you normally would. 

Changing lenses out on the Prospect is fairly painless, but not better than the 100% or Oakley. You can switch lenses out by popping two locking pins out on top of the frame and two at the bottom. Once those are popped out, the lens comes out easily and I was able to stick another lens in under two minutes, not the fastest, but not horrible! I wore the Prospect on a couple long tests at open tracks days and the four-post tear off design takes a little more of a tug to rip them off. However the way the tear offs lay and fold onto themselves makes it easy NOT to pull more than one at a time. The Scott Prospect tear off design gives you enough tail that you can feel it easily with gloves and rip only one tear off. 

With the Scott Prospect goggle’s pricing (around $80.00 vs. a $160.00 Airbrake) you actually afford a couple pairs. I would also be getting the same wide peripheral vision and almost the same comfort as an Airbrake. I say “almost” because of the low nose area with the Scott’s. The Airbrake and Armega frame fit better to my face (bridge of nose area sets higher up on my nose) and has zero issues with riding low on my nose like the Prospect’s do. However, the Airbrake’s have been known to fog up on me on colder days, but the Prospect’s and Armega’s haven’t. The lens on the Prospect is resilient to getting scratched and is probably the toughest lens in the group. I could wipe the Prospect lens with my glove while riding and it wouldn’t get nearly as scratched as an Airbrake and Armega lens.

For around $80.00 I would consider this a very good goggle for the price. The field of vision, the comfort of the foam against my face, ease of finding the end of the tear off to pull efficiently, and the lack of fogging makes it a great purchase. Setting up the goggle to fit up to your face might take you a couple rides to get comfy, but once you do you will agree that this is the best goggle Scott USA has made yet.

Goggle Price: $80.00

Bonus Lens: Yes

Replacement Lens Price: $10.00

Weight: 138 Grams

Fogging Issues: No

Laminate Tear Off’s: Yes

Rating Chart:

Ease Of Replacing Lenses: 5

Lens Clarity: 7

Field Of Vision: 9

Fitment In Helmet: 8

Foam Feel/Absorption: 8

Overall Comfort/Fit On Face: 6

Ease Of Ripping Tear Offs: 9

Positives:

• Lens toughness

• Great price for a wide peripheral goggle

• Sweat absorption

Negatives: 

• Not the quickest for replacing lenses

• Fit takes some time to get used to

• 10 or more tear off’s clarity/vision is distorted more than Airbrake

100% Armega:

I will be the first one to admit that the older 100% goggles were not my “go to” goggles. They pinched my nose and the clarity of the lens wasn't my favorite. The new Armega goggle has changed my thought process about grabbing a pair to ride with for the week.The 3D modeled lens – this is a polycarbonate material that is specifically designed to have zero optical distortion. There are no imperfections in these lenses which means you can focus on the imperfections on the track instead. Furthermore, their premium lens offering is called HiPER technology which helps contrast red/blue/green color spectrums to really enhance what you are looking at. The best way for me to summarize this is that it almost feels like polarized sunglasses – what you are looking at just seems to pop more. Part of their marketing for the Armega goggle is “Ultra HD Vision” – now I’m not quite sure what to make of that slogan, but know that you might only really notice this HD vision when wearing an Armega goggle that has the HiPER lens in it. This lens technology is however still just behind the Oakley Airbrake Prizm lens in clarity. When wearing a stack of 14 laminate tear offs on the Armega lens, it does become clear that the Airbrake is the favorite when it comes to stacking tear offs for a long moto.

The ventilation system they designed for the Armega is also interesting. There are two induction ports on either side of the nose guard that help force air into the frame of the goggle. This air is funneled right into the foam layers (which are perforated by the way) with the intentions of eventually reaching your face. 100% had the goal of maximizing airflow for hot days and also for the cold days – because on the cold days, the more air you have flowing inside the goggle, the less likely they are to fog up. The Armega is the best no fog goggle in the group, so if you’re a cold rider weather rider these goggles would be my first choice. To tie this ventilation design together, they integrated a sweat channel into the upper part of the frame. This channel forces your sweat away from the lens and out of the goggle on either side of the frame. This is something that I got to test a little while racing the past couple weeks and I can tell you that sweat still in deed does find its way into the inside of my lens. Although it didn't distort vision while racing, you could visually see the perspiration on the lens itself. There isn't a goggle in this shootout that eliminates sweat completely from dripping inside your lens. The Armega does it very well, but DOES NOT eliminate it completely. 

The Armega goggle has the second best lens clarity of the bunch and resistance to scratching is very good (much better than that of the Airbrake). Most importantly the nose area of the Armega fits my big ass nose well and doesn’t leave a pinching sensation or blisters like their old goggle did. The foam is soft to the skin and fits in every helmet I tested, which I can appreciate because I wear so many different types of lids when performing bangers for social media. Changing the lens is also much easier than the Prospect and on par with the Airbrake so that is a welcome addition to the Armega. The pricing of the Armega is $120.00 (with the HiPER lens) so it’s slightly more expensive than the Prospect. Without the HiPER lens (clear) the cost goes down $20.00. If you’re wondering, yes, the clear lens to me is still very HD like. 

Goggle Price: $120.00

Bonus Lens: No

Replacement Lens Price: $25.00 clear $55.00 HiPER Red Mirror 

Weight: 141 Grams

Fogging Issues: No

Laminate Tear Off’s: Yes

Rating Chart:

Ease Of Replacing Lenses: 8

Lens Clarity: 8

Field Of Vision: 9

Fitment In Helmet: 8

Fitment On Face: 8

Foam Feel/Absorption: 9

Overall Comfort/Fit On Face: 8

Ease Of Ripping Tear Offs: 6

Positives:

• Lens clarity

• Fit/Feel

• Sweat absorption

Negatives: 

• Sticky tear off posts

• Feels heavier than other goggles

• Price of HiPER lens 

Oakley Airbrake:

Oakley took a different approach to the goggle market when developing the Airbrake goggle back in 2013. They used different technology and put a pricepoint out there that most consumers just disregarded. In fact, I was one of those people! There was no way I could justify spending $160-200 bucks on a pair of goggles. Fast forward to today and wide peripheral, rigid frame, higher priced, HD lens goggles are the norm. Hence this shootout! The beauty of the Airbrake is the speed of changing lenses and clarity of the lens technology. The Switchlock system is the best in the shootout and really relieves any headache of several lens changes. There are two lugs that center the lens on the frame and the levers lock it in place, that’s it! The PRIZM technology is similar to 100%’s HiPER technology and are very similar looking when riding, but comparing clear lens to clear lens the Oakley Airbrake simply has more clarity. Vision and field of view are also the best in class. I get a slightly wider peripheral view when riding, but it’s only very minimal and may not be noticed by others, but since I have had so many back to back days with all of these goggles, I can nitpick this a little more. The Oakley’s frame fits into all the helmets we tested in and sealing was never an issue. The face foam is comfortable as well as thick that can soak up a good amount of sweat before dripping into the lens. Yes, they still drip into the lens! 

The ventilation on hot days is superb, but on colder days the lens has a tendency to fog up the worst of any goggle in the shootout. I also notice that my eyes get watery on faster tracks due to the amount of airflow that come through the vents. This could be where the ports are placed on the frame and flow the air into my face. This was only felt on extreme fast GP style tracks. Do yourself a favor and possibly seal the vents with a light coating of baby oil if you’re riding dusty or very fast conditions to keep your eyes from watering. On normal motocross style tracks this was a non-issue.  

The lens itself is very delicate and can’t take much abuse. I seem to scratch both  PRIZM and clear lenses easier on the Oakley Airbrake than the Armega or Prospect. You will have to make sure to leave a tear off on the lens of the Airbrakes if you want to extend the life. The overall fit and feel of the Airbrake feels lighter and more compact even though the numbers on paper don’t say much. Lastly, let’s cut to the large elephant in the room shall we… The price! At $160.00-200.00 they are the most expensive in the shootout and that is a turn off with consumers. However, if you’re looking for the best feel against your face and lens clarity that is second to none then this goggle is the ticket. If you’re an off-road guy that rides slower terrain in colder conditions this wouldn’t be my first choice, due to the fogging issues I have had (even with a no fog cloth). 

Goggle Price: $160.00-$200.00

Bonus Lens: No

Replacement Lens Price: $25.00 clear $50.00 PRIZM lens

Weight: 135 Grams

Fogging Issues: No

Laminate Tear Off’s: Yes

Rating Chart:

Ease Of Replacing Lenses: 9

Lens Clarity: 9

Field Of Vision: 9

Fitment In Helmets: 9

Fitment On Face: 9

Foam Feel/Absorption: 9

Overall Comfort/Fit On Face: 9

Ease Of Ripping Tear Offs: 8

Positives:

• Simple to swap lens out

• Fit/Feel

• Clarity with several tear offs installed

Negatives: 

• Lens scratches easily 

• Price

• Fogging issues

100% Armega Goggle First Impression

By: Dominic Cimino

Over here at Keefer Inc. its pretty well known how much we love wearing the Oakley Airbrake goggle. Plain and simple, we feel that this could be the best offering on the market for performance, comfort, and style. Fast forward to this past week when 100% decided to throw a wrench into that goggle train by introducing their new Armega - a completely new offering by the highest selling goggle brand in the industry. At first glance, the Armega is damn sexy and we are excited to really put it through the paces in the upcoming weeks of testing. This read is a quick shakedown after the press introduction held at a private ranch… somewhere down by Mexico. 

No need to bore you with every minute detail of this goggle, because I’m sure by now you have possibly read about it since Wednesday. But I would definitely like to highlight the important traits that really stand out. First off, the 3D modeled lens - this is a polycarbonate material that is specifically designed to have zero optical distortion. In laymen terms, “I can see clearly now the rain is gone…”. Joking, but really - the field of vision is really damn clear. There are no imperfections in these lenses which means you can focus on the imperfections on the track instead. Furthermore, their premium lens offering is called HiPER technology which helps contrast red/blue/green color spectrums to really enhance what you are looking at. The best way for me to summarize this is that it almost feels like polarized sunglasses - what you are looking at just seems to pop more. Part of their marketing jargon for the Armega goggle is “Ultra HD Vision” - now I’m not quite sure what to make of that slogan, but know that you might only really notice this HD vision when wearing an Armega goggle that has the HiPER lens in it.

Another key feature that stands out is the ventilation system they designed for the Armega. There are two induction ports on either side of the nose guard that help force air into the frame of the goggle. This air is funneled right into the foam layers (which are perforated by the way) with the intentions of eventually reaching your face. 100% had the goal of maximizing airflow for hot days and also for the cold days - because on the cold days, the more air you have flowing inside the goggle, the less likely they are to fog up. To tie this ventilation design together, they integrated a sweat channel into the upper part of the frame. This channel forces your sweat away from the lens and out of the goggle on either side of the frame. This is a pretty cool feature that I really want to dive into more now that summer is approaching. During the press ride day, I was able to log a pretty decent moto to where I did actually break a sweat. When returning to my truck and removing the Armega, I noticed that the face foam was still wet - just like any other goggle I’ve worn after a solid 20+ mins. Maybe I didn’t sweat enough for those channels to actually be put to work, but I will definitely try again when we start nearing 100 degrees in SoCal. 

Lastly, the overall comfort of this new goggle is really nice. The foam is super plush and it feels good when wearing it. The field of vision is plenty wide, as is the actual strap itself, and the goggle just has a solid feel to it. The lens is built well and snaps into place in the Armega frame very securely. There is very little flex which promotes safety and the security of knowing nothing will become dislodged from an impact. In regard to the lens locking system - it is definitely convenient to change lenses, but honestly the Oakley set up is still way more efficient. In addition, I feel the Oakley Airbrake frame sits wider and more flush against my face than the Armega does, but than again, I’ve only had one day riding in this new product. And if you want to continue comparing apples to apples, this new 100% Armega goggle with the premium HiPER lens lands on the shelf priced at $120 - a complete steal when comparing this to our preferred goggle of choice. 100% is onto something with the Armega and we look forward to punishing this goggle more in the upcoming weeks. Please hit me with any questions you might have (dominic@KeeferIncTesting.com). Thank you for reading!

Second Opinion: I am a big pain in the ass when it comes to goggles. I love wide peripheral vision and am used to that Oakley Airbrake lens clarity. Now I only have a couple days (four 30 minute motos) under my belt with the Armega’s, but I have some thoughts for you. The Armega goggle has the clarity of the Airbrake lens and even when using 14 laminate tear offs, the clarity is so much better than that of a standard lexan lens. Most importantly the nose area of the Armega fits my big ass nose well and doesn’t leave a pinching sensation or blisters like their old goggle did. The foam is soft to the skin and absorbs sweat well, which I can appreciate on these long hot humid days we’ve been having up here in the desert. Ventilation seems to be on par with the Airbrake and taking the lens on and off is very painless. So far I have been enjoying my time in these goggles, but will get you more of a durability report very soon. -Kris Keefer

Hidden Gems (Klim Scramble Pak)

By: Michael Allen

For the second installment of “Hidden Gems” let me tell you about a piece of gear that goes everywhere with me, even if it means staying put in my gear bag while I moto. The Klim Scramble Pak has quickly become my fanny pack of choice over the years as I have tried many different brands, but never found one as comfortable/useful. My personal requirements for a fanny pack are simple: it can hold at least the basics (rag, wrenches, plyers, tow strap, crescent wrench, wire, zip ties, random bolts and nuts, quick steel etc), have a few different pouches, and most of all be comfortable! 

After years of trying different fanny packs, I came across the Klim when I was at Dirt Rider Magazine and we were going out for an off-road photo shoot. In these shoots most of the time it’s made to look like the rider is fully off-road when in actuality all the camelbaks and fanny packs are empty. After wearing the empty Scramble Pak, I was impressed with how padded the sides were and asked if I could keep it to test for a more long term useful opinion. The most uncomfortable part of fanny packs are the side straps that go around the waist which is where the Klim pack shines. The side straps have large pouches that are padded on the inside and actually hold a good amount of stuff comfortably. I usually put zip ties, a microfiber rag, my cell phone, and usually a snack in the side strap pouches. Even with the pouches full they never pinched my sides or gave me any hot spots. 

The main portion of the pack is large and has a place for pretty much everything. The base of the pack has large elastic loops that hold down tools like plyers, Co2 cartridges and screw drivers. The base also has a mesh zippered pouch where I like to keep quick steel, duct tape and bailing wire. The second flap has more elastic loops that hold smaller wrenches and other various tools. The third flap has a clear zippered pouch which is where I keep random hardware and a master link for trailside fixes. The main pouch closes with a zipper, Velcro, and two buckles, which keeps everything nice and secure. On the sides of the outermost flap there are now two places to put water bottles (mine is an older model which doesn’t have these) which is a nice feature if you need to take some extra water for those really long rides. 

The Klim Scramble Pak has held up so well after five years of abuse. It goes with me on every trail ride as well as always being in my gear bag in case I need something when I’m at the track (yes, I’ve had to help moto guys with “things” that came straight out of my fanny pack). The only small problem I’ve had with it was my own fault… I put my quick steel in the clear pouch and it got smashed into the zipper, so now the zipper is partially bonded closed. Shit! So if you aren’t worried about matching your fanny pack with your gear brand (come on off-road guys, we don’t care) go take a look at the Klim Scramble pack, because although most Klim stuff is expensive, at $69.99 (https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/klim-scramble-pak-p) it’s a great deal!

Fly Racing Women's Lite Gear

Editors Note: Jeannine Labbe and I have emailed back and forth for sometime and she recently reached out to see if I would like a women’s opinion on a few things. As I take pride in being a well rounded testing site, I agreed to let her evaluate a set of Women’s gear for all you lady riders out there. I only gave her one condition however… She had to be brutally honest with her findings. Below is Jeannine’s honest review of the Fly Racing Women’s Lite set of gear.

By Jeannine Labbe:

Finding a high end set of women’s gear is hard to do. Finding a high end set of women’s gear with clean colorways (or even more than one) is nearly impossible. FLY Racing’s Women’s Lite racewear checks both boxes, so, when Keefer offered to let me do a review for Keefer, Inc. Testing, I jumped at the chance. 

After receiving the Women’s Lite gear in Blue/Hi-Vis, we headed out to Little Sahara State Park for a few days of riding in it. Little Sahara has nice mix of dunes and sand trails, so it afforded me the chance to see how the gear worked when riding at speed, when shifting positions on the bike for steep hills, when transitioning from standing to sitting and back again through the trails, and even how well gear holds up to running through bushes and tree branches. 

The first thing that I noticed after putting on the gear is that it is really comfortable. Like wearing a favorite set of soft pajamas comfortable. The materials are soft against the skin and the overall feeling is really light. I typically change out of my riding gear between rides, but kept the FLY Women’s Lite gear on all day just for this review. I’d put in on before our first ride of the day and not take it off until after sunset, well after our last ride, when the temps dropped into hoodie territory. I must also say that I’m also a huge fan on the clean lines and colors of this gear set. The subtle addition of the darker shades of blue on the front provides nice visual contrast while also providing some camouflage if your belly is not as flat as you might want it to be. 

The Women’s Lite jersey features multi-panel construction with raglan sleeves, a tag-less v-neck Lycra collar, an extended tail, mesh ventilation panels down the sides and the inside of the arms, shorty cuffs, and sublimated graphics. The sublimated FLY Racing graphic is well placed to not look weird across the bust line, as can happen when graphics don’t span most of the length of a shirt or jersey. The choice of hi-vis on the blue colorway for the mesh inserts provides a pop of color, but it has the downside of being like a highlighter for belly bulges.

FLY refers to the jersey’s fit as women’s pro-fit. It has a slimmer fit with a cut that complements a woman’s curves. The sizing is close to being spot on, but might run just a bit large. I’m 5’3”, 145 lbs, and carrying about 15 extra pounds of baby weight (despite the “baby” having just turned 4). I fall between a medium and large, a problem I frequently have in street clothes, too. The medium jersey fit, but showed off my extra curves, so I opted for a large. It’s a bit loose, but not baggy. If you are considering two sizes, I’d suggest going for the smaller size if you are trim or don’t mind showing some bulges and going for the larger size if you prefer to better hide your imperfections. The v-neck is small enough to keep most of the roost out, but large enough to not feel tight. Sleeve length was nearly perfect for me, so it could be a bit short if you have longer arms, particularly if you wear a smaller jersey.

The Women’s Lite pant features a lightweight minimalist design, a ventilated mesh liner, 90% stretch panel construction, pre-shaped knees, leather heat shields, adjustable waist belts, leg cuffs with a removable elastic band, and sublimated graphics. The knees have a low profile padding in them that should provide some abrasion resistance and resistance against knee braces rubbing through. I don’t wear knee braces, but the knees are roomy enough that you should be able to run them without them getting bound up in the pants. 

As with jersey, the pants run fairly true to size, but a tad on the large size. I wear a size 10 jean and they are typically a little loose. The 9/10 Women’s Lite pants are very loose. The 7/8 pants fit, but looked like yoga pants. Since I didn’t feel comfortable wearing bright blue yoga pants on a dirt bike, I opted for the 9/10. As with the jersey, if you are between sizes and on the thin side, you’ll probably want to opt for the smaller size. If you opt for a larger size, the side belts gives you the ability to really cinch down the waist. I love the waist belt design. The belts just pull forward and attach with Velcro. They are much faster and easier to use than the old style where you run the belt back and then pull them forward through a loop. Their soft and low profile design is much more comfortable when you lean over, too. The pants also feature my favorite motocross pant closure system of a zipper covered by a Velcro tab. It’s quick to use and low profile. The pants sit below the waist and are fairly short in the crotch. They come with removable hip pad that have large holes in them to allow maximum air flow. The pants have enough stretch that the pads do not affect the fit, but they do add odd looking bulges so I opted to not wear them. The interior of the waistband has silicone grips that grab well enough to be uncomfortable if you try to untuck your jersey between rides.

The pants feel very light. The leather heat shields feel heavy relative to the rest of the pants, but that feeling goes away when you put on boots, which support most of the weight. The mesh liner, which goes to the knees, is soft and comfortable and its hi-vis color actually shows through the pants, giving the top of the pants a slightly more yellow color than the jersey. The pant legs, with their slim fit, lightweight material at the back, and mesh at the front, fit very comfortably into my Alpinestars Tech 7 boots. With my short legs and large pants size, I did have to pull the pant legs up and hold them in place with my boots to get the knee in the correct area. This didn’t cause any comfort or performance issues, though.

The FLY Women’s Pro Lite glove is a minimalist glove with a perforated Clarino palm and heart-shaped silicone grips on the first two fingers. The material on the back is form-fitting, stretchy, and features the same light to dark color pattern as the jersey. Clarino material wraps around the back of the thumb and a Velcro closure allows you to tighten the fit around your wrist if needed.

The gloves are a bit difficult to pull on. The opening is small enough on my size 6 (small) gloves that the Velcro closure is redundant. The unpadded palm is a bit thick for my taste, but only because I have small hands and run small diameter grips or half waffle grips with the waffles removed. The thickness of the Clarino on the palms made the grips feel large and ultimately made my arms pump up. After fighting it for a couple half hour rides, I finally had to switch to my thinner Thor Void gloves. I wanted to get in more a durability test on the gloves, but needed to be able ride for more than a few minutes at a time. 

The pants/jersey retained their comfortable nature on the bike and they didn’t restrict movement. The sleeves of the jersey stayed in place without being tight around the wrists. The pants didn’t catch on the shrouds and didn’t pull when moving my legs forward or up, which I appreciated. My one gripe is that, after an hour or so of riding, the pants stretched out enough that they started to pull down a bit in back in situations where I slid back on the seat. My hips kept me from worrying about them actually falling down, but it was a bit annoying. However, even with the pants pulling down a bit, the jersey stayed nicely tucked in. This could be because the tail is long enough, or it could be product of me being very short-waisted and wearing a larger jersey. The leather heat shields on the interior of pant legs did their job to protect my legs from the hot head pipes the couple times that I low-sided and ended up under the bike. 

While the neckline was high enough to keep the roost out, the mesh inserts allowed in plenty of sand. It was windy out, so most of the sand might have from crosswinds rather than roost, but, regardless, I had a decent amount of sand on my back by the end of the day, which can be common with most jerseys. 

I was impressed by the ventilation of the gear. The temperature never got extremely hot, but I remained comfortable in nearly 80 degree weather. When riding at speed in a standing position, the pants flow a surprising amount of air. I usually ride in TLD GP Air pants with mesh inserts and the air flow was almost comparable. The jersey breathes well, but it doesn’t perform as well as the pants do when compared to a full mesh model. On the flip side, when the temps dropped into the low 60’s in the evening, I didn’t need to change jerseys or add a jacket as I often need to with fully vented gear.

Durability is mixed bag, though mostly good. I somehow got a snag on finger of one glove before I had even started riding. The mesh inserts of the jersey also snag easily. However, the pants and the rest of the jersey held up well to repeatedly brushing up against bushes on the trails. At one point, I even broke a 1” diameter branch with my forearm although my arm was scratched and bruised you can’t even tell that the jersey took a big hit. The pants and the non-mesh sections of the jersey don’t show any sign of the repeated bush strikes neither. Another minor issue is that the stitching has started to stretch out a bit on the sides of the knees and on the shoulders where my chest protector and my Camelbak hit. I don’t know that the jersey would have this issue without the Camlbak, so if you are just riding moto, you would likely not see the issue there. Regardless, it’s minor, but you can just see the stitches; they don’t appear to be pulling out.

Overall, I love the FLY Women’s Lite Racewear. It will be my new go to gear in all but the hottest and most humid weather. I hope to do a follow-up review on its long term durability and the hot weather performance. It could prove to even be my favorite hot weather gear.

The Women’s Lite pant retails for $149.95, the Women’s Lite jersey for $38.95, and the Women’s Pro Lite glove for $29.95. In addition to Blue/Hi-Vis, the gear is available in White/Black and Neon Pink/Black. Over the boot pants are available in White/Black and Neon Pink/Black for $114.95.

If you have any questions, get them to Keefer and I’ll be happy to answer them. And a special thanks to Kris and Keefer, Inc. Testing for giving me the opportunity to review the FLY Women’s Lite racewear.