I’ve done a lot of research and testing on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Motorcycle riding and I wanted to share what I’ve learned.
What has been the most frustrating part of PPE is buying a sub-par product and then later having that sub-par money go to waste. Cry once, but love the gear once you’ve mostly forgotten the high cost of a quality/near-lifetime product.
Generally, I have absolutely loved all the klim gear I’ve purchased!
LESSONS LEARNED:
- Boots, I bought $100 boots from cyclegear because I told the clerks I’m old and I don’t ride aggressively. My first set of boots lasted 3-4 rides and I rip’d the sole off the boots. Cyclegear was awesome and let me exchange them for a new set, which didn’t last long. So, I went back and after a lot of research got the alpinestars tech7 enduro. At over $350, I questioned if I really could justify such expensive MC boots. Well, after several years and hundreds of prevented broken bones, I LOVE my tech7 and feel they are worth every penny.
- My son broke a toe on some cheapo boots. Cost him a week off of work!
- A friend of mine broke his leg about 5pm and we didn’t get him to the hospital until 10pm. He had sub-par boots! After the broken leg, it was very clear he had the wrong boots.
- I bought the ARC battle born jacket and pants. Jack’d up the zipper and replaced them and then returned them after a warranty exchange. I would NOT get the ARC pants. Even the jacket, which I liked for years is just too freaking hot unless its winter time.
- $30 knee protection. After so many close calls and even limping from sprained knees I FINALLY found a solution for knee protection! I will cover those under recommended gear! It just didn’t seem right. $350 boots, $600 helmet, $700 airbag vest…and $30 knee protection. I’m so glad I pondered it and could proactively see the costs of a knee injury and bought one of THE best knee protections available (cost is no object, I want THE best).
- Blit mesh jacket, I’ve had one and lent it out to many friends to use on rides. My buddy bought one and on the Idaho BDR messed up his shoulder, which impacted his sleep and our ability to ride the trails we wanted to ride. I wish we’d both had the klim jacket, that held the shoulder pads in the correct place. The shoulder pad did him no good because it shifted out of the way!
- $40 rain pants, shredded in 2 of 3 days of rain. Almost worthless. Once they started to rip, they flap’d in the wind and I finally started cutting a little off until it was up to my knee!
Recommended Gear
Much of this gear I use for dual-sport AND adventure motorcycling.
BOOTS: Alpine Starts tech7 or tech10! Tech7 are some of the most comfortable MC boots. VERY broken in and they still squeak. My tech7 has prevented hundreds of broken bones in my foot/ankle and lower leg! I’ve limped for a week after a wreck, but my boots saved me from breaking. I’ve had my bike trap my foot, but no pain. Water resistent to me, means it does NOT breath well. But I’ve suffered in wet/cold boots for many days and it is NOT fun. I will have some goretex boots before I head to Alaska summer 2021.
JACKET: Unless it is winter, I’m always HOT. So I purchased the KLIM Baja S4. S4 is stretch 4 directions and most of the jacket is mesh. https://amzn.to/2GXqfpP
I finally figured out, MESH for everything because I run “hot” and if it is cold, then use a rain jacket/pants over the mesh jacket/pants!
https://amzn.to/2Ifb7Vz (Klim Enduro s4 pants!) The s4 pants seems almost “Thomas proof” and they stretch over my size 13 boots and I can put them on without removing my motorcycle boots!
My crf1000l blocks so much wind, that in the summer time I cook! I have to stand up to get any air flow, which is awesome when its cold! I plan to get a smaller windscreen that I can adjust up/down.
Mesh armored shirt!: OMG, I love this shirt for off road adventures! It has similar to d30 molecular armor that softens. This is one of my all time fav PPE! https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/moose-racing-xc1-body-armor-p. (Dual sport only – not adventure/street)
PANTS: Mesh for normal riding and rain gear to block the wind when its cold/wet. I looked at the Baja s4 pants, but I did not like the zippered pocket, so I went with Mojave mesh. https://amzn.to/30Vlft3 I have several versions of Mojave pants. Inside the boot, outside the boots. Inside the boots does NOT have pockets for d3o molecular armor in the hips.
For colder days, the KLIM Dakar Pant https://amzn.to/30TrIVj
If I was starting over with pants, I think I’d do the Baja s4 because the material is so strong/tough, yet mesh. If it is 72 degrees and sunny, I want MESH! If it is below 50 degrees, I’ll put on rain pants/jacket to block the wind.
Airbag vest:
I’ve watched videos of someone hitting a dirt wall at about 70 mph and the best saving his “neck”. I purchased the helite turtle 2 vest > https://amzn.to/34OCRba
If I was doing this again, I think I’d buy the Klim (so long as I could use it off road and the bouncing didn’t trigger the airbag. But you got to pay a subscription, ensure the battery gets charged. https://amzn.to/33MvnpL
Do you forget to tether to the bike, or does the high-tech mess you up, including dead battery?
Having the airbag vest, has made it possible for my wife to greenlight my road adventures, before that it was solely off road adventures.
ADVTIP: I put my airbag vest over my seat at night in case it rains!
HYDRATION PACK!
You MUST have a hydration bag, this is likely your most important PPE!
Here are my two fav hydration items:
CamelBak H.A.W.G. LR 20 Hydration Pack
If you like the idea of refilling your bladder without removing it from your pack, I suggest one of these: Source Tactical Universal Tube Adapter for Hydration Systems
HELMET: Arai XD4 Helmet
I must say, I’ve really enjoyed my xd4 the past 6+ months. However, if I was buying again, I’d get a lighter helmet! https://www.klim.com/Krios-Pro-Helmet-ECE-DOT-3610-000
5 days of 10 hours a day, you will pay whatever it takes to have a lighter helmet!
KNEE PROTECTION:
OMG, to me knees are fragile and oh so painful after injury. I ran cross country in high school and I’ve suffered since then with knee pain.
TODAY, was my first ride with, what I believe to be the best knee protection and just as good a custom medical device. I road for 4 hours straight on road and dirt trails that were challenging (climbs/decent/ river crossings, extremely loose) and the Carbon Cell performed excellently. I forgot I had them except a few times when I was like, I can’t believe how comfortable these knee braces are!
Asterisk Carbon Cell is lightweight, non-bulky, provides extreme impact and twisting protection. Not over extending and having a tether to your boots so the twisting is drastically reduced is priceless.
What I love about the Carbon Cell knee brace
- comfortable! otherwise I may not wear it all the time!
- I took it out of the box, put it on and went for a ride..for 4 hours. No micro-adjusting for hours.
- non-bulky
- lightweight.
- protects from knee twisting and injury!
- protects against impact
- Does not feel like an upside down turkey, trying to squeeze my gas tank.
KNEE BRACE RESOURCES:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tya_CZ6uSHM&ab_channel=SwapmotoLive
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sy7ZHABwIE&ab_channel=RockyMountainATVMC
- How to install the anti-rotational boot tether to reduce injury from twisting. https://vimeo.com/103764036
BE PROACTIVE, BUY KNEE PROTECTION BEFORE YOU ARE INJURED, NOT AFTER!
Do you really think those $30 knee pads are going to save you!?
GLOVES:
WIP – I’m still searching for gloves that I like. I think buying a summer set and a winter set is the way to go. Likely will be klim!
NECK GATORs:
Keep the sun off your neck, soak it in a river/lake for cooling! Here is my fav: https://touratech-usa.com/store/Backcountry-Discovery-Routes-Balaclava
For winter, my all time fav winter gator: https://www.cyclegear.com/gear/freeze-out-warmr-balaclava?sku_id=1331087
Don’t be tempted and buy something other than freeze-out, they block the wind so well and you can wear them in so many different configurations.
EYE PROTECTION:
You MUST protect your eyes! I’ve had several close calls of going into trees with deadly sharp branches. One of my friends had a branch go into his head, resulting in a very life threatening injury!
I hate the goggles, they always slip down my nose when doing aggressive downhill.
Unless its super dusty, I don’t wear the typical MC goggles.
Motorcycle Riding Glasses Black Frame is my fav.
One is none, two is one!
Given limited size & weight on motorcycles, there is almost no gear that I have two of except two lighters, two sunglasses, two headlights & two pairs of gloves.
I’ve really been loving this headlamp: https://amzn.to/3dh0VqW I like that it is re-chargable, is freak’n bright. I think if your bike doesn’t have a headlight, you could use this off road at night and be ok. If anyone has ideas on how to get it to attach to a helmet let me know. After a crash or broke down bike, having the red flashing lights would be super beneficial.
