-----------------------------AC Gear Review---------------------------------

Summer is on our heels and will very soon be upon us.With it comes those balmy evenings, the chance of summer love, late sunsets, moonlit strolls in the park, bbq’s in the back yard, and dusty, dry dirt. Another thing summer brings is heat, lot’s of it. The kind of heat that seems to suck the life right out of your body, leaving you weak with your pulse exploding through your head inside your helmet as you shake your gloves off to get your fingers free to remove the chin strap. Wearing a full set of riding gear that is made from the latest high-tech nylon (nearly 100% polyester) is about as smart as wrapping your self in cellophane or one of those nifty weight loss suits… Great for sweating, but not so great for feeling comfortable. Lucky for MX and off-road rider there are some options available to help try and beat the heat. The following pages show three options worth taking a good look at if you plan to do any riding in temperatures above 75 degrees.

We will start with gear from SHIFT. This is the gear you want if you are looking for something with a investment. Since SHIFT makes a jersey that is fully vented and doesn’t make a pant you only need to buy the jersey to get into the Shift AC gear. They sent us their Strike Race Pant to go with their Air Strike Jersey which is made from 100% polyester vented mesh fabric for maximum air-flow with fade resistant sublimated graphics, 2-piece Lycra inset collar, and a low profile rib cuff for unrestricted movement. The pant is made from nylon and polyester for durability with a 4-way stretch panel in the crotch, cuffs at the ankles with articulted lated waist and knees that conform to the rider in the attack position. Leather on the inner right knee panel and nylon on the left for heat and abrasion resistance. Waist closure is through an adjustable ratchet system.This gear was great! We all really liked the simple, clean lines and good fit. The knees don’t give as much space for knee braces so you will want to bring your braces with you when you are trying these on to buy.

AXO makes a complete set of vented gear. They sent us their Beater Jersey along with their Sub Zero vented pants. The pants have leather on the inside of both knees. If you haven’t worn pants with this feature you really should. It will change the way you ride. Polly mesh thighs, slip fit rear yoke, pre curved knees and a silky inner liner. Waist closure is through an adjustable ratchet system. The Jersey has an endless collar for reduced irritation, smooth chest and shoulder materials so there is no chaffing on your nipples. Both are made with light color sublimations to reflect heat. The jersey also has little rubber grippy dots at the bottom of the back so it stays neatly tucked in. We felt this gear looked the best out of the bunch. It has bold graphics, with bright colors and clean lines with a superb fit. The ventilation was fantastic, keeping our testers cool while offering a high level of protection.

Next up is the vented gear from THOR These guys take AC very seriously! The jersey is all mesh construction with small logos, small cuffs, and a micro collar, padded elbows, rolled v-neck collar with roost flap. Open-hole mesh above cuffs and back panel for increased airflow, they also have the tacky silicone tail print to keep the jersey from rising and it is available in youth sizes. The pant is extremely light weight, 2 lbs to be exact, in fact it’s like you are wearing nothing when you put them on. They come with full grain leather on the inner knees, 3-accordian flex ballistic knee panels, a ratchet style waist closure, air chamber panels for maximum airflow and cooling. A dura-poly butt panel for extra durability and spandura stretch panels with vented side spandex weave.This gear is the ultimate in cooling, you feel airflow just standing in them and when you get rolling it feels like you are wearing your B-day suit. If you are riding anywhere with temperatures above 100 degrees, don’t go without the THOR gear.