MX Pants - Selecting the Right Option

Selecting a good pair of dirt bike pants doesn't seem like a difficult decision. All you need to do is find some pants in your budget, and then choose the nicest looking pair. But it's harder than it seems. MX pants differ in terms of shape, style and colors. Abrasion resistance, as well as durability, are all important parts of selecting the right pants. We'll cover all of the criteria to evaluate so you can select the best pair of pants for you and you alone.

MX Pants Safety

Pants safety comes down to three criteria: materials, what sort of incorporated protection they have, and how well they adapt to added padding.

You'll find pants in a variety of different materials, each with its own pros and cons. Leather provides good abrasion resistance, but can be very warm. Perforated leather provides an enhancement in airflow, but it comes at the cost of durability. Cordura is permeable and offers good abrasion resistance, but is somewhat inflexible so may not give you a perfect fit. Kevlar provides greater protection, but is often more expensive.

Many pants have built-in knee or hip pads for added safety. Sometimes called "panels", these are reinforced sections that provide additional durability but won't provide as much protection as additional body armor. If you'll be sporting any type of additional knee guards, ensure that the pants can fit those.

Safety is clearly one of the most important factors in choosing MX pants so you should spend extra time on this one.

Fit

You'll need pants that provide an adaptable, flexible and snug fit.

A snug fit is key since you don't want material flapping around and dragging you down. Spandex is a good choice for this, although Spandura provides the grip of Spandex with several of the shielding attributes of Cordura.

You'll need a flexible fit so you can move liberally without being held back by your pants. search for elastic stretch panels within joints that flex as you move.

If varying environmental conditions require you to add or remove protective panels, consider an adjustable fit, which will also allow room for gear such as a kidney belt and boots.

Durability of Dirt Bike Pants

Because you may spend a fair amount of money on pants, you'll need them to last. Look for pants that offer triple stitches on seams. This permits the pants to sustain some measure of damage without tearing. Note the kind of fabric used in the rear and the knees -- these two areas receive the heaviest wear so are more vulnerable to tearing.

Airflow

Airflow usually does not go hand-in-hand with safety. The more durable the fabric, the better protection it provides at the expense of being more warm. Pants will frequently have strategically placed air circulation vents that allow for cooling without giving up protection. Some pants feature webbed panels. Spandex and Cordura also provide this type of ventilation.

Motocross Pants Style

Of course you'll need to look good in your pants too. Notice how the pants match-up with your bike's design. Will they look okay alongside each other? Are you trying to match other gear, such as a jersey or boots? How will the pants look when you're off the bike? If you look good, you won't be in a hurry to change out of them when you finish. While pants that convert to shorts might not be a good choice for fit and protection, they will allow you to wear your pants off the bike, even in multiple weather conditions.

Other Factors

The above factors are the key factors in selecting dirt bike pants, although there are several more. You'll want to get lightweight pants so you will not feel weighed down by your gear. Another significant factor are pockets. You'll clearly need more pockets if you need to hold your stuff during a ride.

Youth Motocross Pants

A quick comment about dirt bike pants for the children: The same considerations as above apply for youth pants as well as for adults. Pay close attention to sizing, obviously, since kids do grow quickly! And you may want to emphasize safety to a greater extent instead of styling. That ought to be easy nowadays, since many pants are now available in youth sizes as well as adults'.

More Info

This site provides additional information on MX gear in general. Fox Racing and Answer Motocross are two of the leading MX gear manufacturers.

All in all, picking out a pair of dirt bike pants may be a difficult decision. Do not worry, however. Consider a few of the factors we've discussed when deciding and you're certain to arrive at a good decision.