Riding gear for this year..... Recommendations

Yourworstnightmare · Sep 27, 2009

Lookin to get some new gear this year.

My Helmet is good, and my riding pants are good... but I desperately need a new pair of gloves, and boots especially. My jacket needs to be retired as well.

I just wanted to see what you guys think....

I noticed that last year I'd sweat so damn much in my jacket, that if we stopped for lunch, or to bull**** I'd get chilled really fast.

I tend to sweat like I'm sitting in a sauna while I'm riding. I'd take my boots off at the end of a ride and my socks would be SOAKED like I jumped in a lake.

So, I'm asking what's a good mix between heavy enough gear to keep me warm up here in Idaho for winter, yet breathable enough that my sweating *** won't get messed up and sick everytime I go to slow down for an afternoon stop, or at the warming hut. lol.

I was hoping for some good feeback to see what's working pretty well for everyone....

I'm about 5' 10", and weigh in just a bit over 200lbs. Just trying to find good fit, comfortable, and maybe some style in there too.

Oh, and outta curiosity.. what's the big difference between sledding boots and snowboarding boots? My pair of Burton snowboard boots is what I used to sled in last year.... what justifies the price difference of over $150 MORE over a pair of snowboard boots for something like a set of HMK's ?

Thanks in advance.

-Matt

kraftymike · Sep 28, 2009

I had a set of FXR that I wore and loved for eight years. I bought a new full set of HMK Stealth last year and It didn't even make through the season. Everything Klim is great but the prices are rediculous!

xrated · Sep 28, 2009

Gloves, True North Adventure Gear or whatever they are now.

As for boots, if your feet are sweaty, just wear whatever you like for boots. Go get some WOOL SOCKS and don't worry, even if you sweat they will absorb and you will still stay warm.

Try soem Under Armour for a baselayer.

sled-fiend · Sep 28, 2009

I use the burton first layer gear against the skin upper and lower. It comes in different weights so you can pick your base layer according to the temp. For the outer shell I went with the Klim PowerXcross pullover and man does that jacket work well!! Lots of venting and range of movement. Put the tekvest on over top of all of it and I'm good to go. As for the gloves I went with the Klim powerxcross as well. I found them to be the least bulky goretex glove I could find. Some have had issues with them but they kept me dry and warm for the last few years. :beer;

mountainhorse · Sep 28, 2009

I really like the True North powderstorm gloves and he Klim Inversion gloves...

I'm waiting for someone to come up with a tight fittig glove like the Inversion glove with no insulation on the palms (i have good grip heaters) but with GOOD insulation on the back of the glove.... Control AND protection from the elements.

Managing the vents and wearing good wicking layers is important.

sled-fiend · Sep 28, 2009

Here is a current thread with some glove info in it:

http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=166526

Ex-Member · Sep 28, 2009

Klim Tomahawk jacket. Worth the $.
Throw a tekvest underneath. Again, worth the $. *VERY* worth the $.

Klim Adrenaline boots are likely the best bang-for-buck deal from Klim.

As far as gloves go.... I wear Mechanix or moto gloves... pack a few pairs, change them out when they get wet.

xrated · Sep 28, 2009

another option for gloves if you can find them(let me know i need more) is the Fox ThermaPaw. Thin MX glove but it was/is waterproof, I'm not sure if they make them still.

Wore mine putting in docks and boat lifts, hand were dry. Wore them working an all day hare scramble where it rained the night before making a mud mess and it rained all day. Picked 100s of bikes out of the wet mud and out of 40 guys working I was the only one with dry hands. You could see the steam from my hands coming through the gloves. They were soaked but not my hands.

After 4 years I think they have a leak some where as my hands were damp last time I wore them.

xrated · Sep 28, 2009

this Thor glove is very similar. The fox ones had the Hipora lining as well
http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/produ...atId=&productId=prod1980686&leafCatId=&mmyId=

These might not be bad. The Monarch jersey is nice
http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/produ...n&catId=&productId=p3412964&leafCatId=&mmyId=

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/produ...atId=&productId=prod1401644&leafCatId=&mmyId=

Unknown · Sep 28, 2009

Gear

I wear Klim boots and bibs. Wore snowboard boots for a while, but found them not stiff enough. My coat is a Grundens, they started making some killer fowl weather gear that is fabric last year. Tough coats that look and feal like the expensive stuff. Price is un-beatable. Grundens.

Skadi · Sep 28, 2009

I'm with HMK ALL the way.... What do you layer with that you're getting cool at breaks, cotton underlayer? Having a moisture wicking underlayer is VERY good! Actually, I sweat so bad when I'm riding I have gone to a NON moisture wicking underlayer so and just a jersey. I WANT too cool down at break time! Have you tried riding in just a jersey so you don't sweat as bad and then saving the coat for the break time and/or the ride in and out on the trail?

Boots are HMK boa, I LOVE not fighting with laces when my hands (or the laces) are cold! And then gear is HMK action gear with no insulation in it.

Lucias · Sep 28, 2009

I got to try these on at the Boise Snow Show.. Richie from WPS had them showing everybody.. They feel like a motocross glove but are supposed to be water proof.. I will getting a pair for sure..

http://www.wps-inc.com/wps/WICATALO...A665++++++&SISID=A430&PRVPAGE=70&PAGEGO=Page#

Yourworstnightmare · Sep 28, 2009

Skadi said:
I'm with HMK ALL the way.... What do you layer with that you're getting cool at breaks, cotton underlayer? Having a moisture wicking underlayer is VERY good! Actually, I sweat so bad when I'm riding I have gone to a NON moisture wicking underlayer so and just a jersey. I WANT too cool down at break time! Have you tried riding in just a jersey so you don't sweat as bad and then saving the coat for the break time and/or the ride in and out on the trail?

Boots are HMK boa, I LOVE not fighting with laces when my hands (or the laces) are cold! And then gear is HMK action gear with no insulation in it.

This past season I rode with a cotton tshirt, and my Champion stadium jacket (think football stadium jacket). It's definitely warm, but where I wear my backpack, my back so sooo soaked with sweat I'd start to chill when we'd stop for lunches, or breaks...

As long as I was moving I was good.... but.. to up the comfort level, I need to find something else for sure.

I'm thinkin about picking up a good motocross jersey for my base layer this year, then wearing the jacket over that. I need to dress a little lighter, that's for sure.

aebsledder · Sep 28, 2009

Stay away from cotton

Anything cotton while you are in a cold (or hot) environment outdoors is highly inefficient. Cotton is comfortable, but has terrible insulating and moisture wicking properties. I wear Under Armour and Cabelas base layers depending on the conditions and have never had a problem. Anything Gore-Tex or the new Event material is an excellent choice for an outer layer. You want to shed moisture on the outside and wick (stay dry) from perspiration on the inside. You can find some great deals on closeout Under Armour on the web, and Cabelas always seems to have good deals on base layers.

arcticman31 · Sep 28, 2009

True North!

Go With the Storm Gloves True North Adventure Gear.......Hands down the best glove I have ever bought they stay dry even when soaked on the outside and are light enough to keep your hands from sweating as bad. Well Worth the money, In fact I have been super happy with all my gear from them.

Skadi · Sep 28, 2009

Yikes, you certainly weren't doing yourself any favors! tha stuff gets heavy when it's wet and serves NO purpose once it gets wet and temperatures start dropping. Imagine having to spend a night up there in your soaking wet cotton undergarmets!!

What I do, I wear a cotton wife beater on warm days and JUST a jersey. but I pack a fleece shirt AND a coat. If I get too cold the cotton comes OFF as the baselayer and i layer up from there. I find the cotton helps cool me cause it works so poorly, but knowing that and using it is different then wearing cotton and depending on it to keep you warm in a sticky situation!! Cotton is called the killer fabric in my circle of backcountry friends! Wool is great for a natural fabric and then there are tons of other moisture wicking, soft fluffy, wind resistent, odor repellant whatever you WANT fabics out there for your layer up stuff. Get them; that is what wills ave your life!!

Coat, I go for just a shell so that if it's warm but snowing or raining I can still wear it and not get too overheated. most of the gear has pit sips that you can open to let warm air out but keep some of the weather out still.... Do the same on the bottom, layers. and layer DOWN when you're working hard or the weather is warm -save your warm stuff from getting all damp and stinky! Easier to do on the top but still done on the bottom by me sometimes!

Gloves, MULTIPLE pairs of mx style gloves.... the lightest gloves out there is what I wear. Either the LINERS by hmk or the light gloves they have. and buy two pair. rotate them out if they get SOPPING wet. Then i pack the super heavy duty guys for the ride out if it's nasty...

Good luck with the gear search!

Oh, and on the jersey bit. I jsut got one of the HMK ones at a local show... they seem SWEET! less vented than the ones that are made jsut for MX. You prolly don't want full venting...

Yourworstnightmare · Sep 29, 2009

Skadi said:
Yikes, you certainly weren't doing yourself any favors! tha stuff gets heavy when it's wet and serves NO purpose once it gets wet and temperatures start dropping. Imagine having to spend a night up there in your soaking wet cotton undergarmets!!

What I do, I wear a cotton wife beater on warm days and JUST a jersey. but I pack a fleece shirt AND a coat. If I get too cold the cotton comes OFF as the baselayer and i layer up from there. I find the cotton helps cool me cause it works so poorly, but knowing that and using it is different then wearing cotton and depending on it to keep you warm in a sticky situation!! Cotton is called the killer fabric in my circle of backcountry friends! Wool is great for a natural fabric and then there are tons of other moisture wicking, soft fluffy, wind resistent, odor repellant whatever you WANT fabics out there for your layer up stuff. Get them; that is what wills ave your life!!

Coat, I go for just a shell so that if it's warm but snowing or raining I can still wear it and not get too overheated. most of the gear has pit sips that you can open to let warm air out but keep some of the weather out still.... Do the same on the bottom, layers. and layer DOWN when you're working hard or the weather is warm -save your warm stuff from getting all damp and stinky! Easier to do on the top but still done on the bottom by me sometimes!

Gloves, MULTIPLE pairs of mx style gloves.... the lightest gloves out there is what I wear. Either the LINERS by hmk or the light gloves they have. and buy two pair. rotate them out if they get SOPPING wet. Then i pack the super heavy duty guys for the ride out if it's nasty...

Good luck with the gear search!

Oh, and on the jersey bit. I jsut got one of the HMK ones at a local show... they seem SWEET! less vented than the ones that are made jsut for MX. You prolly don't want full venting...

I'll definitely search in the criteria you describe, I really appreciate it. That helps quite a bit. What can I say, it was my first season sledding...

and really didn't have a lotta' money to spend.

I do however have a Mil issued forest camo Gore-Tex jacket, that's awesome, but it's just a shell. I may just resort to that, but get better gloves and boots. I've been eyeing an Arcticwear jacket, but damn they're expensive!! lol.

xrated · Sep 29, 2009

go with that issued coat.

along skadis line of layering. I made my first trip out west this year. Previous I was riding MN and the UP of MI. I almost always wore UA, then fleece pants and my riding bibs(cabelas brand gore-tex 100 grams thinsulate). It did fine for me,

when I got west I went with bigbull from the 4m. I asked about layering for the bottom half and he said to try just my UA long johns and my bibs. thought for sure I would freeze but I was just fine. Even stayed warm on the trail in and out.

Then UA and a cold weather mx jersy(i used Moose Monarch Pass) and I was good to go. If I got warm I took my coat off, put back on when I was cold.

Remember you can always pack extra layers in your bag or layer up and then take off and store as needed. You can't layer up if you don't bring it along.

Yourworstnightmare · Sep 29, 2009

Oh balls.

I just took most of the plunge

:

Just purchased some HMK Highmark 10' model black / orange boots (lace style)

(i've had horrible luck with the ratcheting style systems on my burton boots!)

Purchased some HMK Team gloves

And picked up a Klim baselayer jersey.

Figure I can wear these items with my current pants, and my Mil issued shell.

Now, I just need some Wool socks that arent' stupid expensive....

Any good places for those that you guys know of?

I was thinkin good ol' wally world... but.. I dont want them to last only one ride if I'm purchasing expensive socks. LOL.

Again, thanks for all the help guys... you've been indespensible.

-Matt

xrated · Sep 29, 2009

Cabelas, Gander Mt, Walmart anywhere will work for wool socks.

I can get 2-3 years out of woolies and I wear them everyday in the winter. You can spend a little or alot on wool socks, but to be honest wool socks are wool socks. The wool is what works well when wet not the other stuff that can drive up the cost.

I like to buy cosmetic blems and irregulars for cheaper at Cabelas...I haven't noticed irregular and if the colors are off who cares.

Riding gear for this year..... Recommendations

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