Thumper Racing Kit - Abused

Moose Racing M1 Racewear
I've never been one to put a lot of focus on my riding gear. Mismatched colors, styles a few seasons old-I don't care. It's all going to get thrashed anyway, right? Moose Racing's M1 Racewear made an impression on me, though. In the fiercely competitive off-road apparel market, Moose doesn't put out flashy ads featuring wild, playboy lifestyles set to heavy-metal music, nor does it have all of the big-name supercross riders wearing its gear. Rather, Moose is less about image and more about the riding itself, and that's what counts. I'm a firm believer in form following function, and the M1 ensemble I tested puts comfort first and style second. It speaks volumes that I almost never thought about my gear while riding because it fit well and didn't have to be adjusted.

I appreciate the M1 jersey and pant being sized for Americans. Order a 34-inch-waist pant and that's what you'll get. Super-tight pants may suffice for chicken-legged, coked-up rock-star wannabes, but wiggle space is important when you're maneuvering around on an ATV. With removable foam hip pads and sizes ranging from 28-48 inches, M1 pants can fit most everyone. The split-grain leather on the inner knee panels feels soft, supple and is a nice touch that adds to the quality feel of these pants. If Moose offered this pant in an over-the-boot version, I'd like them even better.

Being a lanky fellow with long arms, I liked the sleeve length of the M1 jersey. It allowed me to fully extend my arms without the sleeves riding up on me. I can't stand the distraction of sleeves that constantly bunch up while riding. Thankfully, when leaning back on a Can-Am Outlander during a steep descent, my forearms weren't exposed, as they would have been with some other brands. A short elastic cuff contributes to the jersey's light, airy feel, while the fabric itself is semi-ventilated and allows the perfect amount of air through. Not too much to chill you, but just enough to keep the sweat from accumulating. It would have been nice to have light padding on the elbows, though.

I've never liked gear that's garishly styled. While wearing my gear on the way to the track or trail, I want to be able to make a quick stop at the grocery store to load up the cooler without getting gawked at like an alien. Available in six colors, the M1's clean, crisp styling garnered compliments at the trailhead without making me feel like abstract art while standing in line at Subway.

The M1 gloves are pretty durable and well ventilated, too. They're padded, yet feel light because they lack any bulky rubber sewn into the tops of the fingers. My favorite part about them is that they didn't shrink after I put them in the washer, unlike other brands. I appreciated that all these clothes stayed as bright as new even after repeated washings.

To paraphrase those late-night infomercials: "How much would you expect to pay for an ensemble like this? $249? $199?" With the pant retailing for $89.95, the jersey for $29.95 and the glove for only $19.95, you can freshen up your riding wardrobe for less than $140. If you're a lemming and wear whatever the sideways-baseball-hat-wearing teenagers at the track tell you is the coolest, then buy another brand. But if you're looking for well-made, comfortable gear at a very reasonable price, check out the 2007 Moose M1 line.-Brian Purtymun