A few years back, you would see over-the-boot pants only on riders wanting to go big at the dunes in front of their buddy's video camera, hoping to star in an upcoming freestyle movie with a killer punk rock soundtrack. That's not the case anymore. More riders, including people like my off-road-only, the-nastier-the-better, single-track-loving dad, are seeing that there are more to these pants than a half-extended superman seat-grab and some bad tattoos. OTBs are versatile and comfortable, feeling a lot like a pair of everyday pants with some added protection for riding. Plus, they keep the elements-sand, mud, water and the like-out of your boots, and some varieties zip apart into shorts for riding in the summer heat. What's not to like about that? Here's what we thought of them. One caveat: A year's worth of abuse means some models might be obsolete by the time we consolidated this monstrosity. However, it is likely you can still find these models on the rack at your favorite dealer.
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Answer Mode
The $84.95 Mode pant fit a lot like the in-the-boot variety, with a snug waist and a form-fitting thigh. Stretch panels make it very comfortable and let it move with you. Three large zippered pockets let you store anything from truck keys to spare gloves and snacks. The high-wear areas on the inside of the leg are reinforced with Kevlar and leather, and the pant zips off at the knee for warm-weather riding. After a few trips through the wash, my warm gray version is still looking like new. It also comes in red (sizes 28-40) or blue (sizes 28-50). -Derek Steahly | GEAR | 84 | | Style | 16/20 | | Comfort | 8/10 | | Function | 45/50 | | Wash/care | 7/10 | | Price | 8/10 | www.answerracing.com;
951/736-5369 | | 
AXO Mace
The $79.99 Mace pant fits superbly-like a pair of jeans-in sizes 28-44. The nylon construction is middle of the road but held up strong to our flogging. As with most OTB pants, the right leg suffered a few melted spots from the exhaust header. The light shade of the gray fabric made it a little harder than some to keep clean. Pockets on the legs were nice but failed the granola-bar test (start the ride with a granola bar, but 20 miles in, it needs a bowl and some milk).-Jesse Ziegler | GEAR | 87 | | Style | 17/20 | | Comfort | 8/10 | | Function | 46/50 | | Wash/care | 7/10 | | Price | 9/10 | www.axorace.com;
877/296-7223 | |