The power of orange compels you!

[bikepilot]

I'd say that MX boots are absolutely critical both for safety and being able to ride the bike properly.  Loads of options and as with street boots there's a big difference between low-end boots and high-end boots.  

A dirt helmet is, of course, also important and you need googles to go with it.  dirt helmets are just like street helmets as far as brands and what you get by spending more.  Googles don't vary a lot and more expensive ones tend to be stylish, but not much more functional.  Also, the lens will get scratched quickly so plan on replacing them (or at least the lens) pretty frequently.

A pressure suit or chest protector is good and adds a lot of protection.  No clear winner between the two in terms of protection.  For tight woods I prefer a chest protector, for high speed stuff I prefer a pressure suit. I have both. A lot of folks skip them for MX, especially if its a loamy track.  They add protection, but aren't totally critical.  I have an old 661 pressure suit, but there are better options now.

Knee pads are really important as its easy to bang your knee/shin and even split a kneecap.  Knee pads will be held in place primarily by your boots.

MX pants are nice to have, but probably not necessary.  They aren't all that expensive, especially if you get last year's colors on close-out somewhere.  Like with street gear there are solid ones for cool weather and vented/mesh ones for hot weather.

The MX jersey doesn't really add any protection, but they are cheap and look spiffy so why not?

MX gloves tend to be pretty light and flimsy.  They are fine for MX and woods.  For higher speed stuff I tend to use fairly light, textile street gloves as they offer a bit more protection.

If you want to go all-out you can get knee and neck braces.  Whether they do any good is debatable, but most folks tend to think they don't do any harm (other than in terms of comfort and expense).  Some neck braces are really hot, uncomfortable and restrict your ability to look side-to-side which could itself potentially cause a crash.

Dennis kirk, rocky mountain MC, competition accessories, cycle gear, Chapperell, etc all carry lots of dirt gear and are good places to shop for sales.  If you have a local dealer that stocks dirt gear it might be worth buying there for your first outfit so you can try it all on.  

[Monsterlover]

Good info.

How about stuff that would do double duty for supermoto fun?

[zooom]

Good info.

How about stuff that would do double duty for supermoto fun?

what is your budget?

[bikepilot]

The boots and helmet maybe, but mostly you need street gear for sumo. MX gear is really good for impact protection, but not great for abrasion so it wouldn't do for sliding down asphalt at speed.

[Monsterlover]

what is your budget?

$750ish

The boots and helmet maybe, but mostly you need street gear for sumo. MX gear is really good for impact protection, but not great for abrasion so it wouldn't do for sliding down asphalt at speed.

Makes sense.  I have 2pc leathers that would work well, but they're a little dedicated in their purpose.

I also just bought a Tourmaster coat and pant combo that's pretty decent but it's more for commuting/touring.  Probably not so much for shenanigans

[bikepilot]

I'd wear the leathers for sumo and maybe the textiles if you commute on the sumo.    Some folks wear street boots, some wear MX boots for sumo.  MX boots are a bit heavy and might tend to catch a bit if you take a high-speed tumble, but they also offer more impact protection so are what you want if you get a foot caught under a bike or between bikes.

[zooom]

it would be a blow to half your budget, but you can't go wrong with a pair of Sidi Crossfire SRS's...

[Monsterlover]

By God they come in orange

[zooom]

By God they come in orange

yup....and the joy of customizing lil bits and whatnot can be done rather easily...

[Monsterlover]

$525 is a lot for boots though, on second thought.

I thought my A* SMX+ boots were a lot at close to $300 (though I've had them for like 5 years)

[zooom]

$525 is a lot for boots though, on second thought.

I thought my A* SMX+ boots were a lot at close to $300 (though I've had them for like 5 years)

Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales coming....

[bikepilot]

Try boots on if you can, sidi's are sorta narrow and slim, they don't work well for me (but work great for my wife).  I prefer the fit of alpinestars, Garne and AXO (AXO and alplinestars' high end stuff are designed by the same guy).  I've worn Tech 10s and AXO Primes lately.  The Primes offer the most protection of anything I've used to date, but are a bit thick under the shifter and not good for walking.  The Tech 10s strike a nice balance (expensive though).

You are in luck, Primes are on-sale.  http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/productDetail.do?navType=closeout&webTypeId=27&navTitle=Boots-Footwear&webCatId=3&prodFamilyId=32249

Totally bomb-proof, but be warned the toe box is thick so shifting is a bit strange at first. The fit is on the big/wide side.  You might want a half-size smaller than normal.  For long, hard rides on heavy four strokes there's nothing I'd rather wear regardless of cost.

Garne SG-10s are $390 and very good, also hinged like the Sidi.  The Alpinestars Tech 7s are well liked, though I haven't owned a pair.  They are a bit less bulky than Tech 10s and some folks prefer them to 10s for that reason.  Definitely a quality option as well.

[duccarlos]

I presume these would work well for casual trail riding as well.

[Monsterlover]

Try boots on if you can, sidi's are sorta narrow and slim, they don't work well for me (but work great for my wife).  I prefer the fit of alpinestars, Garne and AXO (AXO and alplinestars' high end stuff are designed by the same guy).  I've worn Tech 10s and AXO Primes lately.  The Primes offer the most protection of anything I've used to date, but are a bit thick under the shifter and not good for walking.  The Tech 10s strike a nice balance (expensive though).

You are in luck, Primes are on-sale.  http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/productDetail.do?navType=closeout&webTypeId=27&navTitle=Boots-Footwear&webCatId=3&prodFamilyId=32249

Totally bomb-proof, but be warned the toe box is thick so shifting is a bit strange at first. The fit is on the big/wide side.  You might want a half-size smaller than normal.  For long, hard rides on heavy four strokes there's nothing I'd rather wear regardless of cost.

Garne SG-10s are $390 and very good, also hinged like the Sidi.  The Alpinestars Tech 7s are well liked, though I haven't owned a pair.  They are a bit less bulky than Tech 10s and some folks prefer them to 10s for that reason.  Definitely a quality option as well.

I'd have bought the Primes right then and there, but nobody has them in anything other than white

Great info though.

I suspect the hinge would be a nice feature that would make walking around a little easier?

I take it that also means a sacrifice in protection?  I think that's an ok trade as I don't race MX for a living.  I just need something budget minded and sturdy.  All it has to do is work once and it's paid for itself.

Of course, I'm getting the idea that dirt riding = crashing 15 times a day

[duccarlos]

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