Necessary Dirt Bike Riding Apparel

Are you stepping into the dirt biking world? The trail and track riding has a feel unlike any other, so you’re more than likely feeling absolutely thrilled to get going. As you prepare to hit the dirt track or trails, having the necessary dirt bike apparel is crucial to your safety. While it’s unbelievably fun to ride, part of that fun is knowing that you’re well protected in the event of ana accident. These can be as minor as bumping your bike into something as you’re getting the hang of it, or as serious as wiping out after hitting a pothole that you didn’t expect. No matter what, you can assume you’ll experience a few spills and bumps along the way. So, what kind of gear do you really need? What’s essential to those just starting out? Here are all the pieces you need to add to your dirt bike riding apparel, so you’re dressed for safety.

1. A Quality Helmet: This is one of, if not the, most important pieces of gear you’ll ever own. This is NOT an area to cheap out on. Helmets can be expensive, but do you really trust your head in a cheap helmet? When you find yourself in a collision, a low-quality helmet simply won’t provide the shock absorption required to prevent head injury. You want to get the best of the best that securely fits on your head and provides full head protection.

2. Goggles: As you ride, your bike will kick up all kinds of debris. Without full-face goggles, bits of dirt, gravel, or sand could wind up in your eyes. You should always ride with a pair of goggles on, especially when you’re with a group of people, as more debris will be kicked up. For those super bright riding days, a pair of goggles with tinted lenses will help cut down on the glare so you aren’t driving blind.

3. A Jersey or Long-Sleeve Shirt: As you learn to ride, you’ll have your wipeouts where you fall off the bike onto the track or trail. A dirt dike jersey is specially designed to provide protection from abrasions and has built-in vents to keep you cool. If you’d rather not purchase a jersey right now, a long-sleeve t-shirt or hoodie will suffice in the meantime.

4. Gloves: Gloves are necessary dirt bike apparel for two reasons. They help you maintain grip on the throttle and brake, whereas your hands without gloves quickly become sweaty and can easily slip off the handlebars. They also help keep your hands free from bad blisters and developing painful callouses.

5. Chest Protector: High-quality chest protectors are designed to keep your upper body protected during impact. When you crash or you accidentally hit yourself on the handlebars, the energy produced from the impact will be dispersed by the chest protector. These will help protect you from bruised and broken ribs. Need to save a little? There are plastic chest protectors as well. While these won’t provide the same degree of protection as a Kevlar one, they’re still useful.

6. Neck Brace: This is the only one on our list that some riders love, and some hate. There are some that won’t ride without them, which is why we’ve included neck braces here. They’re designed to keep your head in place so that it doesn’t bend too far in one direction.

7. Knee Protection: Protect your knees from scratches and potential bone fractures with the use of knee braces or pads. There are different types of protection that vary in price. Knee braces are ideal, as they provide superior support to help prevent hyperextension and injury from the sides. Wear these under your pants, not over.

8. Riding Pants: Not just any pants will do for dirt bike riding. You can easily scratch your knees up while wearing shorts and even burn the inside of them when gripping the bike with your legs. You’ll need specific pants that offer things like heat protection, padding, and enough room in the leg to fit your knee pads and braces.

9. Socks: Thigh high socks are great to have on hand, as they provide an extra layer of material between your leg and the bike. Plus, with the use of so much Velcro with the knee braces or pads, a tall sock will prevent your leg hair from being ripped out.

10. Boots: Boots are so crucial to proper riding gear and should never be skimped on. You want the best protection you can afford for your feet, as a twisted ankle or broken foot will keep you out of the game for some time. The boots should provide excellent ankle and calf protection, so as you learn to do more than simply ride (like jumping), your boots will absorb shock as you come back down.