Riding Gear: Leatt 3DF Air Body Protector - First Gear Kilimanjaro Jacket/Pants - Gerbing Heated Jacket Liner/Pants/Socks - Gears Gen X-4 Heated Glove Liners - Forma Adventure Boots - Moto-Skiveez Adventure Undergarment/Technical Riding Shirt - Five GT2 WP & RFX Airflow Gloves - Icon Patrol Gloves - Helvik HCW100 Waterproof Overgloves

Leatt 3DF Air Body Protector (June 2022)

Body armor/protection has continued to evovle from basic padding to bulky, hard plastic over the head upper body style popular with dual sport/enduro/mx riding to modern, slimmer form fitting, breathable mesh materials, pliable molecular padding that stiffens upon impact to absorb shock & zip up base layer styles. These lower profile, more comfortable body protectors have also become popular with adventure, touring, commuter & mtn bike riding allowing increased flexibility of use with multiple sports & lighter weight outer shells/jackets without built-in padding, that may not be positioned ideally & move around upon impact. They promote the concept of layering & a modular approach to safety gear & outer wear accommodating a greater range of rider options & temperatures.

In addition to CE level 2 chest/back & CE level 1 shoulders/elbow protection they provide kidney/rib & bicep foam protection + accommodate a neck brace, but does not include a kidney belt...if increased airflow or protection is wanted Leatt has other offerings (see Leatt Body Protection Scores pic below). Leatt has utilized very comfortable compression mesh sock material that can be worn directly over the skin or over a base layer...the under arms & arm pits are open for improved breathability & all CE & foam padding is removable for ease of washing. I'm 186 cm or 6' 1.5" & 90 kg or 198 lb & opted for the 2XL.

Here's what Leatt says about their 3DF AirFit Body Protector (Pics sourced from Leatt):

Leatt’s top-of-the-line soft body protection features lighter weight, more ventilation and an ultra secure strapping system. The perforated, multilayer, 3DF Airfit impact foam offers a soft and flexible fit, yet instantly transforms into a harder, energy-absorbing protector upon impact. This combination results in a comfortable fit that forms to many body shapes and is CE certified on the chest, back, elbows and shoulders.

The Leatt 3DF AirFit Body Protector also features MoistureCool, a washable fabric that keeps the protectors in place, while wicking moisture away from the body to keep you cool. The body protector integrates perfectly with all Leatt neck braces or works equally well worn without a neck brace.

Leatt neck brace integration, great comfort, great fit, free flowing ventilation, impact tested and CE certified - all in one product.
Features:Perforated, multilayer 3DF AirFit foam for a lighter, better fit and more ventilation
Back is impact tested and CE certified to EN1621-2, level 2
Chest is impact tested and CE certified to prEN1621-3, level 2
Elbows & shoulders are impact tested and CE certified to EN1621-1, level 1
MoistureCool wicking fabric helps keep you cooler
Elastic waist belt to give more secure protector positioning
Front protection for non-neck brace riders
Easy to wear, zip-up, compression sock design to maximize evaporation.
BraceOn flexible neck brace connection
Removable impact foam for easy washing

Sizing:

SM/MD 160-172cm (5’3”-5’8”)
LG/XL 172-184cm (5’8”-6’0”)
2XL 184-196cm (6’0”-6’6”)

It arrived in only 5 days from 24MX in Sweden & even includes a Leatt branded hanger (nice touch). The fit ended up being lose in the neck (positioned wider & lower than normal, most likely to accommodate a neck brace more comfortably) & under arm openings (which make putting on fussier) for my medium build (sizing based on height...the LG/XL would have fit me better)...otherwise the fit seemed good & quality material...the side position curved movement zipper is not as intuitive as the normal middle vertical style & does not stay in place unless fully parked in the zipper garage with the pull seated flat. I decided not to keep it & prefer the more traditional jacket style of the Rev'it Proteus protector for my adventure style riding with a tighter fitting neck, conventional middle position zipper, thinner split chest pads, longer arms with thumb loops, integrated kidney belt & SEESOFT CE level 2 elbow, shoulder & back padding that has been reported to resist cracking better than D3O material in lower temps.

Rocky Mtn ATV MC Video

Alpinestar Tech 7 Enduro Drystar Boots (March 2022)

See my full Alpinestar Tech 7 Enduro Drystar review & comparison to the Forma Adventure boots on my blog here.

First Gear Kilimanjaro Jacket & Pants (2017)

First Gear has done an admirable job of quality/features/performance vs price point undercutting Klim & other premium brands. It is a shell design that requires layers underneath for varying temps that utilizes Cocona’s new 37.5 2.5 layer technology bonded directly to the shell & supposedly comes the closest to Gore-Tex performance at a lower price point. Has D3O level 1 armor shoulders, elbows, back & chest for jacket; knees & hips for pants. Jacket has sleeve, shoulder & back vents + integrated rain hood in collar; pants have full length 2 way leg zipper. Having used it in temps ranging from freezing to 40 C ((105 F) it has performed as advertised keeping me dry...but can get a little clammy in hot/humid weather. If First Gear had incorporated increased ventilation for the chest & pants + included a rear rabbit pouch it would be a tour de force. A potential workaround for increased ventilation is to remove the 2 chest pads that are situated directly behind the 2 large chest pockets accessed via zippers & replace the solid nylon pocket backing with mesh. Only issue after 4 years is the right pocket zipper broke.

Gerbing Heated Jacket Liner & Pants & Socks (2016)

Quality gear that heats evenly, is capable of very high output & has proven to be reliable & durable since 2016 - hard wired directly to the battery or fuse block on a max 20 amp circuit. Tip: coat all connectors with dialectric grease. The jacket liner has full heat coverage of the body, arms & neck & can be worn as a warm layer with out heat & as a wind breaker under mesh jackets & off the bike. I seldom use the socks because I wear full coverage adventure boots & socks & don't ride year round. The dual controller provides 2 zone control, but a wireless bar mount controller is recommended if you ride year round in cooler climates.

Gears Gen X-4 Heated Glove Liners (2020)

A very affordable & nice alternative to heated grips providing heat to all areas of the hand/fingers vs just the palms, that use the same connectors as my Gerbing jacket & are capable of very high heat, but I find the modulation point between not hot enough to too hot to be narrow requiring precise settings, so not an ideal match with the Gerbing microwire circuitry. Unfortunately Gerbing discontinued their glove liner a few years ago.

Forma Adventure Boots (2016)

If you are looking for an extremely comfortable, waterproof & affordable adventure (not dual sport) boot that permits walking/hiking these should be at the top of your list + the have a wide fit which to accommodate my E width foot & full orthotic insert. They utilize form fitting flexible full grain oiled leather, TPU shin/heel/ankle protection & semi rigid molded dual density sole for a supple feel moderate protection for ankles/heel/shins & incorporate a bonded drytex 3/4 high waterproof liner. They have worked as advertised, feeling akin to a hiking boot & benefit from a wider/longer footpeg during extended standing to offset the semi-rigid sole/arch + come in a 3/4 high model in both black & 2 tone brown.

Moto-Skiveez Adventure Undergarment & Technical Riding Shirt (2020)

Five GT2 Waterproof Gloves Touring Gloves (2021)

Five RFX Airflow Gloves (2015)

Icon Patrol Gloves (2012)

Helvik HCW100 Waterproof Overgloves (2019

The XL fit my hand form fitted with large summer & a little snug with large 3 season glove....pinky finger liner movement makes pulling on a little fiddly, gauntlet opening could be a little wider

over large summer glove

over Large 3 season glove

Little Hotties DryGuy Footwear, Glove & Helmet Dryer (January 2022)

My local Canadian Costco had these for sale for $29.97 Cnd & works as advertised for a variety of gear producing a gentle, slightly heated air flow controlled by an up to 3 hour timer.