I love vented gear. Yeah, I know; I live in California. But many dirt riders live in warm climates. I've been spending a lot of time in Fox's Vented Strafer Racepant ($139.95) and Strafer Aero Jersey ($39.95). They began a hard life with the 24-hour race at Glen Helen. I wore the gear day and night but slipped a T-shirt underneath in the middle of the night. I even slept in the stuff! My set is black and white, so it was stained with dust and silt after the event, but the gear washed clean with no special care.
The pant is constructed mainly of nylon and polyester, and oddly enough for a vented pant, the main body fabric is water resistant and water repellent. That's similar to putting screen doors in a submarine, but it works, so I can't knock it. There is a lot of mesh fabric in the front body panels for ventilation, and there are stretch panels at the back yoke, knee, thigh and lower back leg that work with the body and seem to flow air nearly as well as the mesh. Vented material isn't the best for high-wear areas, so the saddle panel is tough (but perforated) Cordura, and the inner knee features embossed leather.
The Strafer Aero Jersey is 100 percent polyester mesh with a comfortable and generous cut. The graphics are sublimated, so they don't obstruct airflow and last well through wash and wear. Another nice feature is the micro cuff; each arm concludes with a thin band of elastic that holds the arm in place well without being tight to the skin.
| Fox: | 888/772-2242
www.foxracing.com |
| Gear | Max. | Rated |
| Style | 20 | 18 |
| Comfort | 10 | 8 |
| Function | 50 | 45 |
| Wash/care | 10 | 9 |
| Price | 10 | 8 |
| Total | 100 | 88 |
Both the pant and jersey are light-feeling and comfortable. Compared with the 2004 Fox vented gear I wore, the Strafer pant feels 50 percent lighter. When the going gets warm, I truly appreciate the venting and the cooling airflow it generates. For serious stifling heat, the Moose Sahara gear is lighter and more vented, but the Strafer offers better roost protection and is more easily worn as the temperatures drop. The pant is available in sizes 28 to 40, the jersey comes in S through XXL and they are both offered in black, navy, red and white. The kids' version of the jersey ($29.95) comes in S through XL in Blue Napalm and red.
Overall, I'm impressed with the fit, the wear and the performance of this gear. I didn't even pack it away during the winter, since I used it on some balmy days.
Karel Kramer