AXO America has brought back some of the original faces who put the company on the map back in the mid-1990s. The first of its new designs is the '05 Team Issue AIR Jersey. The $44.99 jersey features an open-hole mesh in all the high-airflow areas. It also uses lightweight open-cell foam in the shoulders and elbows. The Team Issue AIR feels very light and is one of the best-vented jerseys we have tried. The mesh in the front flows air to the body, which is welcome on hot days. The only part of the jersey we did not like is the cuffs; they are a tad tight and restrictive.
The new Type R pant really works. The pant's construction is extremely well-thought-out, offering venting in all the right places. The Type R features multiple panels that allow a variety of venting areas. It also uses a "full-floating knee" that is suspended from the inner part of the pant leg. The floating knee allows the pant to be completely unrestrictive while still flowing air in. This design works from the minute you put it on; it's more than noticeable! The $149.99 Type R also features a fully adjustable waist to ensure the best fit possible. Overall, the pant has a very light feel and does what it is designed to do: flow air.
Covering our hands are the new Padlock gloves, which feature "thermo-formed air-prene" knuckles along with a one-piece Clarino palm with added grip areas on the fingertips. Unlike many vented gloves, these offer a padded palm area and double-stitching in all high-impact areas. Overall, the Padlocks are very comfortable with a true fit. The palm area is a bit overly padded and feels bulky, but some may like it and some may not. As with the rest of the '05 AXO gear, the $39.95 Padlocks have a very light feel and flow air in the right places.
AXO has been in the boot business for a long time. After a big effort, AXO has released its new $289.99 RC6 boots. The new boots feature an injection-molded shin plate with a plastic-molded toe box and inner foot guard. The designers also spent a lot of time developing a shank that would offer comfort while still handling hard impacts. A full-steel shank runs all the way through the sole and is appreciated, as we didn't notice any flexing on the footpegs. The sole also employs a dual-compound to help do away with jarring. The new RC6s' simple buckle system makes it easy to get the boot on and off. Overall, the RC6 felt the same after a month of riding, didn't require much break-in time and was a tad on the flexible side.
DR Tested:
Pants: 8.5
Jersey: 7.0
Gloves: 8.5
Boots: 8.5