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pants - what works?

CATSLEDMAN1

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Nov 27, 2007
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Missoula, Montana
best pants

the toughest sno bike pants are on someone who keeps their feet on the pegs.
Leg flopping foot whipping spirited foot dragging will result in burnt and ripped pants made of Kriptonite .

MX pants have gone downhill the last 15 years or so, flimsy with rad color schemes of late. 20 years ago you could buy Gore TEX Malcolm Smith pants a little large and glide through all the present wilderness county dri warm and unpatched. The KLIMS are almost there again.

Mainly GORETEX has a short life, I have a half dozen tough jacket and pants that are only good for bar bragging wear or short summer rides in the mist. Wish someone at goretex would step up and improve the product after 30 years of resting on their advertising foo foo. Wonderful chit for the first 2 months of ride'n, then a soggy saga.

Might as well start saving for more Klim stuff, ouch 4 bills.
 

Hawkster

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I just have to ask what does loose fit have to do with a one ski ? Absolutely no support what so ever , for the hips , thighs , knees and calves . Lift your arse off the seat once and a while, maybe it won't be so wet . I guess for the parking lot pozers and quads relaxed fit works .

Foot pegs are a lot harder on the leather also because when throwing a leg either way over the one ski in two or three feet plus of fresh stuff is a guaranty gouge in the leather . Must be a nostalgic thing .

When people ask me if it was hard to learn to ride a one ski my comment is that to truly figure one out you have to forget what you've learned on a two ski and start from scratch . I see guys riding both and they transfer the two ski habits to a one ski and it's never the other way around . I still catch myself at times going hot into a corner for the rear brake .

Same goes for this gear , quit thinking two skis and take a good look at the motard and euro gear .
 

SteepNdeep450

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Jan 1, 2014
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Bozeman, MT
Figured I'd just say it in this thread instead of starting a new one. Anyone on facebook see what Motorfist posted yesterday?

"To the #REBELS out there with one ski and a 450cc engine, this ones for you!
#motorfist #ridedry #feedtheobsession #oneski"

Then they had a teaser photo of it that had a bike with a kit embroidered on it above the word "REBEL" says at the bottom of the photo "purpose built"
 

chumbilly1

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Sorry but it is all a bunch of HECHO EN CHINO $HIT IMHO of course!
 

Tride

Active member
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Sep 29, 2010
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Bozeman MT
Sorry but it is all a bunch of HECHO EN CHINO $HIT IMHO of course!

Aaand the other options are.....? Got my Havocs last week, look good, very heavy duty, a little short on bells, whistles and pockets for the $$$, but I wore through the knees of a pair of Klim Extreme bibs last winter, and that's even more expensive.

I've got a friend who's a buyer for a major ski retailer here in CO, and she says you can't even GET some of the technical fabrics in the US, even if they're manufactured here--they come off the mill and go right on the boat to China. That's just the way it is now. (Klim Havoc--$450 retail, probably $250 wholesale, probably needs to be $75 to make to recoup your development costs and distribution, right?).
 
Fly Racing's new JCR Off-road pant is being marketed as a snow bike pant also. It has a leather patch on the inside and the pants are water-proof with zip open vents for warm days. They retail for $299.95, I will be testing this winter and report back after first ride
 
N
Jun 9, 2008
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Post Falls, Idaho
I've got a friend who's a buyer for a major ski retailer here in CO, and she says you can't even GET some of the technical fabrics in the US, even if they're manufactured here--they come off the mill and go right on the boat to China. That's just the way it is now.

And it will keep on being that way unless enough people stand up and say no, we aren't going to buy things made by slaves in China. Saying that's just the way it is won't change anything. If the Havocs had a made in USA tag I would already have a pair, the price wouldn't stop me if I knew the buck stopped here in the US.
 
U
Sep 12, 2010
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The new Fly JCR off-road pant is being marketed as a Snowbike pant. Retail is $299.95 and has a leather patch on leg to prevent burning and water-proof with vents that open on warm days

Those look really good- if they would ditch the Velcro legs. One has to ride and walk in the snow, yes?
 
M

more snow

Active member
Jan 8, 2008
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Nampa, ID
If you just put a basic heat shield on your exhaust header then you won't really need any special snowbike bibs. Regular snowmobile bibs have been working just fine for years now.
 

Chadx

♫ In the pow again. Just can't wait to get in..
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Feb 2, 2010
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Bozeman, MT
If you just put a basic heat shield on your exhaust header then you won't really need any special snowbike bibs. Regular snowmobile bibs have been working just fine for years now.

I agree! While I love that some of the manufacturers have stepped up and are providing snowbike specific gear for our admittedly still niche market, an exhaust shield or wrapped/silicone sprayed headheader eliminates the melted pant issue and also has the side benefit of eliminating some steam.

For some, there is still the need for tough brush busting and foot peg resistant pants, but so far (one full season of snow biking and snowmobiling), my economical Activa bibs have held up great. At the time, I bought the previous seasons color so 1/2 off the then current years model. Bibs and coat for $250 and dry and toasty all season. I have Klim gear (helmet, goggles, boots, gloves and also some duals port gear), but am not brand loyal to any one brand. As with my vehicles, sleds and motorcycles, I buy whichever fits my needs the best with what they offer at the time. Features play a big part in that but so does price. Some are definitely worth the price.

Hopefully the market will support snowbike specific gear as it's great to have the option if one can afford it or needs those features. Will be great to hear some early season and used-all-season reviews of all the new snow bike specific gear!
 

Tride

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Sep 29, 2010
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And it will keep on being that way unless enough people stand up and say no, we aren't going to buy things made by slaves in China. Saying that's just the way it is won't change anything. If the Havocs had a made in USA tag I would already have a pair, the price wouldn't stop me if I knew the buck stopped here in the US.

Like $700? That would be ok? I'm not psyched on it either. I grew up in Maine as the mills closed, and it was grim. It's especially frustrating when companies that used to sew domestically move to China, but keep the price the same (Arc'terex, for one). Pretty sure we're not going to see any change anytime soon. Stuff sewn in Taiwan or Vietnam is almost boutique now.

Now, if CNC cutting/sewing robots could be perfected (I'm sure they're not far off) the US could be competitive for sure. But that's not putting any money in the hands of the average Joe or Jane either.
 
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