MotoReview- Answer Racing A22 Syncron Prism Jersey & Pants
Greetings MotoReaders! As promised, I'm here with a brand new MotoReview of some of my off-road riding gear- today, I'll be reviewing the Answer Racing A22 Syncron Prism riding jersey and pants.
Notable Details
Before I begin, I'm going to point out a few things: first, for those that don't know this, or just as a reminder to those who do- when you see words or phrases that are hyperlinked- I do that in almost all of my blog posts for your convenience- those are links to that site, product or page; second, I bought the Answer A22 Syncron Prism (hereafter referred to as the "Prism" because "Answer Racing A22 Syncron Prism" is a mouthful!) from MotoStealz, for a deeply discounted price; and finally, these are not the most current offerings from Answer Racing. MotoStealz buys brand new gear that is new old stock that there is nothing wrong with, it just simply didn't sell. Companies like Answer (among others) sell their overstock items to MotoStealz, who turn around and sell it to us for discounted prices. It's a great arrangement all around- both companies make a few bucks off the overstocked gear, and folks like you and me get great deals on awesome riding gear. This is particularly awesome if you're like me, and are just getting into (or back into) riding and need gear, but don't want to invest a bunch of money up front.
Jersey
Jumping straight into the review, I'll tell you that the best feature of this gear is the comfort of it. Specifically, the jersey is extremely light and wearing it all day in South Mississippi summer heat and humidity didn't bother me one bit. I've been more uncomfortable in a short sleeved T-shirt than in this long sleeved jersey. It doesn't have any vents or mesh panels like some jerseys, but it breathes extremely well and does a great job of wicking sweat and keeping me cool. It is also roomy enough to wear a chest/roost protector under it, and the sleeves are long enough, and the cuffs are tight enough, to stay at my wrists for maximum coverage. The next best thing about it, thanks to MotoStealz, was the price. This is a $30 jersey, and I picked it up for a fraction of that, at $8. Yes, you read that right- $8 USD. Another thing I like about it, is that it looks great. The colors are vibrant and after a few washes, haven't seemed to fade at all. The biggest con, though, is that the material seems to snag when riding trails. This could be that I'm not using it for its intended purpose, though, as I'm pretty sure it is intended for motocross racing, not trails covered in vines and thorns. Even with the snags, it still looks good enough for the kind of riding I do.
Pants
The pants are are a good bit more durable. I haven't had any issues with abrasions, rips or snags. They are made with a ripstop material, that I will assume is a type of cordura, but I don't really know fabrics or materials... I just know they are tough. The colors, like the Jersey, are vibrant and haven't faded yet, after a few washes. The pants have a mesh liner that does a good job of wicking sweat, but the pants don't have any vents and the outer shell is built for protection, not airflow, so I have found that I still get hot and sweaty below the waist. Even so, they are tremendously better than my favorite pair of Levi's in the sweltering summer heat. The best part of these pants has to be the flexibility. The crotch and inner thigh areas are made of a stretch material that offers great flexibility and a little bit of airflow (not much, but more than the rest of the pants), which keeps everything safe and comfortable. The knees and lower legs are reinforced so that when I take a spill, I don't have to worry about them ripping. They are also pre-curved and have extra room to accomodate wearing knee braces or protectors inside the pants. Much like most of the off-road riding pants I've seen, there are no pockets, so you will need to stow your truck key in your hydration pack, or in your bike's tool kit if it has one. The waistband has a velcro cinch strap that is easy to use and "infinitely" adjustable. There is no zipper, just a gusseted flap that doesn't open, unlike some of my other riding pants, which does make relieving bladder pressure a bit more cumbersome. Again, the lack of a zipper could be because these are probably designed primarily for motocross, not enduro or trail riding. It's not a deal breaker though, as the pants are comfortable enough in every other way. As with the jersey, Motostealz delivered on the price... I picked these $80 pants up for less than $10. I don't mind wearing the "out of date" styles if I can save enough money to buy a few tanks of gas and a fast food sammich and fries.
Final Thoughts
Even without the Motosteaz discounts, this set is still worth the full price that Answer Racing sells them for. They are well made and, so far, have held up very well. As far as the styling- personally, I really like it- it reminds me of the styles and designs of the early 90's. I've got some other gear that I'll be reviewing soon, but in all honesty, I think this set is my favorite to wear, especially when riding with the guys, because the colors stand out well in the woods and I don't necessarily need pockets to hold my keys, knife, phone or wallet when I'm riding in a group.
I'm not affiliated with Motostealz in any way other than being a paying customer, so while I mention them a few times here, just know that the price I paid is the price that everyone pays. They sell the stuff until it sells out, then once it's gone, it's gone for good so it's a good idea to check back often for new stuff. They are also limited in a lot of sizes and colors, so keep that in mind when you are browsing for discounts. If you're like me, and are just getting back into off-road riding after a few decades, or if you are new to off-road riding, you may not want to invest a bunch of money just to get your feet wet into the sport. This is a great way to outfit yourself in good, high quality, purpose made riding gear. Motostealz makes if extra affordable, and Answer Racing makes a solid product that looks good, fits well and keeps you comfortable. Overall, I don't think you can go wrong with their products, no matter where you buy them.
Until next time, MotoReaders,
Gear up, save money, and ride safe!
