Leatt launches its 2017 GPX 5.5 off-road gear in Canada (and on bicycles. Hey, the ground is hard either way!)
Riding downhill mountain bikes in Whistler, B.C., Canada finds a home high in the ranks as one of the cooler things I’ve done. Navigating a full-blown downhill bike through terrain I normally only experience when riding off-road on my favorite dirt bike fueled an internal flame that makes me want to run out and blow a few months’ income on a new mountain bike.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM BOOTH
Bombing a downhill on a bike with as much suspension travel as a dirt bike is not something everyone gets to do. Luckily for me, Leatt, a company that makes cool protective gear for both dirt bikers and mountain bikers, invited the motocross and off-road dirt-bike media to Whistler, B.C. for an unveiling of their all-new GPX 5.5 off-road gear, and I’m here to tell you about some of their new stuff.
The all-new GPX 5.5 off-road riding gear from Leatt is super lightweight and ventilated, keeping the rider cool and comfortable. The pants feature what Leatt calls the I.K.S. (internal knee-brace system), which has four layers of reinforcement in the high-wear area of the inner knee. A pre-curved slim fit and a micro-adjuster waist belt help keep the GPX 5.5 pant in place while moto-ing. A durable nylon seat area also helps reduce wear. The GPX 5.5 Ultraweld jersey is made up of ultra-light, four-way stretch MoistureCool-wicking mesh fabric. Tape-bonded seams add to the comfort level. The neck-collar design is for use with or without a neck brace, while the athletic stretch fit allows the use of body armor if preferred. Color choices include blue, orange, bright green, red and black.
Since our time in Whistler, we’ve spent quiet a few hours wearing the GPX 5.5 gear. It is form-fitting yet comfortable and very well ventilated. The pants have held up well in high-wear areas and the lime-green colorway is a standout on the track.
The 2017 GPX 5.5 gear wasn’t the only product showcased. Leatt also showed off the new colorways for the GPX 6.5 Carbon helmet and the GPX 5.5 Composite helmet, as well as new under-jersey protection.
Leatt also showcased the new GPX 5.5 Enduro jacket with a water-resistant shell, zip-off arms and adjustable ventilation. It also features an internal hydration pocket with a bladder-suspension system. The neck collar is made specifically to be worn over your neck brace, the collar to go around your neck brace, the brace to be covered by the collar, or to be worn without a neck brace. The list of new and revised 2017 product from Leatt is long, so for more info be sure and check out Leatt.com.
Change Of Pace
Instead of trying out some of Leatt’s new 2017 products the usual way—riding motorcycles—Leatt wanted to do something a little different and turned us loose on downhill mountain bikes; after all, the ground is just as hard when you hit it from a motorcycle as it is from a bicycle; heck, often times, it’s harder from a bicycle.
My personal mountain bike is nothing like the Specialized Demo 8 I rode in Whistler. Any free time that might find it’s way into my life is spent riding dirt bikes and at least 15 years had passed since I really went downhill riding, especially on a specific mountain-bike location like Whistler. Dripping head to toe with brand-new, bright lime-green Leatt mountain bike gear I felt like the worlds biggest poser getting on the chair lift for my maiden voyage down the mountain. Building on that feeling of “I look fast, but I’m not,” were the five other journalists next to me wearing the exact Leatt kit.
Leatt protected everyone by providing the Leatt DBX 5.0 short with the DBX 5.0 all-mountain jersey. I opted to wear the motocross GPX 5.5 long-sleeve jersey because it was hot out and provides more venting. I quickly came to appreciate the Leatt Impact GPX 5.5 under protector shorts after a slide-out in a bowl corner. The padding in the hip kept me from scrapes and bruises. Another essential piece of protection was the 3DF Hybrid knee and shin guards.
By the end of two days they had battle marks, showing clearly where they had provided protection. The first day on the mountain I opted out of any upper body protection, but after seeing a few crashes the first day I gladly ran the Leatt body vest 3DF AirFit Lite under my shirt for day two. It provides a lot of protection with minimal restriction. This is a piece I plan on using for dirt-bike riding as the weather cools down. The most important part of the downhill kit, the Leatt DBX 5.0 composite helmet was comfortable, light and provided great ventilation.
Whistler, B.C. is a bucket list destination for a lot of mountain-bike riders and after two full days living the mountain-bike dream (during the famous Crankworx event nonetheless) I have another hobby to fill any free time I can find. Thanks to Leatt and their extensive line of mountain bike protective gear, I will be much safer as I bomb down the trail on my mountain bike making dirt-bike noises. CN
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