In this article, we write about what dirt bike vests are on the market today.
You landed on this page to find out what dirt bike vest you should get. Before we jump into the best vests let’s talk about the ins and outs of a dirt bike riding vest. Vests are a great alternative to the more standard riding backpack. I personally own a KLIM Nac Pac, USWE pack, and a Fox Racing Pack.
Table of Contents
Why a dirt bike riding vest is best
The first thing you will notice on a dirt bike vest is it distributes the weight that you are hauling WAY better than a standard backpack. This is a big deal for those much longer dirt bike rides or when carrying camera epuipment. I don’t know about you but sometimes I have a ton of gear that I bring along for those longer more remote rides.
Dirt Bike Pack Essential Gear
- Food/Water
- Survival Gear
- Tool Kit
- Extra tubes/Tire Repair
- Camera equipment
- Multi-Tool
- Phone
- Radio
- GPS
- Extra Gas
- Jacket
Dirt Bike Riding Vest offers better Weight Distribution
It’s no fun having a large heavy backpack that acts like dead weight on your back all day while riding.
Riding Vest bounces less
The other thing a riding vest does is it stays much flatter and has WAY less bounce. A standard riding backpack tends to bounce around when riding through a whoop section. Even with the USWE no-pack bounce shoulder straps you still get bouncing.
You want your pack to not bounce around!
If your pack is heavy it’s like someone giving you a back slap every time you hit a big whoop or bouncy section when dirt biking.
You landed on this page to find out what dirt bike vest you should get. Before we jump into the best vests let’s talk about the ins and outs of a dirt bike riding vest. Vests are a great alternative to the more standard riding backpack. I personally own a KLIM Nac Pac, USWE pack, and a Fox Racing Pack.
Why a dirt bike riding vest is best
The first thing you will notice on a dirt bike vest is it distributes the weight that you are hauling WAY better than a standard backpack. This is a big deal for those much longer dirt bike rides or when carrying camera epuipment. I don’t know about you but sometimes I have a ton of gear that I bring along for those longer more remote rides.
Dirt Bike Pack Essential Gear
- Food/Water
- Survival Gear
- Tool Kit
- Extra tubes/Tire Repair
- Camera equipment
- Multi-Tool
- Phone
- Radio
- GPS
- Extra Gas
- Jacket
Dirt Bike Riding Vest offers better Weight Distribution
It’s no fun having a large heavy backpack that acts like dead weight on your back all day while riding.
Riding Vest bounces less
The other thing a riding vest does is it stays much flatter and has WAY less bounce. A standard riding backpack tends to bounce around when riding through a whoop section. Even with the USWE no-pack bounce shoulder straps you still get bouncing.
You want your pack to not bounce around!
If your pack is heavy it’s like someone giving you a back slap every time you hit a big whoop or bouncy section when dirt biking.
The Downside to Dirt Bike Vest
They RUN HOT
A vest generally covers more of your body than a standard dirt bike backpack. This means you will sweat more on those summertime rides when it’s really hot. But hey this also means you stay warmer in the colder rides. This is annoying when you are already having carry water but if you sweat more that means you will need more water….good thing the riding vests can haul alot!
Riding Vests are bulky
Some dirt bike riders might feel constricted but wearing an actual vest. Rather than just having straps. Some of the riding vests below have more of a standard backpack strap that would be a better option if you are worried about having a riding vest cover your entire chest, shoulders, and back.
There are a bunch of quality options when it comes to choosing a dirt bike riding vest. You have major dirt bike brands that offer high-quality well-built vests.
Dirt Bike Riding Vest Manufactures:
- Klim
- Fox Racing
- Ogio
- Answer Racing
- WLF enduro
Let’s jump into these different dirt bike riding vests. Now keep in mind this list below is NOT in any order. I am working on doing a shootout between some of these different riding vests but that is for another article and video.
The Klim Arsenal Vest is built from the highest quality materials on the market. Built to last the Klim Arsenal Vest also has 9 pockets which include a rear tool kit pack. This riding vest from Klim was engineered to offer the most effective weight distribution possible. This means you can carry much larger loads without feeling the weight.
The Klim Vest is fully adjustable and adjusts in the shoulder, side, and center straps. The Arsenal Vest comes with vented mesh to help encourage airflow. The Klim Aresnel Vest comes with an integrated hydration pack.
Klim Arsenal Vest Specs:
- Over the Shoulder Padding
- 3 large storage areas
- 3 different chest pockets
- 2 different waist pockets
- Klim Tool Pack
- Mesh design
- 3 Liter Klim hydration bladder
- Molle webbing
- Colors Black and Sage – HI-VIS
OGIO MX FLIGHT VEST
Ogio is one of the first to market with a dirt bike riding vest. The MX Flight Vest is a high-quality well-built vest. Built for low-profile storage, Ogio ensures you will run out of things to haul with this vest. The Ogio MX Flight Vest allows for a well-balanced load while riding. Comes with an integrated water bladder to keep you hydrated out on the trail.
OGIO MX Flight Vest Specs:
- Tool Organizer
- Goggle pocket
- Rear tool pocket
- Multi-point adjustments
- 9 pockets
- Dimensions 4″ H x 21″ W x 24″ D
- Weighs 3.44 lbs
- Color Stealth Black
FOX RACING LEGION TAC VEST
Fox racing is very well known in the motocross world. Fox decided to build the Legion TAC vest for offroad dirt bike riders. Fox wanted to ensure that you can evenly distribute the weight of all the gear offroad dirt bikers carry. The Fox TAC Vest comes with a hydration pack and strategically placed pockets. Mesh back to help with air flow.
Fox Racing Legion TAC Vest Specs:
- Hydration Bladder
- Air mesh for cooling
- Tool Organizer
- Large back storage
- Chest storage
- Molle webbing
- Dual side expansion
- Different sizes (small, medium, Large, XL, XXL, XXXL)
WLF ENDURO PACK VEST
WLF Enduro is a company that builds hardcore dirt bike riding gear. WLF Enduro was built by hardcore offroad riders. They felt that the dirt bike riding vest needed to be revisited and they pulled all their friends and riding experience together to build the WLF Pack Vest.
Years and years of blood sweat and tears went into the development of the Pack Vest by WLF. The design is a little different than the above vests with shoulder straps that are more like a backpack which allows for better airflow. This vest is more like a fanny pack with back and shoulder straps. The WLF Pack Vest does NOT come with a hydration pack.
WLF Enduro Pack Vest Specs:
- Designed by Riders
- Cordura construction
- MOLLE straps
- Hydration sleeve
- Removable pockets
- YKK zippers
- DWR coating
- Velcro panel for customization
- Ergonomic fit
- Fully adjustable
- Color black
ANSWER RACING OPS VEST
Answer Racing has been building dirt bike riding gear for a very long time. The OPS Vest is a product of the years and years of testing. Developed with the WLF Enduro team the OPS Vest is built from the best Cordura rip-stop materials. Yes WLF has developed their own vest (See above). Comes with follow adjustable straps and YKK zippers. Ergonomic fit ensures perfect balance when loaded down with gear. Large adjustable pockets that also can be removed. While it comes with a hydration pocket it DOES NOT come with a hydration bladder.
Answer Racing OPS Vest Specs:
- Cordura Rip-Stop construction
- MOLLE straps
- Hydration sleeve
- Removable pockets
- YKK zippers
- Velcro panel for customization
- Ergonomic fit
- Fully adjustable
- Dimensions 13.5 x 11.5 x 3 inches
- Weight 3.74
- Color Sand
In conclusion:
All the packs mentioned above are great options for getting the best riding vest on the market. They are all priced closely but come with different features that you may want. Overall a vest offers more storage space than a traditional dirt biking pack. It also allows you to evenly store your gear for a balanced riding experience.
Haul more gear and stay out longer on the trails with better ergonomics. This is what the Dirt Bike Riding Vest is best at.
I am working on doing a shootout between the Ogio MX Flight Vest, KLIM Arsenal Vest, and Answer Racing OPS Vest. Stay tuned for that. I will post a link here once I have it.
