Moose Racing ADV1 Jacket and Pant Reviews

Moose Racing ADV1 Jacket and Pants - http://www.mooseracing.com

OVERVIEW
It has been a blessing to have had the opportunity to test and abuse many different brands of riding gear over the years.  Moose Racing has always developed quality products, so there was little chance I would be disappointed when I decided to spend a year putting their flagship “Adventure” setup to the test. The ADV1 jacket and pant tops their lineup, designed for the serious Touring / Adventure enthusiast. As you would expect, they come with a loaded spec sheet (though we've all seen overblown marketing of products that don't live up to the hype). So, as I do with every product I review: 1. Start with an open mind and 2. Have a plan of attack.  Open mind, check! Plan of attack, check! To kick-off this year-long review I would be meeting-up with my best friend Bryan Bosch for a 12-hour adventure ride in the Pacific Northwest (see the full XL-ADV Ride Report), then spending fall and winter in the rain and snow of the Colorado Rockies, and finally wrapping-up in the spring and summer in the heat of Florida...a true multi-season, multi-region test of the Moose gear!

FIRST IMPRESSION
Moose has never let me down over the years, and the first impression of the ADV1 gear would be no different. Unpacking the box, I could just feel the “substantial” weight of the materials and integrated protection…this gear is HEAVY (XX lbs.)…but this is exactly what you want from gear that is going to protect you from bouncing down a gravel road or freeway.

FITMENT
I’m a big-boy…5’9 and 280lbs…yeah, I said big! One of the challenges I typically have when looking for gear is finding gear that will fit comfortably. I pleasantly surprised to see that the ADV1 jacket comes in sizes up to 4X and pant up to 48” waist. So, I followed the recommendation of the manufacturer on sizing, then (just to be safe) I bumped both up to the next larger size…perfect fit for my unique shape, so for anyone else, just stick with the Moose sizing chart and it will be spot-on. Then something amazing happened…this year was the year that started to get serious about some lifestyle changes, and as a result I lost 45 pounds, which is great, right? Not if you have a set of *AMAZING* riding gear that I’ll now be swimming in! Thankfully, the ADV1 pant has zip-off bib with suspenders and though I have way more room than need be, once on my bike I don’t even notice…thank you Moose!

OVERALL PERFORMANCE
This is one area where testing gets personal. No one wants to crash, and it usually sneaks-up on you and takes you by surprise. This week, that’s exactly what happened to me. Bryan and I were out on our new bikes (Bryan on his 2017 KTM 690 Enduro R and me on my 2017 Husqvarna 701 Enduro...check out the #DualSportDuo BLOG over on ThumperTalk), creeping up on 200 miles on the ODO, and then it happened. On a (very) hard-packed dirt road in a neighborhood under construction, I grabbed a handful of throttle and 74hp sent me on a long low-side, dragging my left knee on the ground for most of the crash. I hopped-up quick as to not allow Bryan time to capture the aftermath on his cell phone, then did the injury assessment. The ADV1 pant took the brunt of the impact, and due to the integrated D3O EVO Pro XT knee protectors and D3O EVO Pro XT hip protectors, I walked away completely unscathed...yes, the integrated protection works as advertised. Thank you (again) Moose! Now for the Florida heat...the jacket and pants are loaded with vertical vents that *actually* work! Just got home from a dualsport day trip in 85 degree heat with 65% humidity...yeah, it was hot and sticky when stopped, but anytime we were moving I didn't notice anything but the airflow through my gear.

WHO ARE THEY DESIGNED FOR?

The ADV1 jacket and pant takes all the best features from their entire gear lineup in creating their top-offering in the Touring / Adventure category. Top quality materials, lots of protection, flexible, waterproof...and not just on paper, but fully verifiable. How do I know? Because this year I’ve not only used this gear for riding, but this winter I put it to the ultimate test…snowboarding in the Colorado Rockies! Yes, you read it right…I used my adventure riding gear as snowboard gear. How did it perform? As you would expect any Moose product to perform…AMAZING! I was warm and dry all day, though I spent a lot of time sitting on my butt in the snow, and at one point I spent 45 minutes hunkering-down in the backcountry waiting for blizzard / whiteout to pass through. My Moose gear kept me warm and dry through a very scary situation.

PROS

• Looks great
• Built-in protection that really works
• Venting that actually keeps you cool
• Waterproof zippers throughout
• Configurable (suspenders, gators, sleeves, liners, etc.)

CONS 

• Expensive (but worth every penny!)
• Heavy (due to built-in protection...but it's removable)

SUMMARY
I love this gear! I can't say enough about any one area because the ADV1 jacket and pant have continued to exceed all my expectations. I have now logged many hundreds of miles in varying weather conditions, hot, cold, wet, dry, and multiple crashes...the gear has stood up to everything I have thrown at them. All-in-all, Moose makes a great product and I would recommend them to anyone looking for great adventure gear!