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Buyer's Guide By MBT Staff Apparel and Protection | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 = We'd rather eat a soggy bike sock than buy this thing.
 = Pretty good. Could use improvement, but functional.
 = If someone gives it to you, maybe. It's a paperweight.
 = Sweeeeet. We'd buy it. It won't cure cancer though.
 = We'd use it if we were in a bind. Maybe.
 = Dude, it does everything including wash your car. It rules!
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SIDI Dominator 5 Lorica White Christmas: Fits like a glove. Lump of Coal: Costs the hand that fits in the glove. Santa says: Best shoes for the money on the market right now. Cycling shoes come in all shapes and sizes, but some are better than others. If you're going to drop some money on a pair of shoes you might want to consider these shoes. Featuring an "Ultra SL" racheting buckle adjustment for on the fly adjustability, a pair of velcro straps with recessed interlocking polymer teeth, competition soles for increased rigidity, excellent mud shedding capabilities and SPD compatibility, you're going to be using these shoes for a long time. The Lorica material lasts and lasts, and is easy to wipe clean. Ventilation is good and the shoes are incredibly comfortable on the feet. They'll cost you, but with almost the entire shoe being replacable, they'll be with you forever. MSRP - $229 Sizes - 38-52, wide and narrow available. Sidi USA
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Fox Dirtpaw Full Finger Gloves White Christmas: Excellent feel. Lump of Coal: Needs more armour. Santa says: XC only gloves, but worth the money. Fox Racing clothing does it again. We've always loved the way Fox gloves fit our hands and gave us unprecedented feel, even with fairly substantial palm protection. Available in a large range of colours so you can mix and match them to your ride or your other riding gear, these gloves also feature airprene knuckles and a single layer of clarino on the palmar surface. They look good, they feel good, and they really hold up well against abuse. Downside? They still aren't armored like a good thick set of gloves. Don't expect them to save you from a really nasty crash and they do stain rather easily. MSRP - $19.95 Sizes - Sm-XXL Fox Racing
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Fox Launch Knee and Shin Guards White Christmas: Great ergonomics and lace up system. Lump of Coal: Straps may chafe. Santa says: Nobody does pads like Fox. Sometimes mountain biking is just dangerous stuff, and we don't always want to let our body turn into hamburger. A lot of people trust Fox to protect their bodies, and we're no exception. The Launch series of pads are the flagship Fox pads, and for good reason. They feature a patented "X-Up" system that makes putting on and taking off the pads quick and simple. They don't twist or slip, and the hard shell knee and asymmetrical shin pads (designed to fit each leg specifically) provide excellent impact protection. The shin pads are vented very well and the backing is soft and comfortable, making long days in these pads easy as can be. Just like everything else fox, they're pricey, but we won't hold that against them. After all, how much do unbroken bones mean to you? MSRP - $69.95 Sizes - S/M, L/XL Fox Racing
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Zeal Optics Rush White Christmas: Lots of choices, photochromatic lens. Lump of Coal: Foggy foggy. Santa says: Great bargain, but buy some no-fog solution. Featuring six frame color choices, a bevy of lens options and top-notch customer service to help sort out all the options, make Zeal the perfect choice for riders looking to customize their view of the trail. Forget swapping lenses when the sun drops or disappears behind cloud cover; Zeal covers all the bases with lenses designed to block strong rays, and enhance the hue at dusk. For a penny shy of a c-note, you'll be outfitted with a set of wicked frames and sweet polarized lenses. The wrap around design will give you loads of peripheral vision while protecting your eyes from trail debris and low hanging branches, and they stylish frames will net you more chicks than Brad Pitt. Maybe. MSRP - $99.99 (frame and polarized lens) Zeal Optics
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Loius Garneau Oz-zy Helmet White Christmas: Incredible venting and very secure. Lump of Coal: Pricey for a helmet. Santa says: Find it for cheaper and it's a good deal. Louis Garneau is one of the premier manufacturers of clothing in the cycling world. Their helmets have been long known for comfort and style, and the Oz-zy is no exception. Featuring 16 large vents that allow for massive flow through, LG's Keylock system, Spyderlock Elite system and Ergolock buckle system, this pricey helmet is one of the most comfortable on the market. It protects just as well as every other helmet on the market with its bonded polystyrene construction. Why not just buy a cheap helmet since they all protect the same? The Oz looks the part, that's why. Who wants a hot, heavy lid on your skull when you can drop some coin and have a great looking, cool cranium cover. MSRP - $129.99 Louis Garneau
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Giro Xen Helmet White Christmas: Oh-so comfortable fit. Lump of Coal: HOT! Santa says: Needs more ventilation but oozes style. Giro makes their living in the bicycle world selling helmets to pro racers and regular consumers alike. The highest honour of the Giro mountain line is the Xen. Billed as an "all mountain" helmet, the Xen balances stunningly good looks with the low profile and excellent coverage typical of a skate style helmet. Factor in 17 Wind Tunnel vents, a great RocLoc 4 fit system, adjustable detachable visor and very comfortable removable pads, the Xen is indeed...zen. On the trail you can insure this lid will keep your dome safe and sound and won't rattle around when you hit the rough stuff. Available in 6 colours ranging from mild to wild, the Xen will fit everyone's personality. MSRP - $130.00 Giro
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Primal Wear Jerseys White Christmas: Bitchin' designs. Lump of Coal: Sometimes hard to find. Santa says: Nothing rocks like Primal Wear. Primal Wear has always been known for its wild designs and bizarre jersey styles, and this year is no exception. Adding several new rock designs (Metallica, Back in Black) and some other new designs (Blues Brothers, Singletrack Ale, and Leisure Ride), Primal is continuing to expand their awesome lineup. Their jerseys are 3/4 club cut which leaves a little bit more to the imagination than a racer cut, and feature 3 large pockets and a 20 inch hidden zipper. Comfort and style keeps you cool, happy and hip on the trail. MSRP - $39.95 to $124.95 Primal Wear
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Camelbak M.U.L.E. White Christmas: Lots of water and lots of space. Lump of Coal: Some useless features. Santa says: Great all around pack. The new MULE features a Dynamic Suspension Harness, Air Director back panel, durable Splash Guard and a removable waist belt, giving you loads of comfort and features for a reasonable price. Tough and durable, but also comfortable and breatheable, the MULE is the pinnacle of packs. With a 3 litre bladder and 540 cubic inches of storage space, there's lots of room for water and all the crap you can dream of stuffing in there. The MP3 pocket is somewhat useless though, and even though there's no difference in size from last year, it seems smaller. Still, it's the best pack for someone who's not dragging a big camera rig or trailbuilding tools with them on every ride. MSRP - $80 Camelbak
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