Kit

MTB Kit Buying Guide

Kit is the stuff you wear on the bike. Getting it right matters — a helmet that fits properly, knee pads that stay in place, shoes that grip the pedals, and gloves that don't bunch up all directly affect how you ride. Used kit is a smart way to try premium brands without the new price tag.

Protection First

A helmet is non-negotiable. Beyond that, knee pads are the single most useful piece of protection for trail riding — a kneecap on a rock ends your season. Elbow pads add insurance on steeper terrain. Full body armour and back protectors are DH and park essentials. The key is finding protection that's comfortable enough to wear every ride — pads sitting in the bottom of your bag don't protect anything.

Fit Over Brand

MTB kit is deeply personal. A Fox helmet that fits one rider perfectly will pinch another. Shimano shoes that suit wide feet won't work for narrow feet. Glove sizing varies wildly between brands. Buying used lets you try different brands and fits cheaply — sell what doesn't work, keep what does. This is especially true for shoes and helmets where fit is more important than spec sheet features.

Buying Used Kit

Helmets: only buy used if there's no crash history. A helmet that's absorbed an impact is compromised even if it looks fine — the EPS liner crushes once and doesn't recover. Body armour, pads, shoes, gloves and jerseys are all fine to buy used. Check straps, velcro and buckles for wear. Padding degrades over time but functional armour that's seen a couple of seasons is still significantly better than no armour at all.