Leatt MX Gear Review – Richard van der Westhuizen

LEATT MX Gear Review 2023

By: Richard van der Westhuizen

Photos by: RYDE TV

Leatt Canada kindly provided a complete set of gear for us to test at the Yamaha Motor Canada Media Day, an excellent opportunity to put the gear through its paces over two days. Thank you to Zoe Verbauwhede and Kimpex for getting it here in record time (and Benjamin Blouin, a racer from Quebec, for packing it!). We were treated to great weather for our test, hovering between 12-15 degrees Celsius, with overcast and windy conditions. We tested the gear on the Sand Del Lee track in Ottawa, Ontario, known for its sandy surface. The track received a lot of rain the week before the test, so the track was very soft and wet – perfect conditions to test MX gear!

It is hard for me not to have a soft spot for the company that started out of my home country, South Africa. Throughout my racing career from 2007 to 2017, I used a Leatt neck brace, and I never went on the track without it. It is remarkable to see how the company has grown since then, and one just needs to look through the Leatt.com website to see the enormous range of products they offer. What started as a neck brace company has transformed into a complete MX (and MTB) solution for gear, very impressive.

Despite being relatively new to the MX gear scene, Leatt has made considerable strides in a short amount of time. From the eco-friendly packaging and vibrant colours to their high-quality materials and intentionally-designed features, their products are exceptional. I’ve included links for those interested in the ultra-technical specifications or who wish to view the kit we used during our tests.

Helmet Size XL, Goggles, Lenses and Laminated Tear-offs:

Helmet Kit Moto 8.5 Composite with 5.5 goggles – Blue (XL)

Goggles:

Goggle Velocity 5.5 – Blue

Tear-offs:

Tear-Off Laminated 2×7-pack

The Leatt 8.5 helmet exceeded my expectations, and, in terms of looks, has improved significantly since their first shot at manufacturing helmets. Extremely comfortable and light, and without the need to adjust it while riding, it won me over early from the first moto I rode with it. The viewport allows for significant airflow, and even though the peak is set at one position, it looks great. In my own subjective opinion, I love this new shape. The graphics are bright, and it screams aesthetic appeal. Leatt also offers a whole range of other cool colour combos, so be sure to check their website out.

I was grateful that I never needed to test this. However, Leatt takes technology and safety seriously. It comes with feature category-defining 360 ̊ Turbine Technology, allowing your head to move slightly in the event of a crash. Having this feature inspired confidence in the helmet, making the riding that much more enjoyable. 

The helmet came with a neat helmet bag, an extendable visor for sun/mud and…. a sweet pair of Velocity 5.5 goggles that pair beautifully with the helmet. The blue/neon yellow colour combo grabs a lot of attention. They come with a triple-density foam, allowing them to sit snugly against your face. A wide, antifog, bulletproof lens again makes safety paramount and ticks off all the functions you need in a goggle.

We had cool, overcast weather during the test, and not once had the lenses fogging up. I tried laminated tear-offs with these on day two, which worked perfectly. The lenses are also designed for roll-offs, which is a neat feature. I remember the days in the early 2000’s when we drilled our lenses to fit roll-offs to goggles that weren’t designed for them. Leatt makes this incredibly easy now. I was super-impressed with the goggles and helmet.

Chest protector:

Chest Protector 1.5 – white

Being a rider who has chosen to ride with chest guards my whole career, it is always a balancing act between protection and comfort. More protection usually means bulky plastic, making an uncomfortable ride. Sleeker guards usually mean less protection from roost and hard hits. The 1.5 chest guard is a roost guard on steroids – solid hard-shell protection you can barely feel while riding. I hardly felt it after I had put it on, and again never had that unprotected, uneasy feeling. I wore my shirt over the chest guard, and you can barely see me riding with one in the photos.

Finally, you can adapt this chest guard to a neck brace if you ride with one – a great feature they have offered throughout the last few years. This is perfect for riders who want more movement and a sleeker look but more protection than a usual roost guard.

Knee & Shin Guard Dual Axis

Knee & Shin Guard Dual Axis – white

Having ridden with knee braces for most of my racing career, it was hard not to be sceptical about trying out knee guards. I know there has been a lot of talk and controversy about this lately online, particularly in the US. I was pleasantly surprised when riding with these. They are very comfortable, attributable to the dual pivots on each side that copy the natural motion of your knee. I barely noticed them while riding, and they never moved around. They are also tough, made of impact-absorbing foam and CE-rated plastic. 

Testing these against their premium X, C or Z frame knee braces would be a great comparison. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with the feel of the knee guards.

MX GEAR – Pants – 34, Jersey – XL, and Gloves – XL

Jersey Moto 5.5 UltraWeld – jungle

Pants Moto 5.5 I.K.S – jungle

Gloves Moto 2.5 X-Flow – jungle

The first two things I noticed when trying on the gear were the high-quality materials and how comfortable everything was. Gone are the days of thick, heavy, crusty MX gear that never fits properly. The Leatt gear is strong, light and fits well to your body contour. It felt great during motos, allowing me to focus on my riding. 

The shirt fit well over the chest guard, and the cuffs were perfect – snug without restriction. The shirt felt slightly longer than usual, eliminating the chance of it becoming untucked. 

The pants fit perfectly, and I loved how you could adjust the buckle and tighten up the sides of the waist with the Velcro straps for that personalised feel. The real grain leather knees held up well during the test, and I had excellent grip on the track. I am usually between sizes, and the size 34 was spot on. 

I usually prefer thinner gloves for a better feel on the controls. The Leatt gloves are snug, light, strong and thin, so these were right up my alley. Doing this without sacrificing quality is exactly what they have achieved. 

Boots – Size 11

Boots 5.5 FlexLock – Cyan

My favourite part of the test was trying Leatt’s premium MX boot. Having broken my ankles six years ago (resulting in three surgeries), protection is paramount for me when I ride. The catch here is still being able to have enough flexibility that you have a good feel out on the track. The boot exceeded my expectations in nearly every aspect. They felt secure while being comfortable. The boot inside is a snug, tight fit with a plush interior, inspiring confidence when I was on the track. I had no problems gripping the bike, and even after going through water, there was no slipping or sliding off the bike.

In terms of protection, their FlexLock system reduces forces to the ankle by up to 37% and the knee by up to 35% by Locking out the ankle movement when over-flexed, giving you that feeling of security. Finally, their SlideLock Velcro function tops the boot off by adding that extra security in fastening boot technology. 

The buckles are sturdy and very easy to use, and even after two days of riding on a deep sand track, the boots look as good as new. 

Conclusion

As you can clearly see from the test, I have nothing negative to say about Leatt’s Gear. Granted, I only tested it for two days, so this isn’t a comprehensive, long-term review. Many potential issues can, however be identified during the initial rides using the gear.

I appreciate the concerted thought and effort when adding new features to their gear. Often, features are simply “nice to have” or are added as marketing gimmicks. The dedication and effort that goes into each piece of gear they produce is evident. These features are designed with the rider in mind, and it’s clear to see. Big kudos to their designers.

Having never ridden with anything other than their neck brace and chest protector previously, I would not think twice about purchasing Leatt Products in the future. I am impressed. The last time I raced MX was six years ago, nearly to the month, and admittedly, I have only ridden a handful of times since then. Going out onto the track without a worry because your gear is of the highest quality significantly improved my confidence. I was certainly won over. 

Thanks for reading. Hopefully, this helps you make your decision easier when purchasing your next set of gear!

Richard van der Westhuizen