MXA TEAM TESTED: O’NEAL HARDWEAR MIXXER GEAR

WHAT IS IT? The Hardwear gear is the cream of the O’Neal crop.

WHAT’S IT COST? $159.99 (pant), $54.99 (jersey), $29.99 (Jump glove).

CONTACT? (800) 326-6325 or www.oneal.com.

WHAT STANDS OUT? Here’s a list of things that stand out with the O’Neal Hardwear Mixxer gear.

(1) Pants. The Hardwear pants come fully loaded. Don’t believe us? Both knees have thick leather panels to ward off scalding exhaust pipes. A built-in, adjustable nylon belt guarantees that the pants won’t slide down. The high-wear areas have been triple stitched to meet the demands of riding. Wide stretch panels are used throughout the knees, crotch and rear panel to allow maximum range of motion. O’Neal also lightened up the pants by shaving weight off the rubber logos. There is even padding on the inner thigh area.

(2) Jersey. O’Neal must’ve dipped their Hardwear gear in the fountain of youth, because this stuff has traditionally been the most durable gear on the market. We have test riders who have owned O’Neal Hardwear jerseys for the better part of 10 years?and they still look like they were just taken out of the package. The Hardwear jersey is comfortable, and the sublimated graphics are fade-free. We did notice several unnecessary TPR accents on the elbow areas, which only add weight to the jersey and don’t provide safety benefits.

(3) Glove. Truth be told, we haven’t always been fans of O’Neal’s riding gloves. That’s no longer the case. We instantly fell in love with their Jump glove. It is the lightest and least restrictive of their gloves and doesn’t offer any protection, but that’s fine with us. Why? The Jump feels like a second skin. We especially like the silicone palm print, which provides extra grip. Our only beef with the Jump glove is that the sizing is off. If you typically wear a size-large glove, then you might want to try an extra-large.

(4) Durability. It’s possible that in the advent of nuclear war, the only things that will survive are cockroaches and O’Neal Hardwear pants. The MXA wrecking crew has yet to find a set of gear that lasts longer than the Hardwear pants and jersey. When money is tight, you want your dollars to go the extra mile. If you take proper care of the O’Neal Hardwear gear, it won’t owe you a cent.

WHAT’S THE SQUAWK? We only have a few minor complaints: (1) Weight. Even though the Hardwear pants are lighter than previous designs, it’s still hefty by industry standards. (2) Rubber logos. O’Neal went overboard in littering the jersey and pants with rubber logos.

If you’re looking for the longest-lasting gear on the market with all the bells and whistles, then look no further than the O’Neal Hardwear gear.