MXA PRODUCT TEST: AXO PHOENIX PANT

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WHAT IS IT?

A pant with plenty of great features from the company that once ruled the gear roost.

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WHAT’S IT COST?

$169.90(877) 296-7223.

www.axorace.com

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WHAT’S IT DO?

Let your mind wander back about a decade. Can you name the number one motocross gear company of 1996? If you said Fox or Thor, you would be wrong. The correct answer is AXO. They owned the market. So what happened? Internal conflicts between the U.S. distributor and the Italian parent company caused AXO to lose focusand eventually market share. Those problems have finally been rectified, and AXO is ready to come out swinging. Just how serious are they? They hired famed designer Kenny Safford, who was at AXO during the glory days, to revitalize their lineup and marketing. The question is, how does AXO stack up with a new look and complete company refocus? The answer? Pretty darn good.

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WHAT STANDS OUT?

Here’s a list of things that stand out with AXO’s Phoenix pant.

(1) Fit. You don’t have to worry about gaining a few extra pounds with the AXO Phoenix pant. Sizing starts out a little on the generous side, and thanks to a sans-a-belt system, you can add a little more or take a little out depending on what you need that day. The cut of the Phoenix is relatively high, so you won’t have any problems with the pant sliding off.

(2) Materials. The Phoenix has all the traditional pant materials with a few twists. The leather on the knee goes almost to the pant cuff (like it should), and the seat panel is made of Clarino so it can handle the rigors of gripper seat covers.

(3) Knees. We love the fact that we could just slip on the Phoenix pant without having to pry it over our knee braces. We also love the fact that AXO put plenty of leather on the knee so we don’t have to worry about melting through the pant. What we don’t like is the excessive amount of material around the bottom of the leg. It tucks into your boot, but it is definitely overdone.

(4) Unique features. The Phoenix pant is constructed of two pieces. Not two completely separate pieces, like No Fear’s Attack pant, but it’s similar. AXO’s Slip Fit design allows for unrestricted knee movement and a little air ventilation with no real drawbacks of any kind.

(5) Weight. By forgoing gaudy, thick rubber patches, the Phoenix pant stays light. Not so light that it feels flimsy, but more akin to the weight of No Fear’s Rogue pant or Fox’s Strafer.

(6) Place of Manufacture. The AXO Phoenix pant is made in China.

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WHAT’S THE SQUAWK?

About the only complaint we have with the AXO Phoenix pant is that the cuffs are too bulbous.

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