MXA TEAM TESTED: JUST1 RACING J-FLEX GEAR

WHAT IS IT? Just1 Racing began in 2011 as a helmet manufacturer based in Pistoia, Italy. Motocross helmets were the company’s sole focus, but for 2020-’21 Just1 Racing has jumped into the gear market with Joey Savatgy as its star rider in the States. Just1 has two lines of motocross gear available, with J-Flex being its top-of-the-line high-tech racing apparel.

WHAT’S IT COST? $69.99 (jersey), $199.99 (pants).

CONTACT? www.just1racing.com or your local dealer. 

WHAT STANDS OUT? Here’s a list of things that stand out with the Just1 Racing J-Flex gear.

(1) Jersey. The Just1 Racing J-Flex gear was designed to be lightweight and flexible for freedom of movement. The sleeves are close-fitting and stretchable, with perforation down their entire length to enhance breathability. Instead of using sublimated graphics like most brands, the J-Flex gear uses a simplistic yet bold design with heat-transferred logos. The tail of the jersey extends 1 inch longer than the front and features a silicone J-Flex logo that bonds with the pants’ silicone waistband to keep the jersey tucked in.

(2) Pants. The Just1 Racing J-Flex pants feature a four-way stretch main body for ease of movement on the bike. The back panels are built with durable Cordura fabric to combat wear and tear. For airflow, there are laser-cut holes in multiple areas behind the legs. Like the jersey, the pants use heat-transfer logos instead of sublimation. Rubber air vents increase airflow and abrasion protection for the knees. The full-grain leather knee panels are 9 inches long and 5 inches wide, and are designed to act as a barrier against exhaust-pipe heat while improving grip on the bike.  

2020 KX450 PROJECT BIKE-18_e

(3) Fit. The Just1 Racing J-Flex gear has an athletic fit, which is another way of saying it’s “form-fitting.” The jersey sleeves are tight, but the material is flexible, which makes it nonrestrictive. Both the pant and jersey sizing are on the small side. Our testers who normally wear large jerseys and 32-waist pants went to an extra-large jersey and  34-waist pants. The two sans-a-belt Velcro side adjusters allowed for an extra 3 inches of slack to be taken up in the waistband, which is less than other brands that have much more wiggle room to play with; however, once we had the correct-size pants on, the Velcro straps did help keep them in position. Just1 is Italian, which means low-waist, short-zipper tailoring on an Italian-cut chassis. True to form, our test riders found the fit from the waistband and the front rise to be on the short side. If you’re used to Italian-cut gear, you’ll feel right at home; everybody else will find it too snug. 

(4) Durability. This J-Flex gear test was our first experience wearing Just1, and its durability surprised us. Lightweight, breathable and athletic fitting are usually key words that hint that the gear will have a short lifespan. The J-Flex gear, however, held its own against gripper seats, knee braces and many cycles through the washing machine. We did find the heat-transferred logos on the elbows peeled off after only a handful of rides, and the mesh net material on the back of the knees developed multiple tears. 

(5) Options. The Just1 Racing J-Flex gear comes in a variety of sizes. The jersey is available in sizes from extra small to double-extra large, and the J-Flex pants are available with 26- to 40-inch waists. 

Josh Mosiman Dubach Racing 2020 YZ450F Deegan Compound-2

WHAT’S THE SQUAWK? We suggest going up a size for both the jersey and the pants. Better yet, go try them on at a dealership near you to make sure your normal size isn’t too tight. 

MXA RATING: We were impressed with the comfort, materials and mobility while racing in the J-Flex gear; however, bigger, heavier and taller riders had issues with the Italian-cut chassis, and even smaller, thinner and lighter riders had to think about dieting to avoid jumping up a pant size.

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