MXA TEAM TESTED: O’NEAL PRODIGY REFLEXX GEAR

WHAT IS IT? As part of O’Neal Racing’s 50th year in the motocross business, the company introduced its most technologically advanced gear to date. With incredible attention to detail, the all-new Prodigy Reflexx gear has a race-inspired fit intended to perform at the highest level for riders from Novice to Pro.

WHAT’S IT COST? $74.99 (jersey), $219.99 (pants).

CONTACT? www.oneal.com or (800) 426-3300.

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

(1) Jersey. The O’Neal Prodigy jersey features an all-new, four-way, stretchy performance fabric. With lightweight and breathability as its goal, our size-large jersey weighs only seven ounces. Using cooling mesh fabric on the back, underarms, shoulders and forearms, the Prodigy jersey breathes amazingly well, while the front of the jersey is made of stretchable polyester fabric. The jersey tail extends three inches longer and has a clear, silicone-printed O’Neal 50th-anniversary logo to keep it tucked in your pants. The collar and cuffs are lined with stretch tape to allow unrestricted comfort. 

(2) Pants. The O’Neal Prodigy pants’ lightweight fabrics are integrated with stretch panels to create the freedom of movement demanded from a top-of-the-line motocross pant. MXA test riders have appreciated O’Neal’s heavy-duty, 360-degree, adjustable, wraparound Velcro belt for decades. It mimics the old-school belts that came on classic leather motocross pants and ensures a snug fit around the rider’s waist. There are 8-inch-tall by 5-inch-wide, leather inner-knee panels to protect the pants and rider from wear and tear against the bike. The saddle of the pant has an upscale, quilted cross-stitching pattern for added comfort and grip, while the legs feature laser-cut perforations to keep you cool. Knee-brace wearers loved the half-length inner liner because it comforted the rider’s skin without hindering knee-brace movement or encouraging the Velcro knee-brace straps to catch on the liner. 

(3) Fit. The Prodigy is the first O’Neal pant with a modern athletic fit. The fabric is flexible and soft with a thin layer of foam padding on the thigh and knee areas for protection. With the sans-a-belt Velcro belt closure, large waist adjustments can be made to perfect your fit, even after Thanksgiving dinner. The front and rear rise of the pants also fit our test riders well. The tailored and athletic-fit jersey was comfortable, while the forearms were snug against our testers’ skin. Normally, this would bother us, but the flexible fabric made it unnoticeable. 

(4) Performance. If we are thinking about our gear while we ride, we don’t like it. This gear was light and unobtrusive on the track, and the soft fabric made us feel like a million bucks in the pits. It’s also extremely breathable. The laser-cut holes in the jersey and pants, mesh fabric, and rubber vents kept us cool.

WHAT’S THE SQUAWK? For riders who have chosen O’Neal Hardware gear over the years because of its bulletproof reputation, be forewarned that the athletic-fit Prodigy Reflexx gear was created for riders who want to maximize lightweight performance over durability. That is the price you pay to be on the cutting edge. Don’t worry, though, O’Neal’s 2020 Hardware gear still upholds its well-deserved reputation for ruggedness. 

MXA RATING: The Prodigy Reflexx gear has everything the MXA wrecking crew could ask for. It is mobile enough for freestyle-like acrobatics, cool enough for the hottest of days, light as a feather, and in touch with modern fashion trends. Great stuff.