MXA TEAM TESTED: TOGS TEAR-OFF GASKETS

WHAT IS IT? Tear-offs are essential in motocross, and most serious riders choose laminated stacks of three or seven tear-offs when racing because they can mount more of them; however, tear-offs are only good until you get dirt, dust or water behind them. Then, they can distort your vision and defeat their purpose. Created by former Pro Dylan Kaelin, Tear-Off Gaskets (TOGS) seal the bottom of your tear-offs directly onto your lens, making sure no dirt or water gets behind them.  

WHAT’S IT COST? $16.00 (5-pack), $32.00 (20-pack). 

CONTACT? www.tearoffgaskets.com or (825) 993-6324.

WHAT STANDS OUT? Here’s a list of things that stand out with the Tear-Off Gaskets.

(1) Concept. Tear-Off Gaskets are thin enough to be placed between tear-off stacks, allowing for a total of three stacks of seven laminate tear-offs (they are not designed to be used with single tear-offs). 

(2) History. Back in 2016, Scott Goggles developed a laminated tear-off stack with a clear perimeter-sealing sticker that stuck directly onto the lens or the next stack of tear-offs. Soon after, 100% Goggles came out with the same and later Fly Racing joined the sealing tear-off parade. The difference is that these brands’ have “perimeter-sealing glue” built into the tear-offs, while Tear-Off Gaskets sells a two-sided sticker that must be applied to the lens before installing the tear-offs. 

(3) Installation. The installation process can be frustrating if you are trying to learn how to do it five minutes before your race. As with putting on graphics, you don’t want to move the sticker once it’s set. You also have to be careful not to stick the tear-offs to the sticker before they’re aligned correctly. The gasket is specifically cut for each goggle lens to sit 5mm from the edge to ensure a proper seal. We recommend following the instructions and removing the lens to install the gasket and tear-offs, especially when adding two or three stacks of tear-offs. We tested the Tear-Off Gaskets on EKS Brand Lucid goggles. Thankfully, their lenses are easy to remove and install. 

(4) Performance. The Tear-Off Gaskets do exactly what they claim to do, but the window of vision is decreased because the gaskets are black; however, once in motion on the track, the smaller window didn’t bother us. We also loved that our goggles stayed clean for multiple motos. Typically, a set of tear-offs will accumulate at least some dirt or dust behind them after being roosted. We could use the same goggles all day without having to clean them. Normally, riders use roll-offs in the rain or mud, but the Tear-Off Gaskets are better because they have a wider field of vision, are easier to pull and ensure no water gets behind. 

(5) Options. Tear-Off Gaskets are currently available in 5 or 20 packs for 15 different goggles, including Scott Prospect, Oakley Airbrake/Mayhem/Frontline, EKS Brand Lucid, Fox Vue/Main, 100% Armega/Racecraft/Accuri/Strata/Gen-2, Fly Racing Zone Pro, FMF, Leatt Velocity and OG’s Optics goggles.

(6) Price. Originally, the added cost of perimeter-sealing tear-offs kept this technology from gaining ground. Scott now offers a two-pack of seven laminate tear-offs with the perimeter seal for $28.50, while Fly Racing and 100% sell theirs at $30.00. If you spend $30.00 on 14 tear-offs, that is a hefty $2.14 flying onto the track every time you pull a tear-off. With a standard (non-perimeter seal) package of two stacks with seven laminated tear-offs costing $15.00, it comes out to $1.07 per tear-off. A 20-pack of Tear-Off Gaskets costs $32.00, making them more affordable than buying perimeter-seal tear-offs. Crunching the numbers, after buying a 20-pack of Tear-Off Gaskets and a two-pack of seven laminates, it costs $1.18 per pull. That’s 96 cents less per pull and $13.40 less for a total of 14 tear-offs.

WHAT’S THE SQUAWK? If you don’t follow the instructions, the tear-offs can get stuck together. Plus, the Tear-Off Gaskets aren’t see-through. The black line of the gasket creates a smaller window for vision.  

MXA RATING: The Tear-Off Gaskets are perfect for serious racers who don’t chop the throttle while being roosted. They aren’t as easy to put on as the perimeter-sealing tear-offs from Scott, Fly Racing and 100%, but they’re much more affordable. Our serious test riders don’t want to race without these.