The viking hydration tank bag is made with superior quality all the way around. The inside of the bag is high-viz which makes it a lot easier to find your items when stored inside the inner mesh compartments. The nylon seems very durable, and the overall design seems very well thought out. It comes with shoulder straps nicely tucked away which make your tank bag easily convert into a backpack for walking around with. Overall, the bag just seems to be very well made, has a lot of storage compartments, and it has a lot of features that you wont find in other bags. 

The hydration bladder has a 2-liter capacity and includes well though out clips which hold it in place. Of course, if you want to remove the bladder, you can easily do so in order to increase the bags carrying capacity. The overall capacity of the bag is 427 cubic inches.

The MOLLE webbing on the outside is great for extra storage, and just underneath is a compartment with pockets for small items. Its lined with fleece for added protection for things like sunglasses. The storage pockets seem endless on this tank bag. 

It's water resistant, and I would say pretty much safe for most rides in terms of water protection. It also comes with a waterproof bag inside just in case you have doubts. I love how well thought out the storage on this bag is, as well as compact. 

The one issue I have is the nylon surface of the bag may be a bit harsh on that brand new paint job. Granted, this bag is for off-road and adventure rides, but you still might have to put a little tape between painted parts and the tank bag.

The price is $179.99, which is right about what I would expect for a compact tank bag of such good quality. I would not hesitate to buy this one if the features are right.

 https://www.vikingbags.com/pages/adventure-touring-motorcycle-luggage-bags
https://www.vikingbags.com/pages/adventure-touring-side-cases

The Alpinestar Tech 3 boots look great, and they are comfortable. The main issue I have with them is that they don't fit a knee guard very easily. Although it can be done, it's not easy. Also, they squeak really loud when you walk in them. Those two complaints aside, I love the boots!

The buckles do not fall off, and neither do any of the other parts. This is a common issue with low end boots, but Aplinestars are far from low end. Even if you go with Tech 3 boots, I don't think you will run into issues with durability. I find that I can walk around in these boots all day with no issues, so comfort is good. They have enough stability that they still feel safe when riding around on technical trails. However, I have felt that in extreme situations they would not keep my ankles safe. After one year of using the Tech 7's, the inner ankle has worn down to the metal shank, exposing it slightly. This isn't a problem for me as I expect this kind of wear after as many hours I have on them. 

You will notice that there is no steel toe on this boot. Most manufacturers have gone away from this on high end product. The bold, molded design has proven to protect my feet, while remaining comfortable, and are certainly my favorite boots so far. I will likely stick with Alpinestars in the future, as the quality is amazing.

I have used Oneal for my go-to dirt bike helmet for many years. The Oneal 3 Series helmets are probably the best looking, most comfortable, and highest quality helmets that i have seen under the $150 price point. I currently use this helmet, and love it. The paint has proven durable, as I have bashed through many tree branches and put the graphics durability to the ultimate test. I have many hours on my 3 Series, and I am officially a fan. The cheek cushions are plush, moisture wicking, and easily removed. On top of that, I have seen the 3 Series in action during many crashes. In short, I highly recommend the Oneal 3 Series for many reasons. 

The cheek pads are removable(shown left), and you can easily take them out and wash them if you aren't like me and you actually wash yours.

​Fitment is maybe just a tad snug. I bought a large which fits me great, and I can some times wear mediums. Something to note is that the Oneal 5 Series seems to fit larger. I would prefer a medium if I upgraded to the Oneal 5 Series (I have both helmets, but my 5 Series doesn't quite have all of my equipment mounted yet, so i don't wear it often). The vents work well, and like all dirt bike helmets I have worn the vents are always open (not adjustable). 

In conclusion, I would absolutely trust the Oneal 3 Series to protect my head. My brother went down hard on the Moab, Utah slick rock and the Oneal 3 Series he was wearing saved his life. The helmet broke, but did exactly as it was designed to do. Price point is important to most riders, and you simply can't go wrong with Oneal in this regard. At $120 the 3 Series is an absolute steal. It proves to be a great option in the area's of protection, cost effectiveness, durability, comfort, design, weight, and ventilation; What more could you ask for in a helmet!?

Almost everyone has been stranded without electrical power at some point. Ten years ago you would have had to call a tow truck, or beg someone to help while you searched around for jumper cables to attach to their vehicle. Only recently has a solution come along that not only jumps your car, but is strong enough for trucks and SUV's as well. 

I recently picked this portable jumper up for not only it's broad range of usability, but also it's price point. At under $70 it is really hard to beat, and with a 4.7 out of 5 star rating on Amazon from over 100 customers, it is even harder to beat.

The day I opened it up in the mail I was going to throw the dirt bike in the back of my truck and head out for a ride after filming a short clip about the jumpers functions. Timing was perfect, as my trucks battery had been drained from a recently purchased device that I had installed. So, with a slight amount of hope I charged the jumper and wished for the best. I had originally purchased the jumper for my 1.8 liter Honda Civic, and even though the jumper said that it could start a 6.5 liter gas engine, I wasn't so sure. This was the ultimate test; A frozen cold 4.6 liter V8 Ford F150. 

I charged the jumper for about 3 hours and it displayed 80% battery, good enough. I hooked it up to my truck and hit the starter. Well, the first time it didn't work because the leads were not making good contact. I repositioned the leads, looked for the little green LED light to turn on and went for it. The truck started up like it had a brand new battery! 

It has an easy to use emergency light, strobe light, SOS light, Red flashing light to stop oncoming traffic, two USB plug-ins, and the ability to charge itself while driving, via the cigarette lighter in your car. I made the YouTube video above on my channel RealReviews Media to help give you a visual perspective on how to use the jumper. Tenker made a life saving product that will last over 1000 uses. I will definitely be buying another one of these in order to have one in each of my vehicles at all times!

Performance is great, but it did take a couple tries in order to get it to work. Cost is lower than what I would expect from something like this, so it gets an above average rating on cost. Build quality is great, but the LED battery indicator shows the wrong percentage some times. You should not fully trust the percentage indicator. Make sure you charge the jumper for the full 6 hours and make sure it reads 100%. With a few small complaints out of the way, it's safe to say this little jumper can provide you years of security. The weather can be harsh, and I would rather give myself every opportunity to get my car started. Great product to have with you!

The best performing tire I have had so far. This tire is long lasting, and performs like a champ, particularly on rocky terrain. It loses its edges within just a few rides, but I have yet to see any chunking of the knobs which I expected to happen early on as the type of riding I do is hard on tires. This is a gummy tire, so it's definitely going to wear the edges down fairly quickly. The reason I purchased this tire, however, is because I watched a review from Slaven's Racing that said that his tire had 650 miles on it. His still had its edges with very little wear, and the video gave me unrealistic expectations for what a gummy tire is capable of. After 12 hours and 185 miles of riding the knobs are certainly rounded off but I feel like the tire has plenty of life left in it. 

Compare this picture to the previous review of the Dunlop AT81 and you will see a night and day difference. This tire handled rocky terrain better, and yet it is lasting much longer. This tire is as good as it gets when it comes to performance, but the price tag is a little hefty. If you are able to run low air pressure, and run this tire you have just upgraded to superior enduro traction. I highly recommend this tire if you want long lasting performance.

This water filter will save you over and over again if you ride a lot of enduro. I generally take about 32 ounces of water with me on a ride which ends up being about half as much as I need. However, carrying more water means more weight to tote around on the trail. I can usually make due with 32 ounces, but for the first couple of hours I really feel that added weight until I drink it. I can't even imagine carrying a gallon of water during a trail ride. The solution I have found to this situation is a small water filter that can turn most water into 100% pure, and safe drinking water. You just need a water source. Although very uncommon in North America, you should still note that the filter will not rid water of chemicals, or disease (it's always safest to boil your water).

The filter costs right around $20, and comes with a bag to fill with water. A straw for easy drinking, and a back flow device so that you can back flow clean water through the filter in order to prevent clogging. I purchased this filter for my most recent dirt biking adventure, and ended up needing it towards the end of the day. As long as you can find a water source, you can drink it. This won't help if you are in the desert, but for anyone who adventures in the mountains this is an absolute must have. 

I have found this filter to be extremely easy to use, and convenient to carry. It only weighs two ounces, and filters 0.1 micron. That means you won't know you are carrying it until you are thirsty, and out of water. It also means you can drink out of a puddle if you have to. You can filter up to 100,000 gallons using this filter! We live in a time when technologies are becoming incredible, and product development does the impossible. This filter is a life saver.

Dirt bike gloves are a very essential part of your gear. It cuts down on vibration, saves your hands, and protects against crashes. Every motorcycle enthusiast can tell you that riding without gloves on feels just like riding naked. It almost feels like the piece of gear that integrates you directly to the bike. Comfortable, and durable gloves are everything. 

I have gone through endless name brands, in all shapes and styles when it comes to gloves. A pair of 100% RideFit gloves went on sale about two years ago, so I tried them out. I didn't stop wearing the first pair for over a year and a half of riding every weekend. They fit perfectly, and just keep getting better with time. They fit true to size, but stretch a little bit as well. If you are between sizes I would recommend purchasing one size down because they will break in. They offer a lot of airflow on top, and provide great protection on the palm with a little added reinforcement on the thumb area to prevent blisters. They advertise this glove for cold weather riding because of added insulation, but I would feel comfortable riding with it all year. Some perforation on the palms add breathability and it does feel like these gloves provide plenty of airflow during those hot days. 

Slip them on, and you feel like you put on a $2,000 custom fitted suit. They wear amazingly well, and instantly become a part of your ride, not a barrier. Durability is also unmatched. I usually go through a few pairs of gloves each year, but since I have switched to the 100% RideFit gloves, I have used the same couple of pairs. The retail cost is $27.50 which is a steal considering the longevity and comfort that comes with them.

I have ridden my whole life without any type of knee protection and I have had very few knee related injuries. This was purely by dumb luck. Most riders are landing knee first during crashes, and as most of us know, dirt is not as forgiving as some people say it is.

When I went out on a search for the best knee protection my priorities were a little different than most. Comfort came first; Why would I buy knee guards if I won't wear them?

The TP199 knee guards are flexible, and move with your leg. The bio foam outer shell is flexible, yet it hardens upon impact. When I put them on under my riding pants I quickly found that they fit under my gear very easily. The only adjustment I had to make was to my boots. I had to adjust the top two boot straps to be a little looser so that I could fit them around the built in shin guards.

​Two velcro straps hold the knee guards in place, and I experienced absolutely no slippage. I don't see anyone having issues with them floating around on the knee. As far as heat goes, there is nothing out there that you can wear under your gear that isn't going to cause a swamp of sweat and gym odor. These are no exception. 

These knee guards have added padding on the side of your knee as well. One of the things I am really impressed with is how much area is protected with these knee guards. You are ready for impact all the way up to your thighs! With an inner compression brace it gives you the feeling of a dramatic reduction in the likelihood of twisting your knee.
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In the link below you can find TP199 knee guards with, or without the shin guard.

Anyone who has ridden a motorcycle knows the struggle of finding not only a great performing tire, but one that will last a long time. I recently purchased a 2018 Husqvarna TE250 which came with Dunlop Geomax AT81's. I have about 12 hours of riding time on the bike, and here's how it has gone so far.

After 12 hours the tires are still looking pretty good. I heard others talk about throwing the rear tire away after 10 hours, but mine has done really well so far. The knobs are beginning to look a bit gnarly, but that happens to the best of them. 

Here is where it really gets good. This tire is made to perform, and is a really good option if you are competing. The tire has great compliance, and feedback; no surprises waiting around the corners. As I climbed over some of the gnarly rock sections the tire felt very planted, and just stuck to the rock without slippage. High speed stability has also been great (I have taken it up to 70mph). When it comes to tires you really have to try them for yourself if you want a good idea of how they work. I have had horrible tires that other people liked, and I have had great tires that others seemed to dislike. 

The type of rider that will really appreciate this tire is the one who wants great performance, but also understands that with that comes a little less longevity. There are tires that will last longer than this one by far, but they will not stick to anything like this one will. There are tires that will probably out perform this one, but with softer compound performance come softer compound longevity.

As most people realize, the helmet is the most important part of protecting yourself from injuries during an accident. However, in my opinion, manufacturers take advantage of the fact that most people are willing to spend any amount of money to justify the added protection. Does it actually add protection, though? In most cases the only additions you get from purchasing an expensive name brand helmet are comfort, and style. 

​ILM is a Chinese brand of helmet. That doesn't mean that it's a bad brand. The helmets provide many of the same safety features as a helmet that costs $400, but you pay $70-$200 depending on if you want bluetooth capability. I took the time to ride with the bluetooth enabled helmet, and here is what I thought.

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​I was very impressed by the ease of use and sound quality out of the bluetooth. I did a few impact tests on the lower priced models and was shocked at how durable they are. The helmets took direct hammer strikes to the face shield, and dome at full swing. In fact, my only concern with wearing the entry level model helmets was how light weight they were; It felt like some dampening material was sacrificed and that a hard blow would be slightly less protected compared to the larger bluetooth enabled helmets. A helmet is not going to save you from a head on collision regardless of the brand. Helmets are mainly designed to protect against falling to the ground, and during the slide. A head on collision will not be protected against no matter what you decide to wear.

​Most of their designs come with a flip down sunglasses visor. ILM makes several modular helmets which is very nice for the moments that you want to flip the helmet up and feel like its not there.  The chin strap is an easy to use ratchet system that easily secures into place without having to feel around for those metal rings. They are slightly heavier than most helmets, but that is to be expected for a bluetooth enabled helmet. Comfort was not an issue for me, although I would recommend ordering one size larger than normal as they tend to fit a bit tight. 

The world of helmets is a saturated market, and has become one that is very fad prone. What I mean by that is that helmets have become all about style, and much less about safety. After all, you can now buy a helmet that makes you look like Predator, or Iron Man. However, there are still traditional designs out there that provide superior protection at low cost, and that's pretty much what I would stick with. ILM is really just what I need in a helmet; safety, and savings.