Moose Racing has been around since the 1980s, starting as a manufacturer of hard parts for dirt bikes. In the 1990s, the Idaho-based company expanded into off-road apparel, becoming a favorite among trail riders thanks to a wide range of sizes, various styles, and affordable pricing. Moose Racing is also the most prominent dirt-focused apparel company to cater to the—ahem—larger and older riding crowd, earning them a loyal following of customers.
Of course, Moose Racing makes riding jerseys and pants in Small, Medium, and Large. However, they also make jerseys in 5XL and pants in size 54, recognizing that everyone deserves access to attractively styled top-quality riding gear, no matter their shape or size!
Besides being a big guy—I tested the Moose Racing Qualifier Racewear in size 42 pants and a 3XL jersey—I like that Moose makes jerseys in varying degrees of ventilation for all types of weather. From the summer-heat-ready Moose Racing Sahara line we have reviewed, to the Agro line that offers maximum protection and a tighter fit, the breadth of Moose Racing’s offerings is impressive. The Qualifier line is lightweight, yet still rugged for riding off-road, which includes dealing with threats to gear integrity, such as branches, rocks, and falls.
The Moose Racing Qualifier pants have a normal cut, with some room in the seat when sitting down, plus space and knee/thigh stretch panels to accommodate knee braces. The two adjustable hook-and-loop side waist belts generously offer a range of about a full size of fine-tuning, and there’s also the standard sawtooth-buckle belt above the half-covered YKK zipper.
The pants have a snag-free polyester fabric that holds up to abuse well, while the large stretch panel in the back reduces incidents of plumber’s crack with the help of a long jersey tail. When riding, the Moose Racing Qualifier pants are basically invisible to me—I never even think about them, which is the highest compliment.
Moose Racing ships the Qualifier pants without hip pads. Although the old-style hip pads do come in handy when getting thwacked with a branch, they offer no real impact protection, and are not CE-rated. This may be Moose nudging us to get their XC1 Guard pants (available in sizes up to 3X; $100 MSRP), which include D3O padding for your hips, thighs, and tailbone—far better than old-school hip pads.
The Qualifier jersey is a predictably lighter polyester. It ventilates well—important even on cooler days—and resists snagging on obstacles, just like the pants. While not as perforated as the Sahara gear, the Qualifier jersey and pants are less likely to get hooked by flora.
I love that I can wear full upper-body armor, and then put a larger-size Moose jersey over it for better fit and comfort. Most other apparel companies don’t have sizes above 2XL, which would be my size if I didn’t wear upper body protection. If I wear a 2XL jersey over the armor, the jersey ends up fitting like Saran Wrap, and feels restrictive. The Moose Racing Qualifier jersey in 3XL is perfect for me. The upper size limit of 5XL is impressive.
For 85-degree weather and lots of direct sun, the Moose Racing Qualifier Racewear is adequately vented for all but the hottest rides—get the Sahara racewear for those days. Durable, yet well-vented, roomy, yet not baggy, built to last, and well-priced—not a bad combination of features!
Moose Racing Qualifier Jersey Fast Facts
- Sizes: S – 5XL
- Colors: 8 choices
Moose Racing Qualifier Jersey price: $35 MSRP (add $5 for 3XL – 5XL)
Moose Racing Qualifier Pants Fast Facts
- Sizes: 28 -54 (in two-inch increments)
- Colors: 8 choices
Moose Racing Qualifier Pants price: $80 MSRP (add $10 for 44 – 54)
