**Disclaimer: I still consider our family pretty new to motocross/dirt biking. My two older boys got their first bikes two Christmas's ago in 2009. So, I am obviously still learning the ropes. We are not professionals in any way, shape or form. But if you are a parent, and want an honest opinion, you will get that from me.
With that, lets discuss Motocross Safety Gear. Take this with a grain of salt as my kids don't race. . . yet, anyway. We will start with the
helmet. It is a MUST! Period. I know that some states don't require street riders to wear them, and to me, that is just stupid. But I am talking about my kids. Your kids. If something happened to them, some freak accident, would it be worth it? No. It would not. We ride on our family's private property most of the time. My mom has not posted rules on her front door, but most of you will be riding on tracks and will be required to wear helmets and sign a liability release saying you will. I am huge believer in parents setting an example, so put your helmet on too, even if you are just riding a short distance.
An important thing to look for is the DOT rating. Most helmets you find will be DOT approved. A newer rating system is Snell. I don't know much about this system other than it is above and beyond the DOT approval. Helmets can cost anywhere from $30 to $700 and beyond. You will probably pay a little bit more for a helmet that is both DOT and Snell approved. We have somehow acquired about 10 helmets over the past 2 1/2 years, which is funny because we only have 3 1/2 riders in our house. If you are buying used, or even have one shipped to you, you need to make sure that there are no cracks in it anywhere. Skid marks or deep scratches really are not a good indication either, as you don't want to take any chances with the structure of the helmet being compromised. You want to make sure that there are plenty of vents in the helmet because those things get HOT! You don't want to give them an excuse to not wear it. And you need to make sure that the pads on the inside are not worn out. They need to be plenty "paddy" and ideally, the pads should be Velcroed or snap in and out so you can wash them.
We bought one helmet with a bike once, we got a little bitty one at a garage
sale, we were given one from Family Powersports in Weatherford, we have got a couple on ebay, and a couple from big retailers like Rocky Mountain or Motocross Giant. One of the reasons we have so many is because our boys are growing so fast. You want them to have a snug fit, but not too tight. If it is too lose and they have an accident it can fall off and be of no use at all. It is very difficult for to pay out a chunk of change for something we know we will have to replace before the end of a year. So, if you are buying from one of the big retailers, check their closeout page online. You can find great deals on just about everything! Finally, for a good fit, get out the tape measure and measure the kid's head. Most manufactures have a size chart online.
Interesting fact: You can not sale a helmet in the US unless it is DOT rated. The cheap ones are sold on eBay as "replica" helmets.
