Thor Women MX Gear
It should come as no surprise to anyone that women are shaped differently than men. And, even though we ride unisex motorcycles, we do need motocross and off-road apparel that is suited to our body structure.
Thor has a line of MX and off-road Racewear for women, which includes the Phase pants, jersey, and gloves, plus goggles and boots designed for the fairer sex.
Thor Quadrant Helmet
Starting at the top, Thor offers the Quadrant helmet, which is not gender specific. However, that does not prevent the Quadrant from fitting my head nicely.
Made of blended Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (a fancy name for ABS) and polycarbonate, this is a flexible, light weight helmet. The Quadrant is a fairly standard Chinese off-road helmet in that it meets DOT and ECE 22.05 standards and is not overrun with bells and whistles.
As is a Thor tradition, the mouth guard is pronounced and vented. If you’re concerned about faceplants and roost, it’s a plus.
There are two non-closeable intake vents in the temple area, plus a small exhaust vent. You won’t feel much in the way of airflow, but the design of the removable/washable liner puts space between your head and the helmet, so you won’t overheat quickly. The liner snaps in and out easily, so that’s a big convenience.
One useful touch is a row of raised plastic dots on the back of the helmet that hold the goggle strap in place. The double D-ring chinstrap is typical with a plush sleeve for comfort. A snap easily holds the dangling strap in place, and a nice large rubberized pull-tab on one of the D-rings helps to speed up helmet removal.
This isn’t a premium helmet, but for casual off-road riding, it meets the needs of the vast majority of riders. The Marble graphic treatment looks great. I was completely happy with the fit (I wear an XS) and balance of the Thor Quadrant helmet.
Thor Quadrant Helmet Price: $160.
Thor Women’s Enemy Goggles
These are basic goggles at a low price, with pink to identify them as feminine. They work perfectly in conjunction with the Thor Quadrant helmet’s eyeport and goggle strap position holder.
The single-layered foam is nothing special, though the shape of the goggles worked with my face to keep the dirt out. There are a generous number of holes for filtered venting, but I had problems with fogging when riding hard on difficult trails.
The Women’s Enemy goggle lens has tear-off posts, which is a plus on muddy or dusty rides. The lenses themselves are optically perfect, with no distortion and a wide field of view. A nice white bag is included for transporting the Women’s Enemy goggles–not a big thing, but a welcome touch.
Thor Women’s Enemy Goggles Price: $23.
Thor Women’s Phase Storm Jersey
Keeping with contemporary standards, the Thor Women’s Phase Storm Jersey is a lightweight affair that is almost transparent. Not sold as a summer jersey, it certainly works as one. The neck is non-constricting, with plenty of air flowing through.
Minimalist, lightly elasticized cuffs let the air flow over your arms. I have fairly long arms for a small-sized jersey wearer, so the sleeves were a bit short for me (a common problem for me). The generously cut torso will fit any size chest, and the raglan sleeves are zero-bind. The Phase jersey’s tail hangs down slightly longer than the front, so the shirt stayed tucked in under all conditions, and the thin polyester did not bunch up in the Women’s Phase Storm Pants.
Thor got all the basics down right with the Women’s Phase Storm Jersey, and it works exactly as intended. Styling is a personal thing, and for my taste, I consider the appearance to be a winner.
Thor Women’s Phase Storm Jersey Price: $30.
Thor Women’s Phase Storm Glove
I am very picky and sensitive about gloves, as I demand a good feel for the hand controls. Thor’s Women’s Phase Gloves are excellent, and meet my high standards. Thin on the fingers and lightly padded on the palm, I have an excellent tactile connection with the levers and throttle. Protection is very limited, but I’m happy to make that trade to have a light glove.
The Thor Women’s Phase Gloves are slightly longer than standard short gloves, which I like, as they feel more secure on my hands. This is aided by a hook-and-loop wrist closure, which also helps make the gloves feel more like part of my hand.
Clever placement of stretchy material means no binding or resistance when twisting the throttle. If you don’t mind the minimal protection, the Thor’s Women’s Phase Gloves are comfortable, fit great, and have excellent feel. And they are aesthetically pleasing to boot.
Thor Women’s Phase Storm Glove Price: $22.
Thor Women’s Phase Storm Pants
Pants are the product that makes the most difference to a woman. Guys’ pants can be too tight in the hips, and consequently too loose in the waist. Thor’s Women’s Phase Storm Pants are cut for women, and they fit.
Not overly festooned with logos or panels, the Storm Pants are lightweight and comfortable. Large Spandura stretch panels in the crotch, lower back and knees allowed me the flexibility I need to move around on the motorcycle. The waist has elastic on the side to help personalize the fit, and the standard ratcheting buckle is easily set and released.
The large zipper is hidden behind a fly, which I appreciate as a female. A rubber hook on the tail is convenient for drying. One caveat I have for the Thor Women’s Phase Storm Pants is that the knees are fairly form fitting.
I had no problem wearing the basic Thor Quadrant Knee Guards that are readily available, but there is no way to get the pants over Thor’s own high-quality, multi-featured Force Knee Guard or something like a CTi brace. That’s disappointing, as I am forced to choose between them because there are no Thor pants for women with a roomier knee.
So, if you wear lighter-protection knee guards, the Thor Women’s Phase Storm Pants are an excellent choice. The style is integrated into the jersey perfectly, and you look as good as you feel in them.
Thor Women’s Phase Storm Pants $90.
Thor Women’s Quadrant Boots
When I am street riding, I always wear women’s boots. It would not even occur to me to wear a pair of men’s boots. However, with the exception of Alpinestars’ excellent Stella Tech 3 boots, I’ve always worn men’s off-road boots without a second thought.
More basic than the Alpinestars, which cost nearly twice as much, the Thor Women’s Quadrant Boots are perfectly capable trail riding footwear. Thor gives the women’s version of the standard Quadrant boots (now Q1) a smaller calf width, lower toe box and lower overall height to tailor them to women.
Although some break-in is required, as there’s a huge slab of plastic on the inner portion of the boots, the Women’s Quadrant boots feel comfortable the first time on. Foot control feel is good, and there’s plenty of protection for feminine feet from the nasty shift lever. There are three ratcheting buckles – always a hassle to set initially – that stay put once the proper position is worked out.
The buckles snap down with a positive click, which I like–it gives me that secure feeling on my feet that I like. My heel, calf and shin get some good plastic protection, and the gaiter keeps dirt from getting into the boot where it can be distracting and uncomfortable underfoot. The hook-and-loop flap at the top seals things up surely, quickly, and easily. The steel shank in the sole is high quality and stiff where it needs to be.
You don’t get any footpeg jolts through the sole. Now, I
don’t do triples, doubles, or blast through whoops—I’m a trail rider—so your
demands may exceed mine. Thor’s Women’s Quadrant Boots are built nicely to a price
point and will satisfy the needs of a vast majority of riders. For fun riding,
even fast fun riding, the Quadrant Boots get the job done and fit in well with
the rest of the Thor’s Women’s off-road apparel.
Thor Women’s Quadrant Boots Price: $120.
For additional information, log onto thormx.com .
Photos by Don Williams
