Must-Have Mountain Bike Gear

Throw on the Pinna—Latin for “feather”—and ride on through cool and blustery weather. Or just stuff it in your pocket. The jacket is windproof, has mesh under the arms for ventilation, and sheds water (though it’s not completely waterproof). It also has one large back pocket and reflective trim to maximize your visibility. Practical insurance for those afternoon trail rides in the fickle weather of the high country.
[$60; mec.ca]

With Oakley’s Three-Point Fit system, the Transitions rest on the nose and temples instead of hooking onto your ears. The fit is truly incredible—you’d have to try to shake them off. An easily-removable nosepiece helps to customize the fit, and the design’s suspension system keeps stresses on the frame from distorting optics. The sunglasses are designed with Oakley’s new Switchlock Technology, which lets you open the lower part of the frame to easily change lenses to adjust to the light conditions.
[$260; oakley.com]

Spenco gloves feature the patented Shock-Tek groove—two pads at the palm for stabilization and support—which reduces hand fatigue and fights that numb feeling at the bottom of a trail. The Trail Warrior gloves are anatomically pre-curved for comfort and fit and have slots cut in the tops of gripping fingers’ knuckles to enable more flexibility. The nylon top has mesh and the leather palm is ventilated, giving you pure comfort on the single track.
[$38; spencocycling.com]

The Lobo has the most hydration and storage capacity of any of CamelBak hydration pack or external fill product. It can hold up to 100 ounces of water and up to 200 cubic inches of snacks like a Cliff Bar and sandwich, which means you’ll have enough room for a half-day on the trails but your pack stays light. Storage pockets include an iPod pocket, small tool kit pouch, and chest and waist straps. The large capacity, secure storage and easy-refill reservoir make the Lobo the ideal hydration pack for the hardcore trail rider.
[$75; camelbak.com]

Specialized makes the Body Geometry Pro RBX Short for long-distance comfort, with triple-density chamois foam padding to relieve pressure and reduce soreness. Your bottom will thank you. Fieldsensor fabric wicks moisture away while the Specialized logo-shaped gripper holds the shorts in position. The shorts are also stitched to minimize seam contact, have extra padding where the shorts meet the thigh, and have perforated padding for breathability. You see, long trail rides don’t have to be uncomfortable.
[$145; specialized.com]

No trail rider is really hardcore until they’re rocking a race jersey. But those yellow leader’s jerseys are for roadies—be a bit more original and go with something like the Fox Race Jersey. Fitted for maximum performance and comfort, the jersey also features three rear elastic pockets and one zippered pocket in case you’re riding light but need to bring a snack or iPod along. There’s also a glasses wipe on the inner hem to clear your view.
[$55; foxracing.com]

Sensing a niche to be filled in the mountain bike market—the space between freeride and cross-country models—Trek combined the performance of their Session downhill racing bike with the all-mountain potential of their Review trail bike, coming up with the Scratch. This full suspension bike (with Trek’s Active Braking Pivot, Full Floater, and EVO link suspension technology) lets you bomb down any terrain with full confidence, and the bike will pedal uphill like a stiff cross-country ride. In fact, the Scratch may render your cross-country bike useless.
[$3,780; trekbikes.com]