When bidding on or purchasing off road riding gear such as helmets, boots jerseys or pants; there are a few things to consider before you make that bid.  There are many name brands of off road gear such as Thor, Fox, Sidi, AXO as so on.  If this is the first time purchasing this type of gear, here are some things to remember.  There are two types of off road riding boots, MX (or motocross) and ATV (or trail riding). Make sure you know which of the two you are purchasing that best meets your needs.  Also you should keep in mind that it is best to bid on or purchase boots one size larger than your normal shoe size.  Most boots are Euro made, therefore sizing is a little different and you want to make sure the boots will fit properly.  When making a bid on a pair of boots, ask the seller such questions as: What condition they are in, if all buckles are intact, the condition of the soles as well as if there are any missing steel plates (these are on the toe of the boot).  Brand names of boots differ considerably in price.  When I am bidding on a pair of boots, I make sure I know the brand name.  I then look those same boots up on other retail store sites to see what the value is.  This will determine what I bid for these boots as well as what condition they are in.

I use this same method when purchasing/bidding on other types of gear such as jerseys and or pants.  One thing to remember when sizing jerseys or pants is to make sure WHAT they are;  ie: kids, youth or adult, and make your jersey purchase with this in mind.  However when purchasing pants this same sizing does not work.  Sizing in pants goes by waist size.  Until a few years ago, there where no womens jerseys or pants, you would either purchase mens or kids/youth.  Off Road gear has come a long way with many different styles, colors and brand names.  Make sure when bidding/purchasing you know what you bidding on.  Some pants come with built in padding, some with attachable padding, some without all together.  Again make sure you ask those questions. "Do these pants have built in knee and hip padding?" Etc...

And finally when purchasing a helmet, research the brand name.  Some helmets can sell as cheap as $40.00 retail to as high as $500+ retail.  I would not want to bid $75 on a "pretty" helmet to win it and find out I could have bought the same helmet "new" at the local motorcycle shop in town for $50.  Sizing of helmets most of the time go by xs, s, m, lg, xlg.  Again you want to make sure you know if it is a kids helmet, youth or adult.  The sizing will make a difference.  Also some brand names size a little different than others.  Always measure your head around the largest part and compare that measurement (either mm or inches) to a sizing chart.

Off Road riding gear can be very expensive to purchase retail.  What with needing boots, helmet, goggles, gloves, jersey and pants, not to mention a chest protector and other available gear.  It can easily run into many hundreds of dollars.  You can purchase VERY good used and new riding gear at auction for much less, but you do need to do your homework.  Know what your bidding on and its condition, then research that same or similar item to know its retail value.  Check out different brand names.  If you or a child of yours is new to off road riding it may benefit you to purchase used gear.  Kids will outgrow items very quickly, so why pay over a hundred dollars for a pair of riding boots when you can purchase a pair for less.  I personally have been riding for several years and have never purchased anything new.  Now my daughter has taken up the sport and I have outfitted her with boots, gloves, pants and jersey (still looking for that perfect helmet) for less than $75.00 and all brand name (Fox and Thor).  You can do the same,  just make sure you do your homework before you make that bid or purchase and ask the seller questions.   I just received my boots today a pair of MSR kids riding boots (I have small feet) and won them for $18.50, they have plenty of riding time still left on them.  Bidding on some gear can be very fierce near the end.  Everyone seems to want those pair of boots etc..    Do your homework, set your highest bid and good luck in your bidding.