First Look: 2019 MSR Gear 1

We take a look at what’s new from MSR and what is still to come from the legendary motocross and off-road gear brand.

For those that don’t know, MSR stands for Malcolm Smith Racing. For those that don’t know who that is, stop reading this and go watch ‘On Any Sunday’ - you can thank us later. MSR has been around for a long time and has sponsored pro SX/MX stars such as Kevin Windham and Nick Wey, as well as many Desert, WORCS, GNCC, and National Enduro riders.

Yet recently, as with most brands that have been around for such a long time (MSR was founded in 1971), operations and who is actually calling the shots can be shuffled around. At the end of 2017, even as motorcycle industry insiders, we were under the impression that MSR closed up shop. But we were all mistaken. While MSR is still owned by MAG (Motorsports Aftermarket Group, who also own moto brands like Answer Racing and Pro Taper), all of the operations and decision making has been taken over by Rocky Mountain ATV/MC who have the exclusive license.

We were curious what all this means and how things will look going forward for the brand so we got in touch with Justin Deschamps, Brands Manager at Rocky Mountain ATV/MC, to get more information.

Nick Wey from 2006.

The main takeaway is that RM, so far, hasn’t changed any of the existing MSR materials factories where the gear is made. They have, on the other hand, taken over the designing of the gear going forward from about mid 2018. Right now, other than previous year gear, there are only two gear lines from MSR; the entry level Axxis gear and more premium NXT gear. They also offer a gear bag, roost deflector and two helmets, which you can see below.

This all means that if you were/currently still are a MSR gear fan, the quality of the gear and materials used should not be any different than in previous years. But what is a total bonus to you as customers is that, since RM can use direct sourcing (not going through distributors) they can offer MSR gear at a lower price than it has ever been. This also goes for MSR helmets. The MAV4 with MIPS is the most affordable helmet we’ve ever seen that uses the MIPS technology at an MSRP of $199.95, though it is usually on sale for half that price.

Kevin Windham's 2011 gear.

We can’t really call MSR a Rocky Mountain house brand because, for one they don’t own it, and two, they are using the same manufacturers as in the past. This is different than other ‘house branded’ products where a company buys the name of a brand, but changes everything else to be as cost effective as possible.

We are interested to see how the MSR brand continues to evolve and Justin says there are already more lines and products in the works. Some of the most innovative gear of the last couple years, as far as off-road gear goes, was MSR’s Xplorer lines. They featured very rugged, almost jacket like materials built into the jerseys and pants, but were still comfortable and breathable for off-road riding. We are not sure if these will make a comeback - only time will tell.

NXT Gear

Regarding NXT: “The new 2019 NXT pant, jersey, and glove Is back with the same quality it has always had.  Not only did we keep the same quality materials and stitching, but we updated the styling and gave the jersey and pant a better, more modern fit.” - Justin Deschamps

MSR NXT Jersey: $69.95 (currently on sale for $19.69)

MSR NXT Pant: $169.95 (currently on sale for $59.78)

Axxis Gear

Regarding Axxis: “We released the latest (2018.5) Axxis line this past April.  The New 2019.5 Line will come out about the same time next year. It is going to feature big updates in design; both graphically and fabric patterns.” - Justin Deschamps

MSR Axxis Jersey 18.5: $28.95 (currently on sale for $13.99)

MSR Axxis Pant 18.5: $89.95 (currently on sale for $39.99)

Helmets

Regarding the MAV4 with MIPS:  “We are working directly with the helmet manufacturer and MIPS to continue to offer a great helmet with MIPS technology.  This relationship with both factories ensures we stay up to date on the newest technologies, and allows us to keep the prices down for the end user.” - Justin Deschamps

MSR MAV4 w/MIPS Helmet: $199.95 (currently on sale for $89.49)

MSR Navigator Gear Bag: $159.95 (currently on sale for $99.99)

For more info, got to Rocky Mountain's website and if you are a fan of MSR gear, or any other gear for that matter, leave a review in out Product Guide

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