Riding an ATV is exhilarating and exciting, but there are many risks involved. Riding at high speeds and navigating rough terrain without a roof or siding for protection… It’s no surprise that ATV accidents and fatalities happen regularly.

Fortunately, there are many ways to mitigate the risks of the road so that you can get outside and ride with confidence. Investing in high-quality ATV riding gear is one thing that can help keep you safe- not to mention comfortable, stylish, and high-performing- while you ride.

In this article, we’ll go over the essential ATV protective gear you need and highlight some of our favorite brands so that you can look, feel, and perform your very best while riding.

The Importance of ATV Riding Gear

ATV riding and protective gear is no joke; in fact, riding an ATV with the proper protective gear can make you 50 percent less likely to die in the event of a serious accident. With this in mind, it’s certainly worth doing your research and investing in high-quality ATV gear that’s made to last.

Beyond safety, good ATV riding gear can also make you feel more comfortable and help improve your performance. This only becomes more and more true as technology advances and riding gear improves! For example, a nice ATV riding jacket will not only protect your upper body in the event of an accident, but it will also offer protection from the elements, ventilation for comfort, and articulation for unrestricted range of movement.

ATV Gear: 5 Essentials to Keep You Safe

1. ATV Helmet

Let’s start with the single most important piece of ATV protective gear you’ll need: a helmet. ATV helmets are required by law in the majority of states in the U.S and most countries around the world. Regardless of whether they’re required or not though, you should always wear a helmet while riding an ATV to minimize the risk of serious injury or death in the event of an accident.

When it comes to choosing an ATV helmet, you should buy one that is specifically designed for ATVs or motocross and is approved by your DoT. Compared to regular motorcycle helmets, ATV helmets feature better ventilation, a more robust chin guard to prevent jaw injuries, and a larger face opening to accommodate ATV goggles.

2. ATV Protective Goggles

While some ATV helmets come with face shields, most have a large face opening to make space for protective goggles. When choosing ATV goggles, look for shatterproof goggles with a foam seal, designed to keep out dust and dirt while allowing for sufficient airflow to minimize fogging. High-impact goggles should have a rating of at least V-8, VESC-8, or Z87.1. You also need to ensure that they fit your helmet.

3. ATV Boots

Over-the-ankle ATV riding boots will protect your shins and ankles in the event of an accident and help keep your feet securely planted on your footsteps while you ride. Higher boots often include curved shin plates for added protection. For maximum comfort, look for riding boots that are sturdy, yet flexible and waterproof. If you ride in drastically different climates, you may want to invest in a separate pair for snowy weather.

4. ATV Gloves

Gloves specifically designed for ATV riding come with padded knuckles to protect your hands. They sometimes also have head pad insert pockets to keep your hands warm in cold weather so that you can ride for longer periods with minimal fatigue. Importantly, ATV riding gloves also improve your grip on the handlebar for better manipulation of the steering controls, thereby improving performance. Newer ATV riding gloves are breathable and often come with touchscreen fingertips.

5. ATV Riding Jacket or Riding Suit

The more skin you leave exposed while riding, the higher the risk of injury. An ATV riding jacket, or better yet a full ATV riding suit, will help prevent scrapes and burns, while also keeping you protected from harsh elements and prolonged sun exposure.

For your lower body, you certainly want to wear long pants that offer full coverage and protection. While many people prefer to keep it simple and wear an old pair of jeans, ATV riding pants offer extra cushion and comfort for all that sliding and bumping around. Some ATV riding pants also have build-in knee padding for protection and comfort when kneeling.

A Few of the Best ATV Riding Gear Brands

Now that you know what gear you need, let’s shop around! Here are some of our favorite ATV riding gear brands to choose from:

Alpinestars

Alpinestars is a world-leading manufacturer of professional racing products, including high-performance ATV apparel and technical footwear. We carry a wide range of Alpinestars ATV gear, including boots, gloves, riding suits, chest protectors, knee guards, elbow guards, and more. Their new line of Techstar ATV gear is highly-rated and provides top-notch protection and freedom of movement.

Fly Racing

Fly Racing manufactures top-quality apparel, accessories, and hard parts for ATVs and many other moto sports. Whether you’re looking for riding boots, helmets, goggles, or any other ATV gear, they’ve got you covered. Their products come in a wide range of fun colors and styles so that you can look your best while you ride your best.

Scorpion

Helmets are Scorpion's specialty - they’re sleek, classic, and high-tech. One of their more recent helmet models, the GT930 Transformer, can convert from a full-face helmet to an open-face helmet in a matter of seconds. To complete the look, they also make stylish riding pants, riding jeans, and riding jackets for both men and women. If you like the all-black-everything look, Scorpion is the brand for you.

Scott Riding Gear

Scott Riding Gear makes some of the best and most innovative riding jackets and ATV goggles on the market. Their gear is designed to protect you from the harsh elements and keep you comfortable while riding. We also carry some of their ATV accessories, such as ATV grips.

ATV Tek

ATV Tek is a popular brand of innovative accessories for ATVs and Side-By-Sides, including some cool ATV gear. Their products are generally less geared toward racing and more toward recreation, whether it be hunting, camping, fishing, etc. Their cargo bags and dust masks for ATVs are a hit.

Cardo

Not all ATV gear is for protection– some of it is just plain cool. Cardo makes a range of Bluetooth headsets that are compatible with ATV helmets and designed to provide crystal-clear sound under extreme riding conditions, so you can stay connected, rely on your GPS, or blast your favorite music while you ride.

Highway 21

Highway 21 specializes in motorcycle apparel, but they’re a great option if you’re looking for stylish, timeless leather riding jackets, vests, riding chaps, etc.

Women’s ATV Riding Gear

The number of women owning and riding ATVs increases with each passing year. While ATV riding gear for women used to be somewhat limited, the top ATV gear brands now offer plenty of styles and colors to choose from. And while women can certainly wear some men’s ATV riding gear, the gear specifically designed for women has proven to be much more comfortable, stylish, and high-performing. The brands Flyracing, Aplinestars, and Highway 21 are our top three picks when it comes to women's ATV riding gear.

More Women’s & Men's ATV Riding Gear & Accessories

The gear highlighted in this article is the most essential to keep you safe while you ride. For added protection and comfort, you may want to invest in additional ATV safety gear, such as ATV body armor, an ATV neck protector, an ATV hearing protector, ATV elbow guards, ATV knee guards, and more.

There are also tons of accessories to choose from, including cargo bags, storage racks, tool kits, water bottles, cup holders, loading ramps, ratchet straps, battery chargers, hand guards, and so much more. Accessories like these make your ATV more versatile and enjoyable, so you can get the most out of your investment.

All the ATV Riding Gear You Need from ZMP!

Whatever you need for your ATV– whether it be riding gear, apparel, spare parts, or accessories– ZMPerformance is your one-stop shop. As avid ATV riders ourselves, we carefully test the products we carry and only partner with the very best brands on the market.

We’ll outfit you from head to toe so that you can get outside and ride with maximum confidence, comfort, performance, and style!