Since a lot of OHV riding is a summertime activity, coats and jackets are not always needed and are often overlooked. However, if you plan to ride earlier in the spring or later in the fall or especially in the winter, you are going to need warmer riding gear. And you might need at least a light jacket if you get caught in a summer storm during an outing. I have a compact nylon jacket that folds into its own pocket and a plastic rain poncho that I tuck into the tool bag on my off road motorcycle in case I get caught in a sudden rain. On cooler days I wear an Enduro jacket.
Riding coats and jackets aren't as essential a part of body armor as helmets, goggles, boots, and gloves, but when the weather turns wet and/or cold you are definitely going to want more protection! Being cold and wet is not only uncomfortable, it can be dangerous. You loose body heat 25 times as fast in wet clothing and can easily become hypothermic even in mild temperatures, especially when you factor in the wind-chill factor of riding an OHV.
A good pair of long johns under your riding pants and jersey is a good first step for really cold days. Just make sure you have enough room for them inside your riding clothes so they don't bind or limit your movement. You definitely don't want them to chafe! And you don't want to wear them if the day is going to warm up. Dress in layers you can remove, rather than ones you can't!
Another trick is to wear women's panty hose under your riding pants. A famous football quarterback used to wear them under his football uniform on cold days to keep warmer. Another benefit that even works in hot weather is they provide a slick buffer between your skin and your riding pants, preventing the dreaded "monkey butt" that often results from straddling a dirt bike or ATV saddle on vigorous rides. And, while they can keep you warmer in cool weather, they aren't really that much hotter in warm weather. There are special undergarments designed to prevent monkey butt, but they are a bulkier and lot more expensive than panty hose.
Windchill jerseys are designed for use in cooler weather. They are kind of like a sweatshirt for off road riding, giving you added warmth and protection from the wind without restricting movement and while maintaining adequate ventilation to prevent over heating. They usually aren't too warm if the day warms up either.
In colder weather you may need a special riding jacket or coat. The most popular style for off road use is called an Enduro Jacket. They are usually made of strong Gore-tex nylon that provides excellent wind and rain resistance and a fair amount of relief from abrasion should you go down. They are available in a variety of styles and colors. Some have removable liners that make them versatile for both cooler and colder days. Most are at least water resistant if not waterproof. They are good option when you know you will be riding in cool or cold weather. I carry a little nylon jacket that folds into a pocket on its chest to use if I get caught out in an unexpected rain out on the trail. Any nylon or Gore-Text jacket could be treated with a waterproofing spray like Camp-Dry for additional rain protection. Enduro jackets usually have several nice-sized pocket where you can carry extra items such as GPSs, phones, maps, lens cleaning clothes, and chemical hand warmers
Leather riding jackets are popular among street bikers. However, they are usually too heavy and too stiff for most off road riding. There are some heavy duty nylon winter street bike coats you might be able to use off road. I have one I used for a while. One of the things that made it work for me off road was it was about 1 or 2 sizes bigger than I usually wear, giving me enough room for normal riding gear underneath and still having good flexibility and freedom of movement. It was a good option for really cold days, but for most days I preferred using my Enduro jacket which fit better, was more flexible and more comfortable and with the right layers underneath was perfect.
Of course another standard trick for cold weather activities is to dress in layers. Having multiple layers keeps your body heat in but also allows you to remove layers when things warm up to you don''t get overheated. Interestingly enough, getting over heated can also lead to hypothermia as your excess sweat cools you down faster than your body generates heat. When dressing in layers pay attention to which layers you can remove out on the trail and how you will pack them for transport back to camp. Using thermal underwear is a good way to stay warm but you usually won't be able to remove it out on the trail if things warm up. Extra jackets or rain pants over your normal riding gear can be easily removed and tucked away in a back pack when the day gets too warm for them.
One last word of caution: don't dress TOO warm! Over-dressing will result in you getting too warm during your activities which in addition to being uncomfortable and perhaps generating unpleasant body odors can cause you to sweat enough to actually make you colder, cold enough to put you at risk for hypothermia. If you are going to doing any kind of vigorous activity, even riding a dirt bike or ATV, you should feel just a little bit cool (not cold) standing around before you start out. If you are comfortable standing around you are probably going to be too warm soon after you start riding.
Stay warm!
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