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Many adventure riders live and die by the three-layer gear approach.
Sometimes that's a 3L laminated jacket, other times that's a literal three layer system, but when mother nature cranks up the heat, we crank up the air.
Tis' the season for mesh, minimalism, and moisture-wicking in abundance. On big trips like our Vietnam and Thailand tours, light and fast gear reigns supreme, and we've had several years to dial in the perfect summer adventure gear setup.
Below you'll find our favorite pics head-to-toe for hot weather ADV riding. These are the pieces our team of guides and scouts trust from the deserts of Baja to the moto safaris of Tanzania.
Quick List: Summer ADV Motorcycle Gear
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Klim Krios Pro Helmet
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A superlight carbon fiber helmet with absurd amounts of ventilation. | CHECK PRICE |
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Klim Baja S4 Jacket
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Premium breathable mesh jacket with serious pavement protection and plenty of stretch. | CHECK PRICE |
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Klim Baja S4 Pants
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A breathable mesh chassis combined with top-shelf Superfabric protection where you need it. | CHECK PRICE |
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Leatt 7.5 X-Flow Short Gloves
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Stretchy motocross-style glove with added leather and TPU protection in key areas. | CHECK PRICE |
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Alpinestars Tech 10 Supervented
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The industry's most protective off-road boots, now with added ventilation just about everywhere. | CHECK PRICE |
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Dainese Dry Long Socks
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Moisture wicking, fast-drying, and seam free socks with just the right amount of compression. | CHECK PRICE |
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Klim Edge Goggles
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Comfortable and well-ventilated goggles with outstanding field of vision. | CHECK PRICE |
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Alpinestars Bionic Action V2 Jacket
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Standalone armor that adds major impact protection without sacrificing airflow. | CHECK PRICE |
What to Look For In Summer ADV Motorcycle Gear
"Less is more in hot weather. Standalone armor and jerseys are a favorite on dual-sport rides like our Tanzania excursion."The name of the game with summer adventure gear is breathability: the more you can get, the better.
More airflow means less sweat, and less sweat means more comfort and less fatigue over the course of the day.
For jackets and pants, mesh is your best bet for equal parts ventilation and durability.
It's also important that these garments use mesh both front and rear, which gives hot, moist air a means to exit the garment as your ride.
"Whatever you end up in, make sure it's made entirely from moisture-wicking materials."The same principle applies to helmets, and in some cases (as you'll read below) even boots.
Vents up front let air in, but rear-facing "exhaust" vents are also required to make summer ADV motorcycle gear effective.
We also recommend sticking to purely synthetic materials, particular for any "next to skin" layers like socks, base layers, and gloves.
Synthetics like polyester work best because unlike cotton and other natural fibers, they don't absorb and store water.
It's also worth noting that the first casualty of good hot weather gear is often rain protection.
Don't let that scare you off: the tradeoff in air flow is well worth the compromise, and you can always bring along packable, stand-alone rain gear as well.
The Best Summer Adventure Gear of 2025
While we've got a few favorites in every segment below, these are the pieces we'd pick in a perfect world for summer adventure riding.
As always, if you've got any questions, make sure to drop us a comment below!
Summer ADV Helmet: Klim Krios Pro
While there are tons of great adventure helmets to choose from out there, we prefer something that's as light as possible in the summer months, as well as something that the maximum amount of air, whether your shield is up or down.
That's why we prefer Klim's Krios Pro to other ADV favorites like the Shoei Hornet X2 or Scorpion AT960 in the summer months.
We've logged untold thousands of miles in this helmet over the years, and it's a favorite for hot weather tours in places like Vietnam.
"The Krios Pro is perfect for summer desert rides like these."The Krios Pro's hand-laid carbon fiber shell weighs next to nothing, flows a ton of air, and works great with goggles to boot.
Protection is top notch as well, and as an added bonus, the Krios Pro costs over $100 less than Arai's latest XD-5.
As for drawbacks, the main one here is that because the Krios Pro is built to be lighter, it's also a bit noisier on the highway than alternatives like Shoei's Hornet X2.
It's also a bit more expensive than a Shoei, it flows a lot more air as well.
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SHOP RIDE ADVENTURES
REVZILLA | AMAZON
Summer Jacket: Klim Baja S4
Klim's Baja S4 has always been one of our favorite summer ADV motorcycle jackets, but with the latest update, the S4 simply pulls away from the competition.
More mesh, more stretch, and great crash protection, all without any increase to the price. As if often the case with Klim products, it's the materials that make this jacket special.
Klim uses top-tier ceramic-infused Superfabric in the most prone areas, which delivers better slide protection than leather but doesn't mind getting wet.
"Tackling a water crossing last summer in the Baja S4 jacket."
The chassis is made from Schoeller dynamic mesh, which is tough stuff in its own right but flows more air than your favorite summer street jacket.
We also appreciate that the entire jacket is DWR treated, so it'll shrug off a light drizzle without issue.
That's the extent of the Baja S4's weather protection through, which means standalone rain gear is required for extended trips.
The lack of a waterproof liner helps cut down on the cost though, making the S4 one of Klim's more affordable offerings.
Klim Baja S4 Jacket
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SHOP RIDE ADVENTURES
REVZILLA | AMAZON
Summer Pants: Klim Baja S4 Pants
Klim's Baja S4 pants get the nod from us for all the same reasons as the S4 jacket above. Same materials, same quality, same protection.
Klim specced as much mesh as humanly possible here without compromising the S4's integrity, and we particularly appreciate that the area behind the knees is all mesh, which adds a ton of comfort in our experience.
"The Baja S4's mesh-heavy construction is ideal for hot weather, especially when riding off-road"
We also appreciate that they went so far as to keep the goat leather on inside knee for gripping the bike, but they made it perforated, so even the heaviest material in the pants still keeps the air flowing.
Drawbacks here are the same as the jacket above, namely that there's not much in the way of weather protection, so packing rain pants is a smart move.
We'll also note that the cut is a bit too generous to wear in the boot for those who prefer it.
Klim Baja S4 Pants
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SHOP RIDE ADVENTURES
REVZILLA | AMAZON
Summer Gloves: Leatt 7.5 X-Flow Short Gloves
Leatt is known for its motocross gear, but the dirt-focused brand recently entered the ADV market to great effect.
They've got everything from helmets to pants for adventure riders now, but our favorite by far has been their 7.5 X-Flow gloves.
The X-Flows are, quite simply, the perfect summer ADV motorcycle glove: on top, they're all stretchy breathable mesh like a motocross glove, but Leatt has added the perfect amount of protection (and not a bit more) to make them street-worthy.
"The Leatt 7.5's stretchy mesh chassis is perfect in the jungles of Vietnam."
Super flexible TPU covers the knuckles and wrist, while full grain leather surrounds the base, fingers, and outer seam.
The palm of the glove is made from single-layer suede, which delivers touch-screen compatibility and excellent feel at the bars.
We have zero gripes with these gloves so far for summer adventure riding, but it's worth mentioning we can't speak to their durability because they're essentially a brand new product.
Time will tell, but performance-wise, they're worth the risk.
Leatt 7.5 X-Flow Short Gloves
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Summer ADV Boots: Alpinestars Tech 10 Supervented
Truth be told, most folks will be fine riding in whatever adventure boots they're already in.
Tall, protective boots tend to run hot, and that's just a fact of life. There's one notable exception out there though, and that's Alpinestars' Tech 10 Supervented.
The idea is simple: Takes the original Tech 10, one of our favorite adventure boots of all time, and one of the most protective on the planet, and add extra ventilation everywhere humanly possible.
"We've been Tech 10 fans for awhile, but the Supervented version is a step above."
That includes mesh sections above the ankle, perforated leather throughout, and even a direct mesh grille that lets air blow straight into the toebox while you're riding.
Yes, they're more expensive than the already expensive Tech 10, but there's truly no better summer ADV boot out there.
We wish Alpinestars would make a Tech 7 Supervented to save us a few bucks, but other than that we have zero complaints here.
Alpinestars Tech 10 Supervented
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SHOP RIDE ADVENTURES
REVZILLA | AMAZON
Summer Socks: Dainese Dry Long Socks
Dainese's Dry Long Socks have been our go to for summer ADV rides for the better part of two years now.
We first put them to the test during our review of Ducati's Desert X in Patagonia, and they're still going strong after countless trips through the wash.
What makes Dainese's Dry socks special is they're built entirely from lightweight, moisture wicking fabric with just the right amount of compression built in.
This also allows them to dry extremely quickly after water crossings or heavy rain.
"This was our first test of the Dainese Dry socks, and we're still wearing the same two pairs two years later."
We also appreciate that the Dainese Dry socks are anatomically shaped for your left and right feet, and are also entirely seam-free.
In our experience that translates to a truly blister free sock, assuming your boots are properly broken in.
As for drawback? Well, the Dry socks are expensive, even compared to other premium options from Klim and Alpinestars.
Two pairs will get you through just about any tour imaginable for years to come though, so they're worth the spend in our book.
Dainese Dry Long Socks
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Summer Goggles: Klim Edge Goggle
...Can you tell we like our Klim gear here at Ride Adventures?
We've tried plenty of goggles from brands like Fox, 100%, Leatt, and other, but to date Klim's Edge goggle remains our favorite of the bunch for adventure motorcycle duty.
The Edge is great because it uses the latest frameless design to deliver a massive field of vision with minimal obstruction from the surrounding foam or chassis.
The lens also happens to be a magnetic quick-release design, which is uber-convenient.
"Garrett tests out the Edge with a photochromic lens setup while route scouting in Tanzania."
Speaking of lenses, the feature that really put the Edge over the top for us is that Klim offers a photochromic lens for this goggle.
That means it automatically grows darker when the sun gets brighter, so you don't need to carry around spares.
The Edge is on the premium end of the spectrum, so you'll pay a pretty penny for it, but it lacks nothing in terms of visibility, ventilation, or comfort.
If you're looking for something different, we've got a handful of alternative recommendations as well.
Klim Edge Goggles
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SHOP RIDE ADVENTURES
REVZILLA | AMAZON
Armored Jacket: Alpinestars Bionic Action V2
Of all the summer adventure motorcycle gear we've tested lately, Alpinestars' "Bionic" line of armored mesh jackets is hands down our favorite.
They've got a few different offerings in the lineup, but the Bionic Action V2 is the best bet for most riders.
We dig the V2 because you can pick one up for well under $200 all day, but it still provides CE-certified protection for your shoulders, elbows, chest, and back.
This armor is held in place by stretchy elastic mesh, which means it stays where you need it in a crash.
"The Bionic Action V2 pairs rigid armor with a high-flow mesh chassis."
What's most remarkable about this jacket, however, is the fact that thanks to AStars' latest update, the articulated armored panels don't restrict any airflow whatsoever.
Wearing a jersey over the Bionic is peak ADV luxury in the summer.
Now the Bionic line doesn't include any abrasion-resistant fabric, so there's a tradeoff in terms of protection here if you don't wear a jacket over it.
There's enough hard plastic to cover the most slide-prone zones though, so the Bionic remains our go-to in the heat.
Alpinestars Bionic Action V2 Jacket
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SHOP RIDE ADVENTURES
REVZILLA | AMAZON
We hope this info helped, and if we missed anything, let us know in the comments below :)
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