CKX feels that if we have the right equipment, nothing should stop us from getting every bit of enjoyment possible from the winter months. Their newest assortments of gear certainly help do just that. The CKX catalog is well-stocked and offers everything you need for each type of riding whether for trail or backcountry enthusiasts. Let’s take a look at some of our favorites.
CKX 3-in-1 jacket – Men’s Beyond and Women’s Reach
These jackets, being 3-in-1, are very adaptive. Off-trail enthusiasts will be able to wear just the shell for lighter insulation during highly physical ride, while trail enthusiasts will appreciate the combination of the shell and the inner lining for superior insulation.
First, the shell provides protection against rain, snow, and wind. The seams are sealed and the zippers are also water-resistant. The materials used by CKX are waterproof, but also breathable to continue wicking away the moisture.
This year, CKX is introducing a new material – Hilltex. This membrane that covers the outside of the garment provides resistance to water and wind while offering breathability. It is a highly functional material consisting of a specific laminated membrane and types of fabrics such as polyamide and polyester. It is an ultramodern material which prevents the penetration of moisture from the outside but allows the perspiration and the humidity of the body to move towards the outside and maintain appropriate body temperature. We have been able to experiment with the waterproof qualities of these jackets on many occasions during wet snow conditions. They have proven to work in keeping us warm and dry.
Second, the lining insulates from the cold and preserves the body heat. In addition to keeping our heat in, it repels the cold coming in from the outside. It also help allowing a moisture to be pulled towards the outside layer (shell). This liner made by CKX can also be used alone on certain occasions thanks to the design. It looks good on its own, too, so that’s a plus..
Also new this year, CKX uses an insulation material called Vivo for the liners. It is an insulation that has a series of small openings within the fabric to retain air. They also create paths of least resistance, allowing body moisture to escape quickly. During intense physical activity, moisture is easily transferred through the openings. In return, during periods of inactivity, the openings trap body heat. This is how Vivo insulation improves breathability without reducing thermal performance. It works well, too.
We are more than satisfied with the benefits of CKX jackets. Regardless of the weather, these jackets allowed us to take advantage of winter situations from sunrise to sunset, dry and warm. CKX offers several choices of subtle colors that look great without being too flashy.
ELEVATION and PEAK one-piece suits
CKX one-piece snowmobile suits are mainly appreciated by off-trail enthusiasts because of their lighter insulation compared to the jackets. The Elevation and Peak suits are great for all around use, and CKX even offers an ELEVATION ZERO version for thrill-seekers of unexplored regions requiring sustained effort and minimal insulation. These can also be used in trail conditions but you need to add insulation or you’ll freeze. Some members of our team tested this alternative and they were greatly surprised by the efficiency, performance, and comfort that these one-piece suits offered.
The one-piece suits for both men and women have the same performance characteristics as all other CKX clothing in regards to moisture-wicking and waterproofing. They take advantage of the expertise developed over the past few years by CKX designers and they are the most effective to date in carrying out powersports activities that meet the expectations of the most demanding riders. We love them.
Five color layouts on the man’s side and three on the female side are available this year. It should also be noted that CKX offers helmets in both the TITAN and MISSION series which perfectly match the colors of each suit.
CKX MECHANIC gloves
We all have to perform tasks requiring manual dexterity, and those tasks are not possible while wearing riding gloves or mittens. Whether securing a vehicle on a trailer or any other mechanical task, sometimes the cold does not allow us to work bare hands either. CKX Mechanic gloves solve this problem and they also offer much more.
Their robust design offers a perfect contour that acts like a second skin. The neoprene reinforcements at the knuckles and the cuffs allow flex and thus facilitate movements while keeping your hands warm. The adjustable Velcro cuffs solidly keep the gloves in place. For these reasons, they have become our favorite gloves for a multitude of tasks that go far beyond the work related to the powersports activities.
CKX MAXIGRIP Mittens
Leather is timeless and never out of fashion, and its use for outdoor activities has been well known for decades. CKX offers classic-design, weather-resistant leather mittens that feature HIPORA waterproof membrane that allows moisture to escape outside. During intense physical efforts, these mittens will remove excess moisture while keeping warmth and comfort in our hands.
Interior comfort is ensured by the standard in insulation material – PRIMALOFT. Its remarkable properties of compressibility, softness, and uniformity allows these mittens amazing comfort and warmth. They were of great help during days out in the extreme cold.
CKX AMS MISSION helmet
During the presentation of the CKX winter 2020 collection, one of the highlights was the introduction of a brand new helmet that we feel just may revolutionize the industry. Already benefiting from impressive expertise in the field, CKX is once again pushing the limits by designing an off-road helmet that will counteract excessive humidity, a serious issue for winter helmets.
We all have experienced times where the number one enemy is humidity. This can now be fought and overcome by a technology that will stop it called AMS (Air Management System). It is an integrated air management system and its operation is based on a physical principle associated with fluid mechanics with a starting point in aerodynamics. When the helmet is in motion, the outside air hits it and moves around it, this movement of air creates a suction area at the back, much like the venture effect. It is this principle that CKX engineers use to extract humid air inside the helmet and push it out. A vacuum effect pulls humid air out of the helmet.
Now, the air that we exhale is also composed of water. This humid air creates fogging and can also produce frost when it’s super cold. This drawback creates a loss of visibility and serious discomfort. Inside the helmet, where humid air is exhaled, the pressure is higher than at the back. CKX engineers created small conduits on each side of the helmet shell to direct the humid air out toward the rear of the helmet. Since the air always chooses the easiest path, the difference of pressure between the inside and the back of the helmet has the effect of moving the humid air in the AMS conduits towards the outside at the back. This way, the system greatly helps reduce internal fogging. All we know is, it works!
Developing a new helmet brings a lot of challenges. The new technology developed by CKX underwent several changes during its creation before reaching its final design. The Titan and the Mission helmets are closely linked. The new Mission lid appeared during the development of the Titan helmet, which was, according to the initial plan of 2014, to be deployed in 2 stages. Phase II was to be launched in February 2018. The project aimed to maximize the performance of the Titan for trail riding.
During the process, some plans changed, as a considerable number of modifications had to be made to the existing shell of the Titan helmet. The initial phase II of the Titan project became the birth of the Mission helmet project instead. Helmet designer Stéphane Dion managed to visualize and produce everything that the team could conceptualize. Inspired by the fighter jet pilot helmets, the visor has been reworked for visibility. The bottom of the visor allows the addition of ventilation conduits and the integration of an ergonomic breath deflector. Despite the possibility of redoing everything, it was important for CKX to maintain a family relationship between the Titan and the Mission helmets.
All this long process and hard work have also enabled the filing of several patent applications. Apart from a patent pending for the AMS system, the design of a ratchet mechanism that allows the pallet and the visor to be removed at the press of a button as well as the adjustable and removable breath deflector are pending.
Available in both fiberglass and carbon fiber materials, the CKX AMS Mission helmet works best when used in optimal trail conditions. A zone of air vacuum draws moist air through the side conduits eliminating the risk of fogging inside the lens shield. The two-position visor, retractable if necessary, is another great innovation. It allows you to adapt the helmet according to your preferences; it also has a retractable yellow sun visor.
Some members of our team wear prescription glasses and they were able to really see how well the AMS system works. They appreciated the absence of fogging and the shape of the inner lining of the helmet allow wearing glasses without adding pressure on them.
So far we have been very impressed with its features although its price may seem high. Quality is priceless and the AMS Mission helmet is a good example.
