Quality
From the materials used, to the stitching - I have found that men’s pants are far more durable than women's pants. It can even be the same brand - and the women’s specific pants will have a smaller zipper or less stitching. Materials tend to rip easier and have a much shorter lifespan than the Men’s pants.
Fit
Yes we know Men and Women are built differently. But I have yet to find a pair of women’s specific pants that fit me comfortably and are durable enough for the riding I do. I’ve had a much easier time finding pants that fit me well in the men’s department. Even just by sizing - the Men’s sizing goes by waist and inseam - measurements that are the same for everyone. A 28” waist is a 28” waist. Praise the simplicity.
Now, ask me what a 2, a 4, 6, 8 or 10 means in women's sizes? I honestly couldn’t answer you because it feels like every brand has their own version of what the sizes mean, and within that - the fit changes each year with the style. A 4 one year is going to fit like a 6 when the spring style is released, but then in the fall the size 4 will be more ‘true to size’ - sounds nice to compare it to ‘size’, however in this case there is no standard size in which to even deviate from. Just find a shop and try on every brand in every size until exhaustion and frustration take over. Then look at the men’s section and realize how much easier it is to have a size based on waist and inseam.
The Men’s pants to me seem to say “I am a dirt biker, a man and ready to ride”. Whereas the women’s pants give the impression “I am a female, I dirt bike and want to ride”. When I see smaller zippers and tiny pockets on women’s pants, I immediately know they were made for a “woman”, not a “dirt biker”. Because my phone, the one that goes in my pocket - is the same size phone as the guy next to me - but his pockets are made large enough to fit it. The men’s pants are triple stitched in some areas, and in those same areas the women’s aren't? The wear and tear wouldn’t be the same? And I suppose my smaller pockets are for….my lipgloss?
It feels to me like the functionality and rider specific features of gear go out the window when producing gear for women. The focus goes towards ‘female’ and ‘rider’ becomes an afterthought.
Colors & Variety
It might be news to some of the women’s departments, but pink isn’t the only color that women want to wear. I have nothing against pink, but you will most likely not find me wearing it on the trail. This isn’t exclusive to dirt biking, my backpacking equipment and clothing isn’t bright pink, my ski apparel isn’t bright pink and any outdoor gear I wear is most likely not bright pink. I am a function over fashion kinda girl, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about fashion.
I am inspired by nature, I love being in and traveling through the outdoors and I would love to do so in colors that reflect the surroundings I am in and inspired by. When I am in nature I feel grateful to be a part of something so incredible. I truly feel like I am a part of it all, while at the same time I am a guest amongst the wild, a witness to the greatest miracles on earth. To be dressed in bright pink zebra stripes or cheetah prints? Doesn’t at all align with how I feel, where I am, or how I wish to be interacting with the world around me. I love having a variety of colors and styles to choose from. Sometimes bright and flashy might be the mood, and other times blending in and having a few bold colors is all I desire. The variety is found within the men’s lines of gear, and the women’s has started branching out but still feels very stuck in the “pink it and shrink it” state of mind.
