Downhill can be a dangerous sport and it’s important to not only stay safe but to look damn good doing it. We took a closer look at Reckless Race Concepts 2019 Response pants recently with a month of testing in dry, loose and dusty conditions with no shortage of warm weather on Queensland’s Gold Coast. Fair to say that not only do they look good, but they do the job just as well as their competitors at a remarkably low price point….
Product: Reckless Race Concepts Response Pants
RRP: $140
Who are Reckless Race Concepts?
Reckless Race Concepts is an Australian Family owned business based in Torquay, Victoria. Born from a passion for downhill and driven by the inspiration of Shannon McKay, Reckless made it’s debut in the mountain bike apparel world in 2016. Starting locally in the Victorian Downhill series and making quick growth into the BMX world, Reckless Race Concepts is now distributed nationally and internationally. Whilst the company has grown over the past two years it is still deeply entwined in the both the local and national race scene.
The Nitty Gritty
2019 saw the launch of the Response Race pants by Reckless and they are a step up from their previous DH pants. These pants are built to protect you from the elements, improve aerodynamics and keep you looking good whilst doing it. 600D material is used for the knee area to provide durability and protection, whilst 4-way stretch material is used for the rest of the pants to give you flexibility and freedom of movement. Airflow is taken care of by front and rear vents, velcro side tabs help dial in the fit and a single zip pocket big enough for a phone is a welcome addition. Made for racing and born out of a passion for Downhill, the response pants are a great addition to the Reckless lineup.
Vented rear panels 
Velcro side tabs make fine tuning easy 
Comfortable, functional and a killer look all in one package
The Hard Word
How did these pants really hold up after our month long test? Damn good is the only way to put it. Durability is certainly a solid point when it comes to the response pants with no rips, loose seams or wandering threads. The stealth black is a killer colour and for those of us that like it dark and dirty, we can’t complain. The air venting is good and whilst they don’t breath as well as the TLD sprint pants, they come pretty close and at $60 cheaper, we are pretty happy with the air flow.
The velcro side tabs helped dial in the fit for us, and the buckle free closing system is a great step forward. Leg closure is nicely fitted allowing no air trapping and maintaining an aerodynamic run down any mountain. The advantages of pants over shorts are that they not only provide more protection but air gets caught up in the short legs, something that clearly doesn’t happen with the Reckless Response Pants. The finishing touch is a zipper pocket that holds your phone, so they can be used not just on the race track but on any gravity run.
The Response pants ticked all the right boxes for us here at Brakes Wide Open and at a much more affordable price point than all of it’s competitors. Supporting Australian Companies is what we are about and especially those with great products at great prices, so when we are looking for more race gear in the future it’s safe to say we will be looking at Reckless Race Concepts.
Reckless Race Concepts is an Australian born company with a finger in both the DH and BMX world. With team riders like Will Arblaster, Darcy Coutts, Dylan Lombard and Amanda Morgan, it’s no wonder Reckless is making headway. 2019 will see them sponsoring DH events in Victoria and WA, including the DH National championships in Bright. We expect more great things from Reckless this year and rumour has it that they may be adding to their already epic race wear lineup, with the addition of shorts and gloves. If you are chasing custom jerseys or killer kit, look no further than Reckless Race Concepts.