Most riders spend real money on motocross gear and almost none of them think twice about how they store it. Gear gets balled up in a gear bag, tossed in a corner of the garage, and forgotten until spring. By then, the helmet liner has compressed, the boots have cracked, and the jerseys smell like last September. Off-season storage is the most overlooked part of gear care, and it quietly costs riders more money than almost anything else. Getting it right takes less than an hour and extends the life of every piece of kit you own.

Helmet Storage: The Piece That Gets It Worst

A dirt bike helmet is the most technically complex item in your kit, and it is also the most sensitive to bad storage. The EPS foam liner that absorbs impact energy degrades when compressed over long periods, when exposed to heat, and when stored dirty. Sweat and oil from your skin break down the foam padding and the fabric cover. UV exposure from sunlight weakens the shell. None of this damage is visible from the outside.

Before storing a helmet, remove the cheek pads and interior liner. Hand wash them with mild soap and lukewarm water and let them air dry completely before putting them back in. Never use a machine dryer. Even low heat cycles compress and degrade the foam padding faster than years of normal use would.

Once everything is dry, store the helmet in a dedicated helmet bag or its original box. A helmet sitting on an open shelf is one bump away from a scratch on the shell and one heavy object away from a compressed liner. Keep it away from direct sunlight and away from any heat source. Attic storage is one of the worst places for a helmet because summer temperatures in an attic regularly reach levels that destroy EPS foam integrity. A climate-controlled closet or gear room shelf is the right call.

One more detail that gets overlooked: do not store goggles pressed against the helmet lens. The foam surround on goggles can transfer oils to the lens coating over weeks and months, leaving residue that is difficult or impossible to remove. Store goggles separately. Before storing any helmet, cross-check the manufacture date stamped inside. The general guideline is replacement after five to seven years from manufacture, or immediately following any significant impact, regardless of how the helmet looks. You can also reference the BTO helmet sizing guide if you are due for a new lid when the season opens.

Jerseys and Pants: Wash Before You Store

The single most important rule for motocross gear fabric is to wash it before storing it, not after pulling it out of storage months later. Dirt, sweat, and debris left in fabric over an off-season will develop mildew, permanently stain material, and weaken stitching at the seams. By the time you smell the problem in spring, the damage is already done.

Wash jerseys and pants according to the tag instructions, then make sure they are completely dry before storage. Do not fold them tightly. Tight folds create hard creases that stress fabric and can cause stitching to separate at stress points over time. Roll them loosely or hang them on a hanger instead.

Store in a breathable bag, not sealed plastic. Sealed plastic traps any residual moisture and creates the exact environment mildew needs to grow. Mesh laundry bags, cotton storage bags, or even a pillowcase work fine. Before putting pants away, check the knee pad pockets for any dirt, debris, or knee pads left inside. Compressing a knee pad inside a folded pant for months is an easy way to stress the pocket stitching.

Boots: The Most Storage-Sensitive Item in the Kit

Motocross boots suffer more from bad storage than any other piece of gear. The combination of microfiber materials, adhesive-bonded soles, and mechanical buckle systems makes them particularly vulnerable to heat, moisture, and compression. Boots stored incorrectly for one off-season can come out cracked, delaminated, or permanently misshapen.

Start by cleaning the soles thoroughly. Mud packed into the crevices of the sole retains moisture against the boot materials, which accelerates cracking. Use a stiff brush to get into the grooves and let them dry completely before storage.

Loosen all buckles fully before storing. This point is easy to skip, but it matters. Buckles left in their riding position clamp the liner of the boot under constant pressure for months. Over time this permanently compresses the liner and changes the fit of the boot. Once you have loosened the buckles, stuff the shaft of each boot with crumpled paper or a boot tree. Without some internal support, the shaft will soften and collapse over months, and boots that have collapsed at the ankle never fully recover their original structure.

Store boots in a cool, dry location with some airflow. Do not seal them in an airtight bag or container. The materials need to breathe. A gear shelf in a climate-controlled space is ideal. If you are storing them in a garage, keep them off the floor and away from the wall where humidity concentrates. For a look at current boot sizing before next season, visit the BTO sizing page.

Goggles: Small Item, Easy to Damage

Goggle lenses are coated and scratch easily. Before storing, clean the lens with a microfiber cloth only. Never use paper towels, which are abrasive enough to scratch coatings even when the lens looks clean. If the lens has tear-offs or a roll-off film installed, remove and store those flat and separately. They are not designed to sit compressed against the lens coating for months.

Store the lens inside the goggle bag or a soft pouch, then store the pouch inside the goggle frame. Foam contact with a dirty or gritty lens over a long period causes micro-scratching that clouds the lens permanently. Keep goggles out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources for the same reasons that apply to helmets.

Gloves: Quick and Easy

Gloves are the simplest item to store correctly. Hand wash them, let them air dry completely, and store them flat. The main failure mode for gloves in storage is folding or compressing them palm-side-in under other gear. Palm material on most MX gloves will crack along the fold line if stored compressed for an extended period. Flat storage in a gear drawer or on a shelf takes care of it.

Pre-Storage Gear Audit

Before putting any gear away for the season, run a quick check on every item:

• Helmet: Check the manufacture date inside the shell. If you are past five to seven years or the helmet has taken a significant impact this season, do not store it for next year. Replace it. Browse current options at BTO Sports helmets.
• Boots: Flex the sole at the toe and heel. If you see separation starting between the sole and the upper, that delamination will be worse next season. Check the microfiber for cracking at high-flex points around the ankle.
• Jerseys and pants: Check stitching at the seat, knees, and collar. Small separations caught now are easy to repair or replace off-season. Ignored for months, they become full tears.
• Goggles: Check the foam surround for compression and cracking. A compromised foam seal lets dust and debris into the lens area during riding.
• Any crashed gear: If a piece of gear absorbed a significant impact this season, retire it even if it looks fine. EPS foam compression from impact is invisible from the outside but the protection is gone. Visit the Fit + Function FAQs blog for more gear guidance.

One off-season hour spent storing your MX gear the right way is worth far more than the replacement cost of anything that fails because it was not.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you store a motocross helmet long term?

Remove the cheek pads and interior liner, hand wash them with mild soap, and let everything air dry completely before reassembling. Store the helmet in a helmet bag or its original box in a cool, dry space away from direct sunlight and heat. Never store it in an attic or garage where temperatures spike, and never place goggles against the lens coating during storage.

Should I wash my motocross gear before storing it?

Yes, always wash jerseys, pants, and gloves before storing them, not when you pull them out at the start of next season. Sweat and dirt left in fabric over months will develop mildew, weaken stitching, and permanently degrade the material. Store everything clean and completely dry in breathable bags, never sealed plastic.

How long do motocross boots last in storage?

Motocross boots can hold up well in storage for a full off-season if stored correctly. Clean mud from the soles, loosen all buckles completely, stuff the shafts with paper or a boot tree to hold their shape, and store them in a cool, dry spot with airflow. Avoid sealed bags or airtight containers. Boots stored wet, buckled tight, or in extreme heat will crack the microfiber and delaminate the sole well before they should.