>>839123Yes, but any gear is better than no gear.
The most expensive gear (Shoei/Arai, i'm looking at you) may not fit or as well as a cheaper alternative.
Having gear that fits right and is comfortable enough that you'll actually wear it is more important than spending a ton of money on top-of-the-line shit.
Also, if the organization has any sort of requirements (coverage, certifications, etc), look into that before you buy. If the chinese stuff works, hey, that's great.
Racing snowmobiles, i'm required to have certain protective gear that meets coverage requirements (vest that covers the sides of my chest and shoulders in addition to knee pro, boots, goggles, and a snell-approved helmet; along with 144 sq in of orange on my chest/back and a helmet that's 50% orange (2"x3" card must touch orange anywhere on the helmet)). Motorcycle chest protectors generally don't meet those snowmobile racing req's.
Racing motorcycles... helmet's really all the tracks require.
