>>562934>It's about skillThis.
Buying a DSLR doesn't make you a pro photog.
Buying a race snowmobile doesn't automatically make you a racer.
But just because some vehicle may not be ideal for an application doesn't mean it can't do it.
IMO, having a "handicapped" machine ends up making you a better rider anyways; builds the skill to handle something that's not specifically designed for that purpose.
I see this a lot in the snowmobile world, someone throws a bunch of money at some brand new longtrack sled then throws a turbo on it... while a good rider on a short-track stock sled's doing circles around them. I'd imagine MTB is the same way. Spend more time/effort/money riding and improving your skills than mods or on some expensive bike.
>>562223>Do you need to wear padding or protective garments when riding?Dress for the crash, but what gear you wear is entirely up to you.
Shop around for other "extreme" sports gear too; I wear hockey referee shorts on my snowmobile, snocross shorts and paintball elbow pads on my motorcycle. Might go through a few sets of gear before you find what works for you and your riding style.
Beginners, "oh i'm slow, i'm not riding that hard, I don't need that gear". You're also not experienced, and depending on your history you may not be able to "see" lines or make the best terrain decisions. Sure, your wrecks won't be huge, but you'll be in the dirt a lot.
As you improve, you gain confidence and skill, over time you wreck less. That middle-of-the-road skillset is probably the only time when you "don't need" gear. But since you've been riding with it since you started, you feel naked without it...
Keep improving, you'll push yourself harder, won't wreck as much but when you do it'll be big. Good gear won't save you from every possible injury, but a lot of times it can be the difference between "pack it up we're going home" or getting up, dusting yourself off, and riding the rest of the day.
