Expensive or cheap riding gear?

[Toomey]

I'm in the market for new riding gear, and am wondering how much to spend.  Thor has some stuff for like $50 a jersey and $150 for pants, and then you got like cheapy Shift for $60 for pants and a $20 for the jersey.  What I'm wondering is whether the more expensive Thor or Troy Lee Designs, or Fox, etc, is actually better than the cheap stuff like the Oneal Element line and so on.  I'm sure it's somewhat better, but enough to justify the double price?  My Oneal Element pants have a couple of seams that started seperating, so the higher end pants' seams seperate?  Thanks for the help.  I'm going to be riding MX on a dirtbike by the way.

[Mrs.Nightbreed]

Well, they are all ok really. The only problem I have with the cheap pants is that I burn holes in the leg from the pipe. I have a brand new pair of Thor Phase pants with 3 rides on them and they already have a hole there. The expensive pants usually have leather in that spot.

[Exmx54]

Just get some 2004 or 2005 gear, all the retailers blow all the old stuff out cheap.

[Toomey]

I was looking at the '05 Shift line, Rockymountain is selling it really cheap.  $60 for pants and jersey combo.  But what I'm wondering is whether I should shell out more and get pants with the leather on the inside of the knee.