Hey, im looking to buy my first set of gear in a few months here after taking the MSF. I plan to spend close to a grand, maybe a little less depending on deals.

I had some questions though, does anybody have problems with their helmets getting too warm? I dunno if its just me, but I have a problem with my face getting warm with thigns like masks/helmets (like my paintball mask), which causes the screen to fog up. Are motorcycle helmets better equipped to prevent the fogging? Also my eyes are extra sensitive to sunlight now from a medication I took a while back, which sometimes causes them to water (kinda embarrassing at stoplights ), any suggestions?

As for buying gear, should I just go to a store in person to find my sizes and buy online, or just buy in-store?

For a grand you should get some decent gear.

Bike helmets are vented and most visors are coated to prevent fogging. When you're stopped, you can just crack the visor.

Some people choose to put a tinted visor on their helmet, but these are no good for night riding. They then have to change to a clear visor for that. My preference is to have a clear shield and just wear sunglasses when it's bright.

Online will be cheaper, but you'll need to know what size fits your melon, which is where shops come in handy. Head to a shop, find the make, model, size etc, then shop online for a better price.

Some thoughts on these parts. Yeah, the visors are coated but mine still fogs. I just recently discovered that closing all the helmet vents actually prevents the fogging effect on my Shoei X11. Must be that the air flow under the helmet draws out my breath. Worth a shot if you run into this trouble.

I always get a tinted visor since the shades I normally wear do not fit well in the helmet and the pressing of the helmet in combination with the shades gives me headaches. But the shades route is the cheapest and most versatile.

As for where you shop, it depends. I'd say if you want to create a relationship with a shop (esp important if you're a grease monkey or want to learn to be one) then you're best off actually buying at the store. Most stores will work with you on price, too, esp if you're buying a significant amount of gear. I shop locally whenever possible within a certain % of online prices and make that clear when I meet with the salesperson. Remember, if everyone does what Cookee suggests, no one will carry quality gear and you'll be left without the ability to try it on first. My