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Body Armour
Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 8:19 pm
by Flatline
Just thought I would tell you a tale
And it might me a good subject for discussion
Last month in the fine weather, I went out for a ride out with some guys from a Ducati forum.
During the ride one guy came off, going round a bend, not too fast, just a moment of inattention, went wide onto the grass
8 broken ribs, 3 broken vertebrae and a helicopter ride
He hadn't put his armour back in his jacket 
I always wear a back protector under my jacket that also has armour
However it got me thinking that my chest/ribs are not protected
Been doing some research, main players seem to be Knox, Alpinestars and Forcefield
Alpinestars do a vest that incorporated a back protector and chest protector and it just zips up at the front
Knox do the Aegis back protector that gets good write ups
More interesting to me is Forcefield http://www.forcefieldbodyarmour.com/moto
Catalogue: http://www.forcefieldbodyarmour.com/pdf ... 12_cat.pdf
They do a few interesting versions
Extreme harness flite/adventure (adventure being more for off road by the looks of it)
Pro sub4 Back Protector, and the Rib Protector
Anyone use these?
I realise it's more fun to buy rearsets and all, but I'm going to bite the bullet and get some, just so bloody expensive 
Here is an interesting thread about people that have use the stuff
http://www.johnsonleather.com/reviews.htm
What do you think?
Re: Body Armour
Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 9:28 pm
by Fireman on a Storm
Having tested my armour once on track and more seriously on the road (car killed my first storm) I wouldn't ride without it.
After the second "test" (road test) I remeber laying in A&E watching the consultant examine my bike gear, then telling me that if I hadn't been wearing this lot I'd have been spening a lot more time in his compay!
Track test was armoured leathers and separtae Knox back protector just a low side in the wet
Road test was fully armoured textiles and the back protector. This one was a full flying lesson that I messed up the landing!
At the time knox were offering free £50,000 injury cover if you broke your back wearing their back protector. The back protector did a realy good job of looking after me!
Paul
Re: Body Armour
Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 9:37 pm
by Kev L
I always wear a Forcefield back protector under my leathers. Only been off once, at fairly slow speed, whilst wearing it but it did it's job. Very good quality item and once it warms up, fits really well.
Re: Body Armour
Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 11:00 pm
by agentpineapple
i reckon if i'd been wearing back/chest protectors when i had my accident, i might have avoided 7 broken ribs/colapsed lung/lacerated spleen/spinal fractures/internal bleeding and nerve/muscle damage...............i doubt it would have saved me from that lot but it would have made a big difference, my problem is being such a big fooker, even if i lost weight, i still have very broad shoulders and a very big chest, whenever i look at sizes of these items, they don't even come close to fitting me
i'll have to do some more research to find someone that does bigger sizes......
you make a good point flatters, most of us are probably guilty of buying something shiny for our bikes before good quality protective clobber....
Re: Body Armour
Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 11:36 pm
by Snoogle
bigspanishmarty wrote:i reckon if i'd been wearing back/chest protectors when i had my accident, i might have avoided 7 broken ribs/colapsed lung/lacerated spleen/spinal fractures/internal bleeding and nerve/muscle damage...............i doubt it would have saved me from that lot but it would have made a big difference, my problem is being such a big fooker, even if i lost weight, i still have very broad shoulders and a very big chest, whenever i look at sizes of these items, they don't even come close to fitting me
i'll have to do some more research to find someone that does bigger sizes......
you make a good point flatters, most of us are probably guilty of buying something shiny for our bikes before good quality protective clobber....
I am on the rotund side of things too mate, its surprising how "small" you can get if you hit the gym. Lost 3 stone in about a year (still a fat Hippo though lol)
My textile jacket feels massive now lol glad I bought a new leather one
Re: Body Armour
Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 11:43 pm
by chric
so what's good to get?
links please was thinking of this going down a1 if i fell off.
Re: Body Armour
Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 4:25 am
by seb421
i know its for off-road comp use but i used to use a full UFO body armour suit on the roads, lent it a mate and never got it back
one lot had saved my back in and incident when i hit a tree at speed trail riding after a fourth gear pinned jump, it landed of scew at the back wheel and spat me into the tree, i blacked out on impact and when i came round i couldn't move at all i honestly thought i was going to be a vegetable so to speak a few moments later i was able to move think it was shock, my back protector was wombles and cracked i had hit it that hard, that could have been my spine, nealy went out with just light weight amour and kidney belt that day
i did break off a part of the bone in my neck the spinous process on C5, i didnt know this at the time as my whole neck was swolen i went the docs some time later with pains and a lump moving around my neck, the pain was so bad i wanted to dig it out with a spoon! since that i've had lots of physio, i'm still in pain every single day, some days worse than others and this happened back in 2004/2005
could have been much worse tho
think i might just get another set, made me feel invincible in it
Re: Body Armour
Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 9:36 am
by Vtrkidda
I just use back and elbows in my jackets plus always gloves and boots if i come off so be it
but only bike i came off was my first TZR 125 about 5 times each time i fixed it
Hurts but thats the choice we make , Im full of scars any way so im used to a bit of abuse my biggest is across my fore head some prick 6 yrs ago smashed a pint glass in my face ,And the police done me for fighting back
the scar isnt that bad but also have two in my hair and i shave my head so i look like a thug but im not
realy
Any way ride safe and be aware whats around you thats the best protection
Re: Body Armour
Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 3:46 pm
by seb421
Re: Body Armour
Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 4:18 pm
by Flatline
chric wrote:so what's good to get?
links please was thinking of this going down a1 if i fell off.
forcefield
knox
alpinestars
Regards
Re: Body Armour
Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 4:33 pm
by Flatline
Marty, you make a good point buddy
Best to try them on mate
The large forcefield and Knox Aegis are fairly large and both companies do a separate chest protector
Seb, that's something I looked at but never found anything comfortable m8
Forcefield do one called adventurer, not been able to get hold of one to try yet
Re: Body Armour
Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 4:59 pm
by Flatline
One thing not mentioned is the option to purchase replacement body armour panels for your jacket
Although the jackets often come with body armour in, christ knows what it's made of or who supplies it
http://store.planet-knox.com/knox-armour/
http://www.forcefieldbodyarmour.com/moto
These seem to be the best
I'm contacting Forcefield to try and get us a deal
Wish me luck
Re: Body Armour
Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 5:23 pm
by seb421
Flatline wrote:Marty, you make a good point buddy
Best to try them on mate
The large forcefield and Knox Aegis are fairly large and both companies do a separate chest protector
Seb, that's something I looked at but never found anything comfortable m8
Forcefield do one called adventurer, not been able to get hold of one to try yet
Did you try the UFO on they do two diffrent types a sh1t MTB one and two scorpion ones one with a belt one without, they are adjustable? also most people that use them on the roads usaly cut them off after the shoulder like 3 quarter way up the arm, both ufo one's i has was very comfy and hugging, built in kidney belt was nice to stoping them from bouncing about when your nailing it is good, the back protector is very strong on them to and wont bent backwards only forwards
MTB (not so good for bikes)
Scorpion with belt
get a large texttile jacket and get one under-it, i used to wear mine under this shift jacket
Re: Body Armour
Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 5:31 pm
by chric
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KNOX-Cross-Sh ... 564wt_1263
like the look of this or they do some t shirt one's aswell
Re: Body Armour
Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 5:55 pm
by seb421
Tell you what looking at UFO's range they have more stuff out now and stuff designed for the roads
This looks mint, made in Italy too
http://www.ufoplast.com/en/product-deta ... rs/PE02277
might work well under leathers
£120 quid delivered off the ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UFO-MOTOCROSS ... 525wt_1159
