Opinions about back and chest protectors

[dylanfan53]

I'm curious about whether people think the standard built-in back protectors are adequate.  My Vanson's have been great, but I've always wondered if I oughta be using an aftermarket back protector.  Seems like your tailbone's pretty unprotected with the regular built in one, but my hips usually take the impact.  The rest of the back protector seems okay. 

I also see more people wearing chest protectors.  Any good recommendations on either?  I don't want to go out there like a kid in a snowsuit.  Thanks.

[PJ721]

I've been wearing the Bohn back and chest protector this year. Very comfortable and don't even realize it's there once the leathers are zipped up. I have the ones that allow you to wet them down with water to act as a cooling feature when it's really hot. it works better than I thought it would.

[PJ]

I use a Helimot chest protector, but only for endurance racing, especially at Daytona. It can feel bulky and it reduces my tuck a bit, but it saves my chest from pounding on the gas tank, and I like the extra crash protection.

The bohn hip/thigh/tailbone padded shorts are nice insurance too.

I've always thought the Vanson back protector was fine, until I flipped off my bike in T1 at Blackhawk last weekend. My back is still pretty messed up. And I can't help but wonder if I had a fuller coverage back protector that I may have come out in better shape.

[spyderchick]

My 2¢, after over 10 years of crash stories:

1st off, everyone should consider using additional armor. Some suits have suitable hip protection, most have inadequate back protection, I'm not aware of any suit that offers a chest protector standard.

Get a chest protector, crashes involving punctured lungs and broken ribs seem to be on the rise.

For hip and tail bone protection wear impact shorts. They have built in hip pads and a tail bone pad.

Finally, I've never liked Vanson's back protector. They use plastic rivets which separate from the pad easily, allowing the articulated plates to pop out of position and sometimes come loose; they can eventually rotate.

If you are tall, Knox makes one for taller guys providing greater coverage down the entire spinal column. I'm not aware of and back protector that covers the hips, but a good one should provide some coverage for the kidney area.

[PJ721]

but it saves my chest from pounding on the gas tank,

that's why I started to wear it...my chest was hurting after every weekend - and couldn't figure out what it was from...saw someone wearing the Bohn and thought it would help..and it has made a big improvement.

[vnvbandit]

I use the Bohn back protector.  http://www.bohnarmor.com/catalog/proddetail.php?prod=KC28W
I like the extra tailbone protection that it provides. I currently don't have the chest protector but, Xmas is coming!

[tomholiday]

I'm gonna be in the market for some new gear as well (back protector, chest/rib protector, and some bewts) and would like to hear as much as possible about people's experiences with different products. There are a couple of "interesting" threads over on the wera boards about some equestrian vests vs. moto specific gear.

Currently I wear a Teknic 7 plate and some Bohn adventure shorts underneath my suit. Although the Teknic has some good hard plastic, i'm looking for something a bit more substantial that covers more area. No complaints about the Bohn shorts, except for the c-thru crotch :D

[gma]

I watch people crash for a living.

Use as much gear as you can.

'Nuff sed ...

[Cyklracer]

I have a pretty full set of Alpinestar's equipment.  (MX-1 suit, Bionic back protector and Compression shorts).  Love all of them.  According to Alpinestars "The Alpinestars Bionic Back Protector is twice as protective as the Alpinestars Tech and Race tech protector while still being slimmer in design."  It's approved to CE-level 2 standards, and is a bit wider across the back than the Tech.  The Compression shorts provide a nice additional layer to what's in the suit.  Have been down on the pavement enough  to know they work (also a big shout out to Alexa for the repair work on the leathers - and the lettering looks way cool!).  Items were recommended to me by Rob at Lithium Motorsports    and I couldn't be more pleased with them.


Now, if someone would just invent an integrated system that helps prevent broken collarbones....

[dylanfan53]

Interesting to see so many comments about padded shorts.  Thanks for the comments.  I'll do some more internet searches and probably get something over the winter.  That asphalt isn't getting any softer...       

[chaplain220]

Good stuff.  After going to the hospital in Kershaw to visit a track day bro who wadded real bad and broke his pelvis, I immediately ordered the compression shorts.  I really like em, especially the added tailbone coverage, as was said, bein tall, the back protector falls a little short.  One thing I did notice is the shorts do inhibit your thighs gripping the tank just a little, and it takes some getting used to the feeling.  Since I've been able to crash test a lot of the gear, another thing I noticed was for tall riders there is a sweet spot, just below the knee protection and above the boot.  Ive whacked the snot outta that spot before and can see how if hit the wrong way, there is really no protection for the bone, so I pulled the lower knee protector out of a previously destroyed suit and use an elastic type bandage to hold it in place, worked really well the last couple times I let the bike ride on me.

[tomholiday]

For those that haven't seen them up close, here is the armor that goes in the Bohn shorts. 2 pads on each side and then the tailbone pad.



I do kinda wish there was more padding on the buttcheek area for people like me that don't have a lot of natural cushion there. I did find these Forcefield shorts that seem to offer a bit more tailbone and cheek protection, but the hip protection is less than the Bohn, but might alow a little more flexibility.

http://www.cbxman.com/images/brosh/0650585_collage.jpg

Right now I am kinda debating between the Knox Back/Chest protector combo:

http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=424
http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Detail.bok?no=1030

and the Impact Armor stuff that is apparently custom fit:

http://www.impactarmor.com/

I am still doing a lot of info gathering so if anyone has anything else they'd like to share, i'm sure we are all ears 

RE: Shin Protection
If anyone is in the market for a new suit, there are a few that I know of out there that offer protection from the knee all the way down the shin. The Shift SR1 has some CE armor in that area and is quite substantial. It was actually a little too much for me since the fitment allowed for longer shins than I have so I couldn't get my boot on properly with the armor in the way. The Teknic Violator has CE armor that runs all the way from the knee to the lower shin as well, slightly tucking into my boot a couple of inches. The Komodo Ceno suit has the CE shin armor as well as some built in hip armor, but not as substantial as the Bohn or Forcefield.

I am sure there are many more suits that have it, but those are the ones that I have personally tried on. For the suits that don't have it there are plenty of solutions by Knox and other armor companies that will strap right on, or you can do what chaplain said he did