Question about protective equipment

[IslandRide]

I have been looking into getting some real protective equipment lately but im not 100% sure what to go with. I have a roost deflector type of chest protector but Ive now been seeing chest/spine/elbow protectors by Fox, Thor, Alpinestars, 661, etc. and have been thinking about one of those. Can anyone point me in the right direction?? Another thing I was curious about is neck braces,what kind of movement do you have while wearing one? Are they worth it? I'd like to set myself up good right now, and do it the right way! Oh yeah, and knee protection.. Not too sure where to go with that one either..

-Just some neub type of questions, but I dont get to ride with other people too often so its haard to know exactly whats good to be wearing.

Thanks Again!

[Synyster06Gates]

YES YES YES Neck braces are worth it!

[char393]

I have a Leatt and once adjusted properly, didn't really notice an limitations on movement. There are several less expensive options becoming available, once of which is the EVS brace that is available for pre-order through the ATM store.

EVS RC-Evolution Neck Brace [EVS RCE] - $169.95 : All Things Moto!, Online Store

They're not available to the general public yet (at least, I don't think they are), so we've not seen any reviews.

The short answer is, yes, neck protection is most definitely worth it. IMO, even if it's just a neck roll, get something.

Quality knee protection should be on your list as well. I recently broke my kneecap and I was wearing some guards, but I can't help but wonder how bad it would have been had I not been wearing them. There are plenty available, with Asterisk and CTI probably being top of the line. Those also serve to help prevent ligament damage too. At least, that's how I understand.

You have plenty of options available. Best to see what your budget is and go from there.

BTW, welcome to ATM.

[MXMark]

I like neck braces but get this

Football pants (the ones with the pads)

My friends said to get them and yay they dont feel the best but boy in my book they help.

-Mark

[tchui]

i use skeletools stuff, including the nappy!
im pretty happy with it and it accepts my leatt brace too

[noobish]

If you cant afford the 500 dollar knee braces, get at least the 70 dollar MSR or Thro plastic knee guards. They will help with hyperextension of the kneee and provide much better protection then the cheaper knee and shin guards. I am still not sold on the Leatt, but its a personal choice, at least get a neck roll or something. Chest protector is a must in my opinion. Elbow guards, I hate wearing them but I sure wish I had them on everytime I take a digger to my elbow. Get a good pair of boots Astars, Sidi, Garne, try to avoid the cheaper boots if you can, I know I learned my lesson. The all in one chest protector and elbow, shoulder guard, works fine, but they get really really hot.

[tblacc]

If you are going to invest on protective gear, I'd say you start with your joints. My first purchase were knee braces. they are weird at first, but I cant get on a bike without them now. I cant even begin to illustrate how many times they've saved my knees. Definetly a good investment. you can find some older model evs on ebay for about 200 for the pair.

[IslandRide]

Thanks for the advice, what would be a good chest protector to get? I want to get one that will take some shock absorbtion, and I saw the ones with a spine guard? Im willing to lay out a few extra bucks for a good one. Another thing I wanted to ask about was kidney belts, what exactly do they do and do many of you guys ride with them??

[kschilk]

On the CP, they're all relatively similar and close to equal in protection. Note the term "chest protector", they're primarily designed to protect you from roosts. Alot of folks put too much stock in them...the fall protection they offer, isn't quite equal to "raising the shields" on the Enterprise.

A kidney belt is a must! It basically keeps your insides from jiggling around so much and I suppose, minimal impact protection....some designs, anyway. Realistically, a kidney belt should be the first piece of gear you get...after the helmet. Kidney problems were common among the early racers & riders, before kidney belts were readily available and the effects of not having them was fully understood. I knew a few riders that died young (in their 20s), from doctor diagnosed, riding-related kidney problems.

Ya' gotta' remember that protective gear, though it does often "absorb" a minimal amount of impact or force....it basically just "transfers" it to another area or areas. This is especially relative, with respect to boots and knee-braces. The less your boots "give", under stress or impact...the more of it gets transferred to your knee...then to your hip, then to your back, etc. Back in my early days...the tall, lace-up "lineman's boots" were all we had...believe it or not, there was a time before MX boots. Ankle sprains were common but that was pretty much it. After the advent of MX boots, ankle sprains were rare but knee injuries became common. Now with increased use of stiffer boots and knee braces, the hip and back injuries are becoming more prominent. I strongly advise you to learn about and become proficient at joint-taping. The fancy mechanical stuff looks cool but taping can do as much, for a helluva' lot cheaper and in the long run, be as or more effective.