Pressure suit v body armour?

[cheese]

What do you guys use? I really want to get some after my spills the other day as i had the bars smack my in the gut and it still a bit tender. I like the idea of the pressure suit, but I hear that you cook in them (haha pressure cooker).

I've found pressure suits for $120 and body armour for $80. so not too much price difference for what you get really.

[sAsLEX]

Explain pressure suit!?

[Crisis management]

I feel a "when I was young we never wore stuff like that " rant coming on....

Somedays I feel really old....

[trumpy]

I used one (pressure suit) on my dirt bike 'cause I used to crash a lot. I had a real biggie over the bars at a GNCC event and managed to peel the handgrip off with my (rather considerable) guts. Minimal damage as nothing moved, just a deep groove accross the chest plate. Best money I ever spent on safety gear. I found the pressure suit a lot more comfortable than body armour but it can be hot in the summer.
Some of the newer versions have softer mesh that you can wear directly against your skin - my one you NEED to wear a T shirt underneath.

[steved]

I think he means these; I saw one in motomail a while back.

I think you weather leather or codura over the top. Mountain Bikers use them as well.

Doesn't really explain them. They look like normal hard armour.

Do they have air-pockets in the armour for impact-absorption?

[chop]

I had a pressure suit found it very uncomfortable. I use an EVS vest which has a padded front on it very good for roost and chuck armour over the top for the bush. EVS does a very compact armour which looks to be very good and its not big and bulky and gives good protection.

[laRIKin]

I have body armour but prefer my pressure suit. (UFO)
I found that it doesn't dig in as much when carry a hydration pack with tools etc in it.
They also fit better under my jacket, I adventure ride mainly.
The down side is they are warmer to wear in the summer.
They can feel funny until you get use to them and I wear a tank top under mine to stop nipple chaffing as the webbing with just about rub them off.

I also think that they are better in a crash as the armour (read the sticker) is for roost and not crash protection.

[telliman]

pressure suit is deffinatly better when racing on mx tracks for sure, the more body protection the better when on the often hard tracks. but body armour all good when free riding,! much more room to move!

[Motu]

I have one,and still reserve my judgement on it.I only use it in summer,under my non waterproof enduro jacket.But it's still bulky and restricts my movement,and can get pretty hot too.I'd love to wear no armour - I don't when riding the trials bike,and I can move around with total freedom of movement....wearing my armour jacket I feel like some thugish bloated slow moving zomby.But.....I know if I crash I'll be really happy I chose to wear it.

[Hambo45]

interesting, had never heard of these things before this thread, a few quick questions, as i am a mx rider as oppose to a enduro rider, how much do these pressure suits protect against roost? and do they restrict very much against movement?

Cheers,
Hambo45

[sAsLEX]

I think he means these; I saw one in motomail a while back.

I think you weather leather or codura over the top. Mountain Bikers use them as well.

See to me that just looks like body armour held in place by a spandex type vest instead of say the leather in my jacket, no one has really given a succint and definate description of a pressure suit yet ...

[telliman]

the preasure suit is like putting on a tight jacket that has all the plastic padding on it,some call it a preasure suit cause some come made out of that spandex stuff which is quit tight fitting,but with thick plastic padding all over the torsoe, all up your arms, and the back protection you cant go wrong,try having a high speed crash on a hard dry track in normal body armour,after it has twisted and turned on ya body,it dosnt offer that much protection. trust me,i learned that lesson the hard way! they are vary restricting though,just like a helmet!but ya wouldnt race wiyhout that would ya?

[telliman]

See to me that just looks like body armour held in place by a spandex type vest instead of say the leather in my jacket, no one has really given a succint and definate description of a pressure suit yet ...

this is an off road thread, am yet to see anyone on the track in leathers dude!

[sAsLEX]

the preasure suit is like putting on a tight jacket that has all the plastic padding on it,some call it a preasure suit cause some come made out of that spandex stuff which is quit tight fitting,but with thick plastic padding all over the torsoe, all up your arms, and the back protection you cant go wrong,try having a high speed crash on a hard dry track in normal body armour,after it has twisted and turned on ya body,it dosnt offer that much protection. trust me,i learned that lesson the hard way! they are vary restricting though,just like a helmet!but ya wouldnt race wiyhout that would ya?

Normal body armour should be held in place to stop twisting etc

[Motu]

They are an all in one armour suit,comprising elbow and shoulder armour,back protector and kidney belt and chest protection too - you just put it on and wear whatever you like over the top.....cordura jacket,cotton jersey,and even leather if you like.They are mainly for off road and impact protection,but speedway riders wear them,and the long track riders do too - they do 160kpm in the turns,so they must work well.For my riding on gravel roads I think they would give me more protction than leather - I'm not extactly going to be sliding down the road grinding away the plastic armour at 180kph.