Off-road body-armour

[Ruralman]

Great trail ride on Sat and I have some beaut photos for a mag article I'm doing - also took my worst fall in a very long time. I hit something which just sent my front wheel sideways and uphill and I went crashing over the other way - no time to react or anything. Very rocky ground and where there's no rocks its that bloody dry its almost as hard anyway. Very pleased I have invested in a very good dirt bike body armour vest as I landed on my chest and then rolled over onto my back (bringing my feet up as I went in case the bike was coming after me so I could push it away with my legs - which it wasn't).
I got a massive thump on my chest and if I push it its still a bit tender in the joint - without that body armour I hate to think. Shoulder's a bit stiff under my shoulder blade but will be right in a couple of days I hope.
This was one of the best and most challenging rides I have done - did all the expert loops and I'm sure some of them were marked out by guys on bloody horseback. Very very steep in places and a real challenge, especially for the motorcross bikes with little in the way of low down power as many of the steep uphill sections had to be taken on from an almost dead start at the bottom - little room to get a run up. No one I spoke to had got through the day without at least one "off" unless they were just going round the easy sections.
Great fun and plenty of stories to tell at the pub later.
The question I have for you though is when you're out on back country adventure rides what do you wear to protect you in the event of a decent "off"? The vest I'm talking about is one of those black ones that has a light material backing, zips up the front, and has shoulder,back (removable), chest, and elbow protectors. (if you don't know what I mean ,ask and I'll get a photo)
My road bike jacket is a Dririder summit which has some of those areas covered but no where near as much chest and back protection. While most backcountry trips usually involve more than one rider, so you've got someone to go get help if needed, its a lot better if you don't get injured in the first place. After that fall yesterday, I think I'd leave my dririder jacket behind and use that vest with something over the top if needed if I was doing a big backcountry trip as per Oldriders Otematata idea.

[warewolf]

Short answer: depends.

I have road touring stuff (full built-in body armour and waterproof layer), old road touring stuff now relegated to adventure rides (full built-in body armour, removable waterproof layer) and trail ride stuff (mx boots/jersey/pants/helmet, knee armour/braces, armour shirt as you describe).

Generally, on closed-course trail rides you can commit more so the offs will be more frequent and potentially bigger hits - so I'd welcome the chest pro. Cooling is also an issue. Longer adventure rides on public roads require more restraint, but high-speed exposure is greater. So in that case I'm happy to trade off the chest pro against the greater protection of a full road suit.

I do have the option of removing the armour from the road suit and wearing the armour shirt underneath. Never done it.

A thump in the chest is the argument against having a cellphone in your jacket pocket. Apparently they break ribs nicely - if such a thing is possible. Similar argument for wearing your bumbag on the front: the stomach can absorb a lot more of a hit than your lower back.

[Big Dave]

Similar argument for wearing your bumbag on the front:

'We all like a bit of front bottom.' - The Dame.

[Ruralman]

Short answer: depends.
A thump in the chest is the argument against having a cellphone in your jacket pocket. Apparently they break ribs nicely - if such a thing is possible. Similar argument for wearing your bumbag on the front: the stomach can absorb a lot more of a hit than your lower back.

As it happens I did have front mounted bum bag with my camera in it and it survives very well there and is a lot easier to get at than in your backpack.

Big Dave - yep we're with you on that one!

[warewolf]

'We all like a bit of front bottom.' - The Dame.

Maybe we should call them 'fanny packs' instead...

[Wolf]

What make/model of body armour is it?

I've tried the EVS Ballistic Jacket, Alpinestar Bionic and O'Neal Underdog.

I'm looking at getting the O'Neal armour when I can afford it.

[Ruralman]

What make/model of body armour is it?

I've tried the EVS Ballistic Jacket, Alpinestar Bionic and O'Neal Underdog.

I'm looking at getting the O'Neal armour when I can afford it.

Its called a Biko Sports - about $160 from memory. I wouldn't describe it as a jacket though - the material allthe body armour is attached to is quite thin (but tough) and very breathable. If you need warmth or waterproof you put something over the top (being a cocky I usually just haul on some overalls over it all until it gets too hot)

[Motu]

I've got the Biko too,I find it restrictive which annoys me a bit - after years of just riding in a footy jersey and jeans I find the lack of movement a concern.I can hardly lift my arms above my head or make any quick movements - being a once nimble little guy I feel like some thuggish front row forward.But armour is the way to go and I'll just have to get used to it.....I'm very aware of my old body hitting the ground like a sack of cheap Railway mugs.

[Ruralman]

at risk of great personal humiliation I have taken a couple of photos with the self timer - trying not to let several glasses of red affect the outcome too much (the first one is a bit blurred and pissy eyed) - of the Biko gear so you know what i'm on about.

[Ruralman]

I've got the Biko too,I find it restrictive which annoys me a bit - after years of just riding in a footy jersey and jeans I find the lack of movement a concern.I can hardly lift my arms above my head or make any quick movements - being a once nimble little guy I feel like some thuggish front row forward.But armour is the way to go and I'll just have to get used to it.....I'm very aware of my old body hitting the ground like a sack of cheap Railway mugs.

I have never found it restricting my movement - and I was a lock not a front rower - but then you don't actually need to throw your arms around that much when riding off road anyway do you?? - normally they are sort of attached to the handlebars and any movement in excess of that is probably a portent of imminent disaster!!
Believe me - it will make a huge difference when you hit the ground.
i don't think any of the jackets have this degree of protection built in to them?? - makes for an interesting question for the likes of one of the Sth Island safari rides - whether to wear something like this and put something else over the top depending on the weather - or - to wear a dri rider or similar jacket which looks a lot better, has some protection, but not as good if you take a big hit.

[Motu]

I'd never be able to wear it on a trials bike,let alone drag it out of a gully jammed between two trees....I often have to manhandle my bike above me on a steep slope,no way could I work hard like that with the armour.Ok,you are a good enough rider that you don't get into stupid situations like that.....and I'm old enough that I shouldn't,but I do.I like freedom of movement.....and in a crash I don't think I could move to save myself.

Just my personal view.....but I have the armour suit and will continue to play with it.

[Wolf]

I've put the O'Neal armour on lay-by at Boyd Honda.

I tried Kasper's EVS "Ballistic Jacket" for a while (even though it was too large) and already determined that I am happy with wearing hard armour. I also researched the various suits available and determined that the AXO "Protector Jacket", the Hebo, the Rockgardn "Flak jacket" and the O'Neal "Underdog" all use mostly the same moulded pieces (modulo a couple of differences) on their own garments. Some of the ones I saw were way out of my price range and the EVS does not fit me in any size so I went with the O'Neal without bothering to check out AXO, Rockgardn and Hebo (given the similarities, I figured that since the O'Neal fitted properly it was equal to any of the others of its ilk)

There are two concerns in a spill - impact with the terrain (or other hard objects) and abrasion from skidding along the road. The hard armour protects the boney bits from impact and I'll wear my textile jacket over the top to protect my skin from the abrasion. If I'm riding off road, I'll throw a MX jersey over the armour instead.

The pics below I shamelessy lifted from an advert for O'Neal armour.

[Wolf]

I'd never be able to wear it on a trials bike,let alone drag it out of a gully jammed between two trees....I often have to manhandle my bike above me on a steep slope,no way could I work hard like that with the armour.

Christ! If I were in any of those situations I suspect I'd be stripping to my waist anyway (I swelter enough pushing a bike up a slight incline on tarmac whilst wearing my road jacket) so it wouldn't matter what armour I was wearing prior to that. Of course, I'd be wanting comfortable boots for when I'm walking back to retrieve my gear...

I intend on getting knee/shin protectors at some stage (the Fox "Raptor" looks good) and I have to replace my jacket, leggings, boots and gloves at some stage soon before they're totally worn out so what I buy will be chosen with a view to wearing hard armour underneath.

The MOBIG jackets and leggings have foam "armour" already but it's removable so I shouldn't wind up too "bulked out".