Ab armour on motorcycle jackets?

[Grantman_]

I find it hard to give the thumbs up to abs on motorcycle jackets. Probably more inclined to scoff at them than tolerate them. Trouble is the aggressively styled jackets I like, that are in my size, routinely have them. So I'm trying to make myself okay with them, not very successfully.

Perhaps if abdominal armour offered genuine protection, say if you gut-slammed into something rough or by stopping sharp stuff disembowelling you. Abdominal armour could've stopped that trail of juicy organs that started way back yonder - huh huh? Or you're sliding on your gut behind a hit-and-runner you've nabbed. Or... orrrr... ummm...



So jacket abs okay or not?

[Owl]

My abs show through on the outside of my jacket, but my jacket doesn't have them already.

Perhaps I should've said ab, as there's only one.

[Nastrond]

I find it hard to give the thumbs up to abs on motorcycle jackets. Probably more inclined to scoff at them than tolerate them. Trouble is the aggressively styled jackets I like, that are in my size, routinely have them. So I'm trying to make myself okay with them, not very successfully.

Perhaps if abdominal armour offered genuine protection, say if you gut-slammed into something rough or by stopping sharp stuff disembowelling you. Abdominal armour could've stopped that trail of juicy organs that started way back yonder - huh huh? Or you're sliding on your gut behind a hit-and-runner you've nabbed. Or... orrrr... ummm...



So jacket abs okay or not?

I thought this was going to be about assisted braking

My abs show through on the outside of my jacket, but my jacket doesn't have them already.

Perhaps I should've said ab, as there's only one.

[Gremlin]

I use a knox chest armour piece, that hooks into the back protector.

I've landed on my chest unexpectedly (happened to coincide with falling off the bike actually) as a first impact and I think it certainly reduced potential injuries to simply a bit of soreness and light bruising.

Also remember that your ribs are just in front of some reasonably vital organs.

[Deano]

My Icon jacket has them. Any padding is good padding IMO.

[Grantman_]

Right so there's some genuine arguable utility to riding around with batman abs. Checking out the Knox website I see they put out dedicated chest protectors with abdominal armour included. So that pretty much settles it.

[fergie]

does the padding add to the heat? or aid in heat retention?

[Taz]

My abs are covered by a protective cushioning layer.

[Pseudonym]

My jacket came with them but I exhaled

[Gremlin]

does the padding add to the heat? or aid in heat retention?

The knox chest armour I have (first gen I think) certainly increases insulation in the chest. Excellent for cold weather, sometimes makes it a bit warm in hot weather.

[Oakie]

My abs are covered by a protective cushioning layer.

So, like me, you have 'flabdominals'.

[GrayWolf]

probably the most important area to protect is the rib cartilage joints and the sternum, which if Ab armour helps to protect? Then its a good thing imo. But wearing a 6 pack over my 'keg'??? Intersting mental image!!!

[tracyprier]

I recently bought a knox Aegis back protector with the latest chest guard (which is ventilated so not so hot) and I have to say it is great!

I have always worn a back protector and was always concerned about the front as lets face it, with normal road riding there are all sorts of things you can end up pranging into, an off isn't always going to be some by-the-book lay down with a simple slide on the back.

... and of course I hope to NEVER have to put ANY of this stuff to the test