Body Armor, you wear it or wear it not?

[p6x]

I removed mine to fly to Phoenix. I did not need to remove those in my jacket, because it goes in the tray, but those in my pants. I had already been singled out by TSA's wrath in 2023, when going through the full body scan with my motorcycle padded pants.

After watching FortNine's laius, I think I agree this is another way to stifle competition from non "motorcycle" brands.

Is body armor pads part of your attire?

 

[audiomick]

On 4/1/2024 at 11:52 PM, p6x said:

Is body armor pads part of your attire?

No.

I always wear gloves, and a jacket that claims to be a motorcycle jacket. I don't really know how much protection the waxed cotton jacket really offers, but if I think I might be on a ride where I might get a bit silly, I wear the leathers. And always a full-face helmet. I saw one a couple of years before I started riding myself that had abrasive damage on the chin-piece. That was enough to convince me that a jet helmet is not such a great idea.

When I had "my accident" in 2017 I was wearing a full-face helmet, thick gloves, and leather jacket and pants without armour.

The helmet lost about 3mm of material just below the visor above my right cheek-bone. The leathers got some nasty abrasions on the front of the right shoulder, and on the left knee. The broken bones were in the left hand from the impact of the handle-bar against the hand, and in the right forefinger where something (probably the wing mirror of the car that took me out) went through the glove and the finger.

Body armour wouldn't have stopped any of that.

That all doesn't mean I consider armour to be not necessary. I got lucky in that accident, it could have been lots worse. What I'm getting at is more like "take precautions, but the most important one is to not have an accident".

Armour might help, or it might not. My leather stuff doesn't have any, and I took it out of my ventilated textile summer jacket because it compromised the ventilation. I choose to take the risk, and concentrate on not having another accident. But always some kind of motorcycle jacket, full-face helmet and gloves. If I'm going out to play, leather jacket and pants.

[LaGrasta]

All of my street-riding jackets have these, and my dirt-riding clothes are damn near bubble wrap at this point.  Without them, I'd feel naked, and not nearly as muscular.  

After watching this video (huge fan of F9) I disagree. If I bang my elbow into the wall with or without, I already know what one will hurt far more.

It would be nice to have less weight in the jacket though, cooler as well.

[Rox Lemans]

As a guy whose had a brief track record of being a walking talking motorcycle crash test dummy, I will vouch that the armor used in jackets works. I should probably be dead or at least crippled. Why am I not? Helmets and body armor.

I though those Dianese titanium shoulder guards were a gimmick.. I thought that till I highsided with a 900lbs Triumph Rocket. Not just did that helmet work by protecting my head as I proceded to land on a street like a lawn dart, but them foam guards in the forearms and shoulders buffered the impact by preventing my  left forearm and shoulder from shattering like a ceramic vase and that titanium shoulder absorbed impact and protected me as I slid about 70ft. I walked away with a C6-C7 ruptured disc and a torn labrum in the shoulder. Not bad, right? 

Believe what you want. We are adults. I'll grab a helmet, gloves and a jacket. 

Y'all wanna hear my glove rant???? Got pics in my phone for that one..

[audiomick]

11 minutes ago, Rox Lemans said:

Y'all wanna hear my glove rant???? Got pics in my phone for that one..

Yes. Always gloves. They start saving skin when you mess up putting the side-stand down, and never stop being a good idea.

[docc]

I have had two motorcycle crashes. One with a heavy leather jacket/ no armor and the other in leathers with armor.

Armor for me, now, in all riding gear. I've seen the difference in impact dispersion.

[Scud]

I'm not quite an ATTGATT guy, but always full-face helmet. And damn near always serious boots, gloves, and jacket with armor. For a sporting ride or long distance, I will add riding pants with abrasion resistance, armor, or both. I will pop over the grocery store in a t-shirt in summer, but in that case, I'm on side streets and topping out around 40mph.

I'm with LaGrasta on the dirt - except I call mine an exoskeleton instead of bubble wrap.

Interesting video, and he seems to be citing credible sources. The main critque seems directed at the cheapest pads, not the premium ones where manufacturers go above the low standards. So my take away is to keep wearing high-quality gear.

 

[footgoose]

My first 30 years of riding I wore t shirt, jeans, gloves and boots. No helmet. Sometimes no shirt, sometimes shorts. I adjusted for cooler weather of course. Then I started thinking.

Now I'm Most of the Gear, Most of the time. Always helmet, boots, gloves, jacket, sometimes armor, better boots, or better armor. I adjust for heat of course. I don't think I'd ever wear the heavy duty stuff that guy says he always wears.. And yes- a bit of cheap armor is better than no armor. Would I rather drop & slide wearing shorts, or jeans?

He does make some interesting points, but in the end he is a monetized you-tuber and must create content to make it rain.

[Rox Lemans]

6 hours ago, audiomick said:

Yes. Always gloves. They start saving skin when you mess up putting the side-stand down, and never stop being a good idea.

Not just abrasion, but heat dissipation. I had a wreck with gloves on where the leather prevented ripping off the skin. However, that leather heated up from the friction where it literally melted the skin on my palms. And these were kevlar lined. Could have been far worse.

[LaGrasta]

Dress for crashing, not comfort.

[p6x]

As a long time inline skater, including urban outings, I quickly learned that protecting your wrists, knees and elbows was essential. Of course, that includes the head.

As I got better and better, I ditched elbow and knee pads, and later the wrists protections. Always keeping the helmet. Then during a marathon race in Houston, in a pack, I failed to see a pothole, and I took a tumble.

I was happy to have been wearing my safety gear.

I think FortNine is saying in case of a catastrophic or major accident, body armor is not going to prevent you from breaking things.

True, if you land on your knees or elbows, having pads will help.

I own an Alpinestars Tech5 airbag, and it is probably the best protection against a percussive hit. That being said, the airbag does not protect your elbows. Although, they have since came up with Airbag pants which are even more uncomfortable than their vests' counterpart.

My goal is to purchase an Helite Backpack airbag, mechanical deployment. This should increase my survival factor, combined with all the rest.

 

 

[LowRyter]

I might share my experience when I was high sided from the California EV and rolled twice on the pavement.  The worst of it was my left forearm just down from elbow.  My Phoenix jacket ripped right at the top of elbow protector.  I lost good size patch of skin about 2 x 5 inches. Looks to be permanent scar. 

In better news my brother gave a Klim mesh jacket which seems much better quality.  it's roomy and the armor feels more substantial.