Chest Protectors

Spagina

PR Elite
What happened to them? I know some still wear them, but i've noticed that kids (myself included) wear them on 85's, 125's, and about the age of 16 seem to get rid of them. I know i personally wear an under the jersey little foam thing for roost, but lately i've been thinking that I need to wear a real protector again. I think the problem is that pro's dont wear them for a few reasons: comfortability, heat, weight, and covering up the jersey... its just not cool. But these pro's race as a career and probably dont care about injuries as much as the local guy who needs to work on Monday. I think all the pro's not wearing them (until they get to unadilla) definately influence up and coming kids.

I'm nervous that ill spend the money on one, and after all the years of not wearing one i will not like it anymore. What do you guys think about the benefits of a traditional hard protector with shoulder cups? I would be getting the top of the line Answer protector. I just dont feel like wasting my money... and i cant even remember what its like to ride with one.
 
What is a thin piece of plastic really gonna protect you from other than roost which your little foam thingy does just fine there. That's my opinion.
 
What is a thin piece of plastic really gonna protect you from other than roost which your little foam thingy does just fine there. That's my opinion.

I think a lot... I've smashed my chest on my bars plenty of times. I wont ride without one. I wore the foam one once and wasnt comfortable knowing I didnt have something more. Aside from that, I like a hard protector on my back as well. While I do prefer to have the shoulder with the net and some padding, I have compromised because I did want to get away from the "look" because I agree it doesnt look "cool" wearing them anymore... so I settled for one from fly. It fits nice and tight, and I still feel like it offers a good bit of protectoin. I wear it under my jersey and it isnt too noticeable. Im happy with the compromise. http://www.flyracing.com/product/moto/racewear/chest-protectors/pro-lite-chest-protector/1912/black

They had another that can be worn under the jersey but to me it looked like it may be a little too bulky in the shoulder area... but it looks like it offers much better shoulder protection. http://www.flyracing.com/product/moto/racewear/chest-protectors/pro-chest-protector/1909/black


I say go with whatever your comfortable with and screw how it looks to anybody else. We dont bounce like we used to when we hit the ground lol...
 
Personally Ive never stopped wearing one. Ive wrecked many times and found the protector broken from impact but I wasnt that injured. Obviously I cant say it was the protector that kept me injury free but Im sold on them still.

And exactly, it just a thin piece of plastic so whats the big deal about just wearing it? I have a Fox air frame I think its called? No shoulder pads though but I was thinking about taking a set off an old one to use. Its is very comfy and even fits my Atlas neck brace well!

I had to through in that part, this may almost turn into one of those threads!
 
I guess i see that, but i think a handlebar to the gut would be much better protected with a hard protector vs a foam. Also, the foam ones offer no back or spine protection.
 
I never rode without a chest protector... front and back coverage... ANYONE that throws a leg over one of these powerful bikes not wearing one is foolish. Way back when (1990) I of course had mine on and crashed HARD on the uphill double at Budds Creek. Ended up breaking my pelvis in 4 places, cracking 3 lower vertebra and both leg sockets. Careflighted to George Washington Medical Center in DC where I laid for 3 weeks until regaining movement in my legs. Without the "Thin piece of plastic" I firmly believe I would be in a wheelchair right now.
I don't like big brother making any laws that affect mine or your freedoms BUT I would total support a rule making chest protectors and neck braces MANDITORY for all riders, Pro's on down.
It may or may not be 100% protection against serious injuries but WHY on GOD's green earth would you not want to risk it? And if everyone has to wear them then no one has an extra advantage (or disadvantage)

$300 for the gear or a lifetime of someone else wiping your ass for you. think about it????
 
It is only a piece of plastic but it will help in a hard hit or what if you wreck and land on a rock or a stick. I feel the piece of plastic will spread the blow out to more areas of your body not affecting that one single area. I am a female and you can guess one of the main reasons I wear one, but still believe in some ways it does help in a crash.
 
I never rode without a chest protector... front and back coverage... ANYONE that throws a leg over one of these powerful bikes not wearing one is foolish. Way back when (1990) I of course had mine on and crashed HARD on the uphill double at Budds Creek. Ended up breaking my pelvis in 4 places, cracking 3 lower vertebra and both leg sockets. Careflighted to George Washington Medical Center in DC where I laid for 3 weeks until regaining movement in my legs. Without the "Thin piece of plastic" I firmly believe I would be in a wheelchair right now.
I don't like big brother making any laws that affect mine or your freedoms BUT I would total support a rule making chest protectors and neck braces MANDITORY for all riders, Pro's on down.
It may or may not be 100% protection against serious injuries but WHY on GOD's green earth would you not want to risk it? And if everyone has to wear them then no one has an extra advantage (or disadvantage)

$300 for the gear or a lifetime of someone else wiping your ass for you. think about it????

You just turned this into a neck brace thread.....
And....that makes more sense than not letting someone drive around and kill people high on legal dope! Lol!!!!

I just turned it into a cannabis thread!

Stirring is sooooo much fun!
 
I've never stopped riding with one either, I don't know how those guys do it in the Pro ranks with the roost alone let alone the occasional get offs. I've smashed my chest on the bars, the ground, other bikes, etc and am always glad I have the Plastic to help distribute the force over a wider area. They aren't that hot and let a lot of air through these days and weigh only a negligible amount if you are in shape enough to ride a MX bike. I've been wearing HRP Sports FLAK Jaks for years and still like them. You can find them on ebay direct from them a lot of times for really cheap when they are clearing out old color combos. I also like the back protection offered too, as I've flipped over and landed on back plenty of times too……… dress for the crash, not the ride is a good motto!
 
Won't ride without one. I'm fairly certain it saved me from having a broken vertebrae or two at Summit when I wrecked the other night. I'm sure a few have seen the video. My upper back was where the bike decided to land midway through it doing a flip. I probably wouldn't have gotten up, had I not been wearing my chest protector.

 
I've ALWAYS rode with one without any issues. Used a Fox Air Frame forever, without the arm guards. Very loose fitting, and fit great with my Leatt. I switched two years ago (and let my son switch also) to the proframe. The proframe has no shoulder protection, and it has worried me since I switched to it. You do not even notice it, but I am sure it would not protect against a possible colar bone injury like the air frame would.
 
In 2007, I had a string where I didn't wear one. Wrecked in a turn, stuffed the handlebar into my gut and was pissing blood for 3 days. Needless to say I won't ride without one now, lol. Eventhough I'm fairly certain that the handlebars would of went underneath the chest protector anyway..... But the roost....ahhhhh the roost, it feels so much better when only my arms and throat are stinging as opposed to my entire upper body.
 
I just got one of the fox under the jersey one it still has the hard plastic on the front and back but is very sleek. I only used it once but I was using a foam one, and this one gives added protection with the same good look and comfort.
 
I just got one of the fox under the jersey one it still has the hard plastic on the front and back but is very sleek. I only used it once but I was using a foam one, and this one gives added protection with the same good look and comfort.

That's the Pro Frame, that is what I am wearing now.
 
After breaking ribs in three different crashes within two years I decided I needed more protection. The first one I was wearing a full plastic chest and back protector, the second one I was not, and the third I was wearing it again.

I now wear a full on kevlar vest just like the light weight ones the duty police wear. It covers much more than any plastic chest protector does and is designed to protect against impact of dull, blunt force, just don't test it out with a sharp knife.

It does weigh a few extra pounds and yes it does seem hot in the summer. It's like any other new device you ride with, it will take some getting used to. Now I won't ride with out it.

You can buy the top of the line custom fitted ones for about $650. You could befriend a cop that is your size and I'm sure he has a couple old ones you can buy cheap, or look on ebay and elsewhere you will find them.

The next closest thing to it is the moto vest, which I believe is much better than the plastic things, but they are still about $200 or so.
 
FX0-TRS-_is
Fox Titan Race Subframe
 
I was looking for protection from bike contact (mine or someone else's) not necessarily ground contact. My buddy's kid had the bike come down on him after casing a triple and got a lacerated liver out of the crash which can be fatal but they said the protector prevented it from being worse. I need protection from 450 roost as well cuz I'm never out front dammit!
I went with a TLD because of the 2 layers and wrap around protection - customizable with removable sections for those "useless" neck braces...
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In December, I picked up 2 AXO youth Rodeo Vests for my boys for 19.99 each from AXO. SHipping was about 10 bucks. As for myself, I have gutted Bauer 2000 hockey pads modified for MX. See ya!
 
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