Body Armour? Recomendations and advice.

[Zimmerframe]

Just wasted half an hour trying to work out Acerbis Sizing .. On their own website it shows S/M L/XL and XXL - in the size guide if just quotes one different number for each of these . So no use. The websites who re-sell them have size guides for M/L and L/XL .. so that's no use. Therefore .. Sorry Acerbis .. not buying your stuff if you can't be arsed to make it possible for people to buy the right size.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Big savings just now on Bliss protection for you clumsy guys

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Jeeez .. that is cheap !

 

[Zimmerframe]

Anyone run the Fox Baseframe ? (not the pro) just the Shoulders and Elbows ? It looks pretty "meshy" but with some ladies tights stitched up the insides of the arms. Fox conveniently tell you absolutely nothing about it, in fact you can't even find it on the main fox site. The armour panels is a fox proprietary reactive armour, no idea what it's like or what the elbows are like - too many are just "style" elbows at the moment which offer the same protection as a couple of layers of wet cardboard.

 

[carlbiker]

Was just looking for more mesh undershirts with shoulder and elbows - similar to the Leatt 6.5 which they don't sell separately.

Found Acerbis do one. Only half length with an elastic support under your boobies. Mesh construction elsewhere. Unlike Leatt you can buy this with the hard armour, just buy this, or buy the hard armour outer. It's also considerably cheaper than the 6.5 - though the hard armour looks like it could be quite warm.

Want to try this with the TLD5955/5900 as for twin base layers with the leatt setup I need to buy another set of elbows and another armoured T-shirt - which is expensive and a faff putting on and taking off.

The acerbis has a zip running to the left of the chest so it should be convenient to put on and remove.

Acerbis Galaxy Jacket : (about €60)

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Acerbis Body Armour Galaxy (about €160)

Comes with the short shirt with elbows and shoulders with a removable hard armour. The bottom coccyx protection is removable and the front and rear top panels so you can use it with a neck brace.

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I think the hard armour on it's own is illogically called the Acerbis Jump !?!

weight? How do you manage two tops though, my bollocks are like prunes the amount I’m sweating atm and Im not a big sweaty beast either!!

 

[carlbiker]

Just wasted half an hour trying to work out Acerbis Sizing .. On their own website it shows S/M L/XL and XXL - in the size guide if just quotes one different number for each of these . So no use. The websites who re-sell them have size guides for M/L and L/XL .. so that's no use. Therefore .. Sorry Acerbis .. not buying your stuff if you can't be arsed to make it possible for people to buy the right size.

It’s always this way, even if they have the right size it’s not right half the time, my Knox is XL….just order two sizes, send one back, simples?

 

[Zimmerframe]

weight? How do you manage two tops though, my bollocks are like prunes the amount I’m sweating atm and Im not a big sweaty beast either!!

Two tops is not necessarily warmer than one top. Though once you get to three layers you're naturally restricting air movement quite considerably. ie, a sub shirt, armour, bike top. As you know by now, quite a few single layer armours are stupidly hot due to poor design.

Take a TLD7855 for instance. You really need to wear a top under it as it nipple rubs and glues itself to you, so you can't get it off - well, assuming you get sweaty from riding hard. As the tld7855 breaths so well and the armour is light, not like the heavy super hot reactive foam types, that combination is generally fine for most conditions - unless it's say 35c - then I find it starts to get too warm.

If I also decide I want more protection and wear a 5955 over a 7855, which both on their own are cool (ish) - together I find they get too warm in the summer.

It's just finding your way through the balance between what type/coverage of protection you want, combined with what weight/bulk you find acceptable, combined with if you do or don't want/need to also wear a shirt over the top, mixed in with what temperatures you ride in and what heat levels you find acceptable.

A leatt armoured T is very breathable. Just on it's own it makes a really good hot weather top if you don't mind riding in a compression top and at least you have some shoulder protection. A 5900 or 5955 over the top of that doesn't make things much warmer, it's slim so you don't know or feel you have it on and you get excellent chest/back protection (if you ignore the short back - but I'm presently riding with a bum bag so that's fine). If you want elbows, you then also need something like a leatt 6.0. So price wise that setup becomes a bit stupid, but does give great flexibility for different rides and adding or removing bits as required. Have a fox baseframe on order to also try with the tld5900/tld5955 as this has shoulder and elbow protection all in a mesh base layer.

Arguably, @Hamina's Leatt 6.5 is far better value and a good bit cheaper than a leatt T, tld5955 & Leatt 6.0 elbows. The base layer looks great, but you can't buy more to have spares/when you tear it or to put one in the wash. The outer armour is substantial and no doubt very effective, but for me looks a bit bulky and hot - especially compared to a tld5900 which you could wear under a shirt and not really know you have it on. It will be interesting to see how he gets on with it long term as it does look like a great bit of kit.

 

[carlbiker]

Two tops is not necessarily warmer than one top. Though once you get to three layers you're naturally restricting air movement quite considerably. ie, a sub shirt, armour, bike top. As you know by now, quite a few single layer armours are stupidly hot due to poor design.

Take a TLD7855 for instance. You really need to wear a top under it as it nipple rubs and glues itself to you, so you can't get it off - well, assuming you get sweaty from riding hard. As the tld7855 breaths so well and the armour is light, not like the heavy super hot reactive foam types, that combination is generally fine for most conditions - unless it's say 35c - then I find it starts to get too warm.

If I also decide I want more protection and wear a 5955 over a 7855, which both on their own are cool (ish) - together I find they get too warm in the summer.

It's just finding your way through the balance between what type/coverage of protection you want, combined with what weight/bulk you find acceptable, combined with if you do or don't want/need to also wear a shirt over the top, mixed in with what temperatures you ride in and what heat levels you find acceptable.

A leatt armoured T is very breathable. Just on it's own it makes a really good hot weather top if you don't mind riding in a compression top and at least you have some shoulder protection. A 5900 or 5955 over the top of that doesn't make things much warmer, it's slim so you don't know or feel you have it on and you get excellent chest/back protection (if you ignore the short back - but I'm presently riding with a bum bag so that's fine). If you want elbows, you then also need something like a leatt 6.0. So price wise that setup becomes a bit stupid, but does give great flexibility for different rides and adding or removing bits as required. Have a fox baseframe on order to also try with the tld5900/tld5955 as this has shoulder and elbow protection all in a mesh base layer.

Arguably, @Hamina's Leatt 6.5 is far better value and a good bit cheaper than a leatt T, tld5955 & Leatt 6.0 elbows. The base layer looks great, but you can't buy more to have spares/when you tear it or to put one in the wash. The outer armour is substantial and no doubt very effective, but for me looks a bit bulky and hot - especially compared to a tld5900 which you could wear under a shirt and not really know you have it on. It will be interesting to see how he gets on with it long term as it does look like a great bit of kit.

When you remove the d30 pads from the racer top you can barely feel it at all, the urbane would be fantastic at stopping flesh scratching off on gravel roads but that extra durable high quality skin even though well vented is just a little much for me, in winter it will be great.

Do you recall what the lightest pads are that can fit the racer? That’s what I’m after testing now, lighter weight and I may even stick to CE1

I also tried a bag and it’s a sweaty mess, having the back protection in the armour makes me sweat less than taking that out and using the Osprey Raptor, the water slosh isn’t ideal either so I’m considering a bum bag although I wonder if that would cause some lower back strain without the shoulder strap supports. The evoc bags look like they had much better ventilation on the back I noticed

 

[carlbiker]

Leatt 3.5 Chest Protection from Dirtbikebitz this over the racer?

 

[Zimmerframe]

although I wonder if that would cause some lower back strain without the shoulder strap supports. The evoc bags look like they had much better ventilation on the back I noticed

I went for the cheapo Decathlon one as I wasn't sure if I'd use it. The first time I tried it I hated the weight with the full bladder. I dug it out again recently and gave it another go and don't notice I have it on, just need to make sure the belt is tight enough - pull the straps. First time I tried it on a DH I didn't have it tight enough and could feel it working it's way down ready to tie my legs to the seat post and cause a crash . Breaths well with the bumpy and vented skin side pad and great for carrying the basics. Normally stick the full 1.5 litres in it and think nothing of it. When you hook the tube up (magnet and clip) make sure you have the pipe all fed through (so it sits flush with your waist) or you can catch it on the saddle with on and off's. I feed the pipe through the hole and then through the back of the right hand belt pocket so it doesn't sag.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Leatt 3.5 Chest Protection from Dirtbikebitz this over the racer?

I think that's the same hard armour as the 6.5 suit. Only problem would be heat. You'd want to remove the D3O racer back as you wouldn't need it and then I think I'd unstitch the stupid racer chest pad as that's one of the main heat sources/lack of air movement spots on the racer.

The only downside then is you'd be using the racer as a fox baseframe/leatt armoured T - but the leatt 3.5 isn't stupidly expensive so it does give you a route and flexibility in options without spending too much. Then stick your ce1 shoulders back in and viola ?

 

[tomato paste]

Many thanks to everyone posting in the armor threads, including here. I originally dismissed armor and didn't pay much attention to threads calling for it after small crashes, as I avoid drops and jumps of any significant size and hadn't fallen much. However, I recently had a front wheel washout on almost flat terrain as I exited a trail trying to keep up with another rider, rather poorly obviously, in part due to distraction from another group of faster riders on my tail.

Simple fall, nothing damaged except my ego and a sore shoulder (helmet protected the head bump), but was useful to find the discussions about it here. I've decided to to go full face, leatt lite short sleeve + separate elbow pads.

 

[carlbiker]

I think that's the same hard armour as the 6.5 suit. Only problem would be heat. You'd want to remove the D3O racer back as you wouldn't need it and then I think I'd unstitch the stupid racer chest pad as that's one of the main heat sources/lack of air movement spots on the racer.

The only downside then is you'd be using the racer as a fox baseframe/leatt armoured T - but the leatt 3.5 isn't stupidly expensive so it does give you a route and flexibility in options without spending too much. Then stick your ce1 shoulders back in and viola ?

Maybe bad example how about Scott Sports Softcon Air Body Protection from Dirtbikebitz + racer with some mods? The correct size does go all the way down also

 

[Hamina]

Quick update to Leatt 6.5:

- The shirt is okay for trail. I haven't wore an undershirt: My experience is that it's quite easy to take off.
- The shirt AND the hard protector feels also ok for DH riding in about +22'C temperature. No undershirt and only a Alpinestars some random long sleeve riding shirt. The hard protector doesn't feel too heavy for me.
- The cushioning in the hard protector is very very sturdy. I would say it has about 10mm soft cushioning under the hardshell.
- The shoulder and elbow protectors feels okay and I think it's good idea to have both soft 3DF + hard protectors on them.
- The kidneybelt is a bit overkill but I just leave it a bit loose and it's ok.

I think it has been quite okay purchase for me. The price was 236,50 euros when the Bike24 had a saleweek couple of weeks ago.

If anyone has any question or tests or anything regarding the 6.5 please let me know.

 

[Zimmerframe]

question or tests or anything regarding the 6.5 please let me know.

Yes .. lots .. and most serious ....

Great that you can wear the undershirt straight to skin and it's easy to get off.

Is the sizing "accurate" ?

Have you tried it with no shirt over the top for airflow ? The undershirt looks like the standard leatt material which has good airflow. The main issue with the hard chest/backs is that sometimes the foam seems to be designed by a different person to the "shell" so the airflow is awful - so rather than sweat evaporating and cooling, it just steams - which is fine if you have brocoli down there. You'll only be able to test this properly without an overshit though and risk looking uncool ... I'm lucky, I don't care about looking uncool.

Can you take some pictures of the outer shell opened up - so inside pictures ?? Like this :

- The shoulder and elbow protectors feels okay and I think it's good idea to have both soft 3DF + hard protectors on them.

Totally. This was the result of testing 3DO for MTB years ago, but hardly anyone does it. It makes it considerably more effective in real world use.

Can you run it without the kidney belt ? I know some of them clip off, but it might be essential/connected to the hard shell ? Inner shirt ?????

You got that at a great price ..

 

[carlbiker]

Yes .. lots .. and most serious ....

Great that you can wear the undershirt straight to skin and it's easy to get off.

Is the sizing "accurate" ?

Have you tried it with no shirt over the top for airflow ? The undershirt looks like the standard leatt material which has good airflow. The main issue with the hard chest/backs is that sometimes the foam seems to be designed by a different person to the "shell" so the airflow is awful - so rather than sweat evaporating and cooling, it just steams - which is fine if you have brocoli down there. You'll only be able to test this properly without an overshit though and risk looking uncool ... I'm lucky, I don't care about looking uncool.

Can you take some pictures of the outer shell opened up - so inside pictures ?? Like this :

View attachment 70086


Totally. This was the result of testing 3DO for MTB years ago, but hardly anyone does it. It makes it considerably more effective in real world use.

Can you run it without the kidney belt ? I know some of them clip off, but it might be essential/connected to the hard shell ? Inner shirt ?????

You got that at a great price ..

If be amazed if it was as cool as the Racer or similar….