what's your protection

[Zudnik]

Helmet - which one?
Any other pads - elbows, knees, gloves? which ones are you wearing?

Just getting back into mtb, now emtb. Maybe it's my age but thinking about the bigger picture now.

 

[BrentD]

Helmet - which one?
Any other pads - elbows, knees, gloves? which ones are you wearing?

Just getting back into mtb, now emtb. Maybe it's my age but thinking about the bigger picture now.

Helmet: Fox Flux (open face for trail riding) or Fox Proframe (ventilated full face for steep tech where I might still have to peddle a bit) or Fox Rampage (full face for DH/bike park)
Eyeware: Bolle Contour glasses (trail riding) or Oakley O Frame goggles (DH/bike park)
Gloves: Troy Lee XC but any will do if they are comfortable to you. I like something with a bit of knuckle protection for e-bike due to the higher average speeds and have used Fox gloves in the past but find they don't last that well
Knees: POC VPD System Lite (trail riding) or Race Face Ambush (for more burly terrain)
Elbow: Fox Titan Race (but don't wear them much other than bike park riding as not that comfortable)
Shoes: 510 Impact (when riding flat peddles) or Shimano AM9 (when riding clipped)

Overall, I find that on the e-bike I can go for more protection over being cool as I don't get as hot riding.

 

[Andrie]

Helmet Bell super air R. 2 in one with removable chin.
Eyewear revision Military Sawfly. Got this free from my cousin in Military.
Gloves Fox dirt paw
Knee Leatt Air flex pro. I am getting the ext hybrid trying to see if shin protection make sense.
Armor leatt airfit. I now wear this all the time after a big crash and broke my rib.
Shoes 510 freeride

 

[Mikerb]

All my armour is Leatt....Airfit vest, shorts and knee pads. I find they provide comprehensive protection (and have been tested!) are reasonable unobtrusive to wear both in terms of bulk and heat. 510 shoes....fantastic flat pedal grip with good pinned pedals but also offer good protection. For helmets I suggest being prepared to pay at least £200 but try a few for fit because different brands tend to suit different head shapes better. For eye protection I suggest checking out your local builders merchant! Expensive eyewear is a complete rip off especially for MTB where it is likely to get treated to regular doses of mud, branch strikes and even stones if you ride in company.
I have Scott elbow pads but rarely wear them and gform shin pads which I only wear at times of year when the brambles creep across trails and I am wearing shorts rather than trousers.
Maybe not classed as protection...but it is....I always wear Under Armour compression vest and shorts as a first layer.

 

[Zimmerframe]

It will depend on where you ride, how you ride, how incompetent you are (I rate 10/10). Ultimately though, an accident is what it is, something you weren't expecting - so it will probably happen some time.

So to begin with. I went with a helmet, can't remember which and no other protection. This resulted in a broken rib, then various other injuries and eventually a fractured pelvis and very bad concussion.

Next step was a Smiths Forefront 2 helmet. Most helmets are only designed to stop skull fractures. The tests are about 45 years old. Realistically most head injuries are concussion related, hence ideally you want something with MIPS and even better, something with a crumple zone to absorb some crash energy - like Koroyd (in the smith) or the bontrager wavecell.

Not wanting another fractured pelvis, but being unsure if I'd like wearing armour, I went with a Fox Titan copy (the old style) - the new one has a better shoulder design, but less overall armour and a short back.

Through it's time the Old Fox titan saved me from all sorts of nasty injuries and has held up well. It's scratched, dented and has missing plates, but it was still hanging in there. On the negatives, it's hot, bulky and restrictive. It's not really compression fit, so the elbow/arm/shoulder armour can tend to move around when you don't want it to - when crashing !

Next up was Sam Hill Knee pads after lots of nasty knee knocks. Knee pads should probably be top of your list after a helmet. These ones fit well and once they've warmed up, you don't know you have them on. I've lost track of how many times they've saved my knees now and they always stay in place. G-form pro x-2's also look pretty good.

Then after a trail side stitching session from a pedal moment - some football shin pads. These are probably unnecessary for 99% of the time, but when you do need them .. they're great.

Decided to try something lighter and less restrictive on the armour front. Went with the Troy Lee 7855 - I think alltricks have that on offer at the moment. This has really good coverage for nearly all of your upper body, is well vented, light weight and you don't really know you have it on - though it is obviously warmer than nothing. You also need to wear something underneath as they stupidly chose a fabric which chaffes your nipples - or you could tape up. I had a lot of effective accidents in this and it's pretty much been faultless .. until last week .

Gloves, Fox Defend D30. The D30 was already defunct on these and did nothing when new then turned to concrete after 2 months. To their credit, they have actually worn well.

Experiences lead to a light weight Full Face. Tried a few and then Smith released the Mainline. This is amazing. Fit, finish, quality is incomparable. It's also strong. Fortunately had it on when I went out with the OH a couple of weeks ago who was taking a young horse out for a familiarisation ride. Someone came the other way already going well over the limit (this is on a single lane road with good visibility) didn't slow as we waved them to slow and then actually accelerated hard past us - scared the crap out of the horse who jumped up and round and backwards, knocked me off and landed with his foot on my head. If I'd not been planning a proper ride afterwards I'd have had the forefront on and had my head stoved in. It's since had two other big crashes, now has a couple of small shell dents but my head is completely unscathed. I now wear this for all rides unless it's a plod out.

Which leads to the down side of the 7855.. this is fantastic for nearly every situation, unless you have a really big/nasty/unlucky off. The armour isn't hugely thick or heavy weight, so there's only so much it will do. Last weeks was a very nasty off at speed. Chest/ribs first into two small tree stumps and rock to the shoulder. Followed by a bounce and flip backwards and upside down into a tree and some logs with a ricochet down trail and a slide. Unable to breath and thinking, ow, that hurt .. I passed out.

So broken finger (even ripped the finger off the foxes), bruised back ribs, broken front rib, all sorts to shoulder, bruised kidneys, lots of lacerations and other incidentals

Sadly there doesn't seem to be an all in one armour solution which gives near 100% upper body coverage and also gives extra protection to chest/back/shoulders. It's generally one or the other. Have just ordered the Leatt airfit hybrid as the best compromise I can find (it's main downside being the short upper chest armour). This is a mix of hard shell panels and reactive armour. I've generally shied away from reactive armour as most only have a 24/36 month life span (they're chemically unstable). My new theory is that I'll probably have wrecked it in 36 months anyway. The Knox stuff has a longer life span and maybe the Forcefield - but I can't actually find any info on the forcefield life span and they didn't mail me back. Chain reaction has some great deals at the moment the airfit hybrid and the airfit normal.

For really light upper body - but still with elbows, there's the fox baselayers which also have some basic shoulder protection and you could just wear this as a shirt if its hot.

Ideally, if you do buy upper body armour, you don't want a central zip as that will normally mean the chest armour is split and therefore ineffective (like the fox titan). One exception to this is the alpinestars bionic tech v2 jacket which has a chest piece which unclips and clips back on after you zip up. The downside to this item is the shoulder armour is unfathomably reduced from the bionic tech v2 chest armour (none jacket) and it also looses the flank protection of the same, or it would have been up there as "the one".

The best answer is don't fall off. I fall off less, much less, much much less ... but generally, when I do now, I'm going fast. Whilst I'm much better at crashing than I used to be, as we can see, you can still get caught out.

Good luck .. and don't fall off

 

[Mikerb]

Oh, I am needing to protect my prostate and perineum, so experimenting with saddles at the moment.

Don't laugh... it will happen to you all

Oh, I am needing to protect my prostate and perineum, so experimenting with saddles at the moment.

Don't laugh... it will happen to you all
[/QUOTE]
Been there..I use a Serfas HSS saddle

 

[Zimmerframe]

Oh to be competent enough to stay on the bike for the saddle to become an issue. You both sound like you're boasting to me ???

 

[Jackware]

It will depend on where you ride, how you ride, how incompetent you are (I rate 10/10). Ultimately though, an accident is what it is, something you weren't expecting - so it will probably happen some time.

So to begin with. I went with a helmet, can't remember which and no other protection. This resulted in a broken rib, then various other injuries and eventually a fractured pelvis and very bad concussion.

Next step was a Smiths Forefront 2 helmet. Most helmets are only designed to stop skull fractures. The tests are about 45 years old. Realistically most head injuries are concussion related, hence ideally you want something with MIPS and even better, something with a crumple zone to absorb some crash energy - like Koroyd (in the smith) or the bontrager wavecell.

Not wanting another fractured pelvis, but being unsure if I'd like wearing armour, I went with a Fox Titan copy (the old style) - the new one has a better shoulder design, but less overall armour and a short back.

Through it's time the Old Fox titan saved me from all sorts of nasty injuries and has held up well. It's scratched, dented and has missing plates, but it was still hanging in there. On the negatives, it's hot, bulky and restrictive. It's not really compression fit, so the elbow/arm/shoulder armour can tend to move around when you don't want it to - when crashing !

Next up was Sam Hill Knee pads after lots of nasty knee knocks. Knee pads should probably be top of your list after a helmet. These ones fit well and once they've warmed up, you don't know you have them on. I've lost track of how many times they've saved my knees now and they always stay in place. G-form pro x-2's also look pretty good.

Then after a trail side stitching session from a pedal moment - some football shin pads. These are probably unnecessary for 99% of the time, but when you do need them .. they're great.

Decided to try something lighter and less restrictive on the armour front. Went with the Troy Lee 7855 - I think alltricks have that on offer at the moment. This has really good coverage for nearly all of your upper body, is well vented, light weight and you don't really know you have it on - though it is obviously warmer than nothing. You also need to wear something underneath as they stupidly chose a fabric which chaffes your nipples - or you could tape up. I had a lot of effective accidents in this and it's pretty much been faultless .. until last week .

Gloves, Fox Defend D30. The D30 was already defunct on these and did nothing when new then turned to concrete after 2 months. To their credit, they have actually worn well.

Experiences lead to a light weight Full Face. Tried a few and then Smith released the Mainline. This is amazing. Fit, finish, quality is incomparable. It's also strong. Fortunately had it on when I went out with the OH a couple of weeks ago who was taking a young horse out for a familiarisation ride. Someone came the other way already going well over the limit (this is on a single lane road with good visibility) didn't slow as we waved them to slow and then actually accelerated hard past us - scared the crap out of the horse who jumped up and round and backwards, knocked me off and landed with his foot on my head. If I'd not been planning a proper ride afterwards I'd have had the forefront on and had my head stoved in. It's since had two other big crashes, now has a couple of small shell dents but my head is completely unscathed. I now wear this for all rides unless it's a plod out.

Which leads to the down side of the 7855.. this is fantastic for nearly every situation, unless you have a really big/nasty/unlucky off. The armour isn't hugely thick or heavy weight, so there's only so much it will do. Last weeks was a very nasty off at speed. Chest/ribs first into two small tree stumps and rock to the shoulder. Followed by a bounce and flip backwards and upside down into a tree and some logs with a ricochet down trail and a slide. Unable to breath and thinking, ow, that hurt .. I passed out.

So broken finger (even ripped the finger off the foxes), bruised back ribs, broken front rib, all sorts to shoulder, bruised kidneys, lots of lacerations and other incidentals

Sadly there doesn't seem to be an all in one armour solution which gives near 100% upper body coverage and also gives extra protection to chest/back/shoulders. It's generally one or the other. Have just ordered the Leatt airfit hybrid as the best compromise I can find (it's main downside being the short upper chest armour). This is a mix of hard shell panels and reactive armour. I've generally shied away from reactive armour as most only have a 24/36 month life span (they're chemically unstable). My new theory is that I'll probably have wrecked it in 36 months anyway. The Knox stuff has a longer life span and maybe the Forcefield - but I can't actually find any info on the forcefield life span and they didn't mail me back. Chain reaction has some great deals at the moment the airfit hybrid and the airfit normal.

For really light upper body - but still with elbows, there's the fox baselayers which also have some basic shoulder protection and you could just wear this as a shirt if its hot.

Ideally, if you do buy upper body armour, you don't want a central zip as that will normally mean the chest armour is split and therefore ineffective (like the fox titan). One exception to this is the alpinestars bionic tech v2 jacket which has a chest piece which unclips and clips back on after you zip up. The downside to this item is the shoulder armour is unfathomably reduced from the bionic tech v2 chest armour (none jacket) and it also looses the flank protection of the same, or it would have been up there as "the one".

The best answer is don't fall off. I fall off less, much less, much much less ... but generally, when I do now, I'm going fast. Whilst I'm much better at crashing than I used to be, as we can see, you can still get caught out.

Good luck .. and don't fall off

Good grief - I can see why you go with 'Zimmerframe' or have you had an accident with that as well?

 

[Andrie]

If it looks like I need body armour , I get off and walk. I don't need to prove anything to any 30 year old armour clad hero.

Not completely fool proof, as my fresh scars indicate?, but it works for me.

Most people 30 or under wouldn’t caught dead with an Armour!

In my experience those that wear armour are non ego people as they know they can fall and when they fall it hurts! At least that’s my experience. And I get plenty of people chuckling at me wearing full armour. I couldn’t give a toss.

 

[Mikerb]

I dont really understand that. Nobody would know I am eearing armour except for the knee pads.....or if they gave me a hug! All my armour is d30 type and worn under normal mtb shorts and jersey.

 

[Zimmerframe]

eearing armour

If I had earrings I'd probably use d30 earring armour too. Or even other piercings . The last thing you want is a stray branch ripping off your Prince Albert.

 

[davarello]

POC Tectal helmet, Giro Xen gloves, POC Air knee pads and maybe POC Ora goggles for bike park. Yes I get a good deal on POC stuff!

 

[MitchF]

It will depend on where you ride, how you ride, how incompetent you are (I rate 10/10). Ultimately though, an accident is what it is, something you weren't expecting - so it will probably happen some time.

So to begin with. I went with a helmet, can't remember which and no other protection. This resulted in a broken rib, then various other injuries and eventually a fractured pelvis and very bad concussion.

Next step was a Smiths Forefront 2 helmet. Most helmets are only designed to stop skull fractures. The tests are about 45 years old. Realistically most head injuries are concussion related, hence ideally you want something with MIPS and even better, something with a crumple zone to absorb some crash energy - like Koroyd (in the smith) or the bontrager wavecell.

Not wanting another fractured pelvis, but being unsure if I'd like wearing armour, I went with a Fox Titan copy (the old style) - the new one has a better shoulder design, but less overall armour and a short back.

Through it's time the Old Fox titan saved me from all sorts of nasty injuries and has held up well. It's scratched, dented and has missing plates, but it was still hanging in there. On the negatives, it's hot, bulky and restrictive. It's not really compression fit, so the elbow/arm/shoulder armour can tend to move around when you don't want it to - when crashing !

Next up was Sam Hill Knee pads after lots of nasty knee knocks. Knee pads should probably be top of your list after a helmet. These ones fit well and once they've warmed up, you don't know you have them on. I've lost track of how many times they've saved my knees now and they always stay in place. G-form pro x-2's also look pretty good.

Then after a trail side stitching session from a pedal moment - some football shin pads. These are probably unnecessary for 99% of the time, but when you do need them .. they're great.

Decided to try something lighter and less restrictive on the armour front. Went with the Troy Lee 7855 - I think alltricks have that on offer at the moment. This has really good coverage for nearly all of your upper body, is well vented, light weight and you don't really know you have it on - though it is obviously warmer than nothing. You also need to wear something underneath as they stupidly chose a fabric which chaffes your nipples - or you could tape up. I had a lot of effective accidents in this and it's pretty much been faultless .. until last week .

Gloves, Fox Defend D30. The D30 was already defunct on these and did nothing when new then turned to concrete after 2 months. To their credit, they have actually worn well.

Experiences lead to a light weight Full Face. Tried a few and then Smith released the Mainline. This is amazing. Fit, finish, quality is incomparable. It's also strong. Fortunately had it on when I went out with the OH a couple of weeks ago who was taking a young horse out for a familiarisation ride. Someone came the other way already going well over the limit (this is on a single lane road with good visibility) didn't slow as we waved them to slow and then actually accelerated hard past us - scared the crap out of the horse who jumped up and round and backwards, knocked me off and landed with his foot on my head. If I'd not been planning a proper ride afterwards I'd have had the forefront on and had my head stoved in. It's since had two other big crashes, now has a couple of small shell dents but my head is completely unscathed. I now wear this for all rides unless it's a plod out.

Which leads to the down side of the 7855.. this is fantastic for nearly every situation, unless you have a really big/nasty/unlucky off. The armour isn't hugely thick or heavy weight, so there's only so much it will do. Last weeks was a very nasty off at speed. Chest/ribs first into two small tree stumps and rock to the shoulder. Followed by a bounce and flip backwards and upside down into a tree and some logs with a ricochet down trail and a slide. Unable to breath and thinking, ow, that hurt .. I passed out.

So broken finger (even ripped the finger off the foxes), bruised back ribs, broken front rib, all sorts to shoulder, bruised kidneys, lots of lacerations and other incidentals

Sadly there doesn't seem to be an all in one armour solution which gives near 100% upper body coverage and also gives extra protection to chest/back/shoulders. It's generally one or the other. Have just ordered the Leatt airfit hybrid as the best compromise I can find (it's main downside being the short upper chest armour). This is a mix of hard shell panels and reactive armour. I've generally shied away from reactive armour as most only have a 24/36 month life span (they're chemically unstable). My new theory is that I'll probably have wrecked it in 36 months anyway. The Knox stuff has a longer life span and maybe the Forcefield - but I can't actually find any info on the forcefield life span and they didn't mail me back. Chain reaction has some great deals at the moment the airfit hybrid and the airfit normal.

For really light upper body - but still with elbows, there's the fox baselayers which also have some basic shoulder protection and you could just wear this as a shirt if its hot.

Ideally, if you do buy upper body armour, you don't want a central zip as that will normally mean the chest armour is split and therefore ineffective (like the fox titan). One exception to this is the alpinestars bionic tech v2 jacket which has a chest piece which unclips and clips back on after you zip up. The downside to this item is the shoulder armour is unfathomably reduced from the bionic tech v2 chest armour (none jacket) and it also looses the flank protection of the same, or it would have been up there as "the one".

The best answer is don't fall off. I fall off less, much less, much much less ... but generally, when I do now, I'm going fast. Whilst I'm much better at crashing than I used to be, as we can see, you can still get caught out.

Good luck .. and don't fall off

Jesus Zim, I’ve read shorter paper backs ??