Probably been asked before but how many people wear back protectors? How comfortable are they? Do they make that much difference when you come off? What are the best ones etc.? I’m thinking of getting one but it needs to be not too bulky so it can fit under my leathers.
Cheers All:)
I’ve got one and they are good. You wouldn’t notice it as it fits snug. I’m not sure what the difference is when you come off though. I’d suggest you try it on with all your leathers whilst on your bike as it’d make a difference when you’re in your seated position.I’m selling one if you’re interested. I bought the wrong size, pm if you want to know more.
I have a kevlar/carbon fibre one which I wear under my leathers every time I ride. My brother-in-law walked away from a crash, he was hit by a car and ended up with his back on a kerb. He’s sure the protector he was wearing saved his spine.
You don’t notice you are wearing it, except in hot weather. It’s not breathable so you get a rather damp back!
Cheers,
Duncan
definately feel better when i’m wearing mine…just feel like you’re doing all you can to be safe i guess…
have had my leathers some time though and it’s a bit of a squeeze getting it underneath…i just need to do some exercise after leaving the army with a broken back a couple of years ago, or buy some new leathers and accept that i’m becoming a fat knacker!
just take your leathers with you when you go to try them on…
I couldn’t decide is the softones were best or the hard ones. They protect you in different ways
… so I wear a hard Dainese one (… and have a Knox one inside my leathers. I’ve heard too many stories about how they’ve probably saved people (as above) or from people who have said “perhaps a back protector would have saved my spine”.
Many people seem to disagree but neither are noticable when riding so why not?
p.s. The Dainese one is really well ventilated :
Must bit of kit, would not ride without one. Had a dainese one which was a great bit of kit, Light weight and never knew I had it on.
Got the new range of Knox now, Larger bit of kit and I think not so comfortable as the dainese but I have got use to it. It also has kidney protection.
I wear the Forcefield full back protector. Its fantastic and moulds to your back when it gets warm. I don’t feel safe riding without one!
I’ve had two - my first was a bulky alpine stars one which made me feel like a mutant ninja turtle - very good protection but the bulk discouraged me ftrom wearing it - I got a knox to replace it - much more slimline - hardly know your wearing it.
I would recommend wearing one.
I’ve got a Davies Ordell Forcefield. I bought it for about 80 pounds from Infinity. It’s has a Ride magazine Best Buy award.
It’s the most comfortable piece of kit I own. Once it’s up to temperature it takes the shape of your back and you hardly feel it at all. In terms of protection it’s CE level II certified. Thankfully I’ve not tested it yet.
If you think about your spine and what it does, holds your head upright and contains the chord that works half of your body then a back protector is a no brainer.
my mate gave me his old one after he trashed his old jacket. it’s kevlar and it’s not the same riding without it, I definitely feel more exposed.
+1 on the Dainese.
It is a little bulky and the most annoying thing is that the very top sometimes catches my jacket which then makes it next to impossible to get out of my leathers.
Make sure that if that happens wear it lower!
Always use mine on a track day or fast ride out, don’t use day to day as it does get a bit hot/sweaty and my textile jacket has an inbuilt one.
+1 for the Forcefield. You don’t even know you’re wearing it. It’s that comfortable. Very slimline too. In summer, you’ll be hot under leathers and sweating up a storm with or without a back protector, so don’t let that affect your decision to wear one.
