Body Armour, with or without shoulders ?

[Ernie00]

I'm starting to get better from being hit by a skiier (1 month ago) I'm considering soon to ride and will most likely be wearing a body armour. I know this will not solve every problem but it's one more protection.

I'm looking at different models.

http://www.xsportsprotective.com/demon-shield-protective-vest-2010.html

http://www.xsportsprotective.com/demon-flex-force-pro-high-body-armor-mens-2010.html

this one of my choice right now.. Not sure if I should go for something with shoulder pads.

any suggestions ?

[queequeg]

I used to use the vest, it was decent though you could definitely do better. I had some armor from POC before that (same overheating problem, only more so) - the POC armor is definitely a better defense. I gave up on armor though because it caused me to overheat.

[Ernie00]

I'm often cold and it's often -20 C here.. so that won't be a huge problem.

[lonbordin]

Any with offensive firepower?

I hope you get back on the hill soon!

[Chris Houghton]

I use the 661 full jacket, which includes shoulders and elbows as well as torso and back. Once its on I don't notice it, no overheat problems either. I sometimes wear it on my bike in the summer, and the chest gets warm because of the protection in that area, but in the winter no issue.

[John E]

I just started using the Demon vest. It adds some insulation and is really a spine protector. I think they do run small. I ordered a medium and it is snug. I'm 5' 10", ~150 lbs. Aside from the snug fit, I'm pretty unaware of its presence (not too bulky).

As with a helmet, I hope I never need this thing. However, I don't want to ever be in the position of saying "I wish I had been wearing my protective gear".

[pokkis]

I'm oon this one and like very much, not too hot but protects well

http://www.blue-tomato.com/en/Protectors/Dainese-Fullcoat/product.bto?product=300020427

[koldo]

I'm starting to get better from being hit by a skiier (1 month ago)

What injuries did you suffer from the impact?

[MUD]

Here is my take on shoulder pads, all pads really.

Look at the mechanism of injury.

I ride my dirt bike with a chest protector with shoulder guards. They work good when you bounce off a tree or something similar. HIT the tree however and they are useless, same goes for the ground.

If the mechanism of injury is big enough, pads are not going to do much.

Shoulder pads will protect you from gates smacking you so you don't get a bruise. But hit the ground, or a person and they aren't going to do much.

[Chubz]

Check here, kinda hard to beat the price.

http://www.pricepoint.com/thumb/1-Clothing-14-Protective-Gear-True.htm

Been using BA for about 5 years now, plus full face helmet. My suit has shoulder, collarbone, spine, chest, elbow and forearm protection with kidney type belt. Can't even feel I'm wearing it. Once in a while the collarbone cover catching bottom edge of full face helmet, but I can take those off.

As far as shoulder protection, I only see being put to use if you hit trees (which it helps me during the summer for downhill mtn biking racing and hitting trees). It stays cool enough in winter and summer, but also offers layer of warmth in the winter. I can also see shoulder put to use if you need to ( not that you want to) lower your shoulder to brace for any straightliner or ill turning impacts.

I have been plowed and buried by straightliners at least three times over the years and glad I had it.

I love the upper body suit with everything and feel susceptible without it.

[kjl]

I have the Dainese multisport jacket (w/ shoulder pads, forearm pads, etc.) and I like it:

http://ski-tuning.com/dns_multisport.html

Some of the motorcycle jackets I looked at had straps connecting the shoulder pad piece to the back and chest pieces, which severely restricted arm movement. See if you can try one on in a store first to make sure that your range of movement is not impeded and that you can fit your jacket over it.

[CarvingScooby]

I'm starting to get better from being hit by a skiier (1 month ago) I'm considering soon to ride and will most likely be wearing a body armour. I know this will not solve every problem but it's one more protection.

this one of my choice right now.. Not sure if I should go for something with shoulder pads. any suggestions ?

Definetly get one with shoulder protector, longer spine pads (till on top of your tail bone), and elbow protector. Adding only $20-30 dollars extra will be worth the money to save your season. Own experience with a crash (with a loose control jibbers) and avoiding a crash that ends up my elbow hit the ice.

Play hard, stay safe and happy snow

Roy

[SteveInOregon]

I use / wear a Cortech *brand textile ( 600 denier nylon ) motorcycle racing jacket with all the built in race approved armour, with removable cold weather liner, vents etc...

M/Cycle jackets are a lot better for hard and high speed hits and can be a lot cheeper than S-Board jackets.

Since I ride motorcycles a lot more than I ride a S-Board it was a no-brain'er.

I don't over heat much because of the venting system and I also wear a cool max* wicking T-shirt underneath.

I also wear a roller hockey type under-armour tights / body pants with built in shin-knee and hip pad's "and" I wear soccer knee pad's over that, all under my military large bib suspender overall's , You wouldn't even notice that I am all "puffed up" and built for a hockey game underneath my bib and jacket.

Plus , I waer Kevlar palm & knuckle lined Motorcycle gloves with S-Board mitts over them !! so I don't scrape the leather off from left handing the groom in a hard over goof side Toe-Side ;).

I will NEVER bomb without my body amour outfit,& helmet mostly because of other "out" of control riders, and less for taking a fall by myself.

I think M/Cycle gear is cheaper due to the broader mass market & competition over ski & SB race gear.

[trikerdad]

I've tried several, including 661. I look for good shoulder protection, a chest protector that protects all of the chest and a spine pad. The one I'm using now, and the best I've tried, is the Acerbis Naked Roost Deflector. It's one of the most reasonably priced too.

[Ernie00]

good deal but only S and XXL

[trikerdad]

Ernie, if you were tallking to me, try the Motorcycle Superstore. Large/Extra Large for $134.95. http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/6/10/20373/ITEM/Acerbis-Koerta-Naked-Roost-Deflector.aspx

[Sultan Guy]

This looks like it might do the trick...

[SteveInOregon]

I did a pretty good "a** pass" when in transition from one late afternoon chunky groomer to another at about 40'ish today.

I took an A-Dump on the ice field between run's , my "buttumous bonous" went WACK against the ice :freak3:when I tired to carve heal side to turn into the next groom, I all of a sudden knew I was vulnerable right in the back side so now I am gonna shop for a tail bone insert, one that is comfortable enough to walk around, sit and chill beer in hand and has enough protection to fend of a hooligan body check or dump at speed .

The moral of the story is "CYA"

[kjl]

I am gonna shop for a tail bone insert, one that is comfortable enough to walk around, sit and chill beer in hand and has enough protection to fend of a hooligan body check or dump at speed .

I have the Dainese impact shorts - they fit under ski pants, though they kind of make you look like you have diaper butt.

http://www.dainese.ru/photos/2443.jpg

They have femur protectors on the sides, as well as small pads that sit over your hip bones, which I think are more at risk as hardbooters due to our forward stance.

[Pokolikrat]

Same top and bottom like Ken is using. Expensive, not ideal, but the best fit for me compare to the other stuff

[SteveInOregon]

Same top and bottom like Ken is using. Expensive, not ideal, but the best fit for me compare to the other stuff

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Naaaa, I just cant get over the Mac Daddy Puff Booty Diaper Buddy thing but my A** is on the line.

Here is what I am going to buy because I have a quiver of motorcycles and these have asphalt race tested & approved armour

http://www.actionstation.com/catalog/proddetail.php?prod=BGLA

[TheTruth]

Do you guys actually wear this stuff to snowboard on groomed trails? Christ, NFL linebackers don't even wear that much padding. In my younger days I raced Downhills at 90 mph in nothing but an unpadded speed suit. I don't mean to offend, but isn't this a tad bit excessive?

[Skully]

Not sure if I should go for something with shoulder pads.

any suggestions ?

I actually own and use both of the pieces you linked to.

I tend to wear the full "shirt" when free-riding / tree riding as it should offer a little more "full-body" protection.

I wear the vest more when I'm riding the carving sticks on groomers, as I figure the most danger there comes from being hit from behind.

Neither peices is too bulky, and I don't really notice them while riding. The only complaint I have about either piece is the extra warmth (which you've mentioned shouldn't be a problem for you.) The "chest protection" on the vest is actually all one piece of foam. To help with the heat, I actually cut a bunch of holes in the foam, in between the thicker parts to allow for some airflow, which has helped a lot...

I actually got nailed from behind by a straight-lining gaper yesterday while wearing the vest. (I was the ONLY FREAKING PERSON on the run, and the idiot still managed to hit me, but I digress...) As with most collisions, I'm not sure exactly where most of the impact happened, or if the armour helped, but I'm still in one piece, and am glad I was wearing it....

[Ernie00]

I tried to order the vest from a place, they took my order but got an e-mail a few hours later to say that it wasn't available... I found other places that have it but being canadian is such a pain to get stuff shipped. If it's not USPS you really pay a lot of fees.

So the search is back on.

[SteveInOregon]

Do you guys actually wear this stuff to snowboard on groomed trails? Christ, NFL linebackers don't even wear that much padding. In my younger days I raced Downhills at 90 mph in nothing but an unpadded speed suit. I don't mean to offend, but isn't this a tad bit excessive?

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My Reply: You can also ride a Hayabusa at 200mph with no helmet just a body suit & sun glasses, lol.

It's all about Value my friend , how much do you value your life, health and future vs ego satisfaction.

Example of poor value vs satisfaction , bad risk vs reward:

I rode my old RD 400 2 stroke street racer at top speed doing wheelies in every gear until I hit a slick spot in the road and found myself clutching my femur sticking "out" of my leg trying to stop the bright red blood "shooting" out of the hole were the bone was sticking out, as the paramedic said almost the same thing you just said after they got me into mast / splint .

That was only 1 of the multiplicity of injuries I brought on myself on that particular bad value judgment day.

What I remember the most was the 2nd thing he said "why don't you save your bravery for something like war" !!!!

Now that I have been injured seriously so many times (I'm in pain all the time ) I wear a helmet and some form of armour and / or helmet on all my rides, motorcycle, roller blades, kayak, or snowboard etc.....