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Body Armor???


Camberpopper

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So, after my last run last year ending with a A.C joint separation and and my last run of my first day this year ending with a broken rib(toe side turn,lost edge and landed on fist), does anyone wear upper body armor? I'm beginning to think it may be a great idea. We travel at higher speeds and when we fall, it's always harder.

I see that snowboard/ski upper body armor(flak jacket) is made for our sport. I am wondering if I'm better off with my motorcross O'Neil HellRaiser flak jacket under my jacket.

Do I need to just man up? With no health insurance, I'm thinking that armor may be the way to go. I just don't want to be seen in it in the lodge! :freak3:

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I tend to find slower speeds on the bunny slope, expect to have more dings on your topsheet from being run over.

If you can get your hands on armor and you feel that you are prone to falling in a painful way, go for it. Don't worry about looking funny, you're riding a "skiboard" you already look weird.

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I have a 6one6 full upper and even with the removable chest pad it's way too fricken hot to wear for snowboarding. I keep it only for XC and Ice biking.

I just bought a waterproof Motorcycle touring jacket with vents and liners that includes breathable armor e.g. Spine, Shoulders, and Elbows. While it doesn't have a powder skirt, and it's fairly heavy, it's a very secure feel and plenty comfortable. Actually looks more like a snowboard jacket...

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/1/39/16579/ITEM/Firstgear-Kilimanjaro-Jacket.aspx?SiteID=CSE_Gbase_16579&WT.mc_ID=80003&zmam=88421133&zmas=1&zmac=45&zmap=16579

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  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...

I ride with a 661 body armor, the same one Travis Pastrana wears, and love it. I am hesitant to ride without it. I think your right in that we can go 2x faster than other snowboarders, performs carves that create lean in excess of skiers... all is risky. I don't find the armor too hot, you just need to open the jacket once and a while and "vent", no big deal. If you are one of those guys who rides one jacket more or less the entire season, you need to buy a variety of jackets of larger size to go over the body armor, adjusting the warmth. Treat it like a system.

And aside from that, you don't have health care and participate in a dangerous sport... so you either need to get health care, which doesn't need to be that expensive, or not complain about how hot / uncomfortable / goofy looking body armor can be. Your ass will look plenty goofy laid the F-out in a hospital or in crutches.

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as far as heat goes, i wear a single underarmour coldgear top, then the 661 kit, then whatever outer shell i choose for the day. i bought it after my wrist episode.

i got tossed on groomed ice one day while wearing it, and landed on my back. the softshell i was wearing got mildly shredded, the spine protector was just fine.

also, it makes me look even bigger. which is fun.

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  • 1 month later...

I'm interested in the Demon Flex Force Pro found here: http://www.xsportsprotective.com/demon-flex-force-pro-upper-body-armor-mens.html

It looks light weight, and provides a fair amount of protection. I'd rather have something relatively comfortable, and actually wear it, than to have something so bulky and restrictive that I end up hating it, and not wearing it. Just my .02

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  • 1 year later...
  • 1 month later...

After much reading and research, I ordered the Forcefield Pro Shirt. It is very light, while having CE approved EN1621-2 Level 2 protection. It provides full spine, chest, shoulder, elbow and forearm armor. I'll add my review of it after I've had some on the snow time to check it out.

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  • 3 years later...

That Forcefield pro looks pretty sweet. I started wearing armor 3years ago & couldnt imagine  riding with out now.

 

 I found  the Alpinestars bionic pro jacket 150$ its great bargain its saved my back & elbows many times . Have you ever been whacked on the elbow by the chair?ouch!

I will say  the spine padding needs to be extended. It stops short of the tailbone like my alpine stars. Im gona  extend mine with more pad to protect lower back for next season. 

G-form has some pretty sweet reactive pads that could be used to extend to the lower back.

 

I still broke a rib under pectoral muscle with the humerus bone this season. I need a freakn forcefield!

 

If I ever get another jacket itll probably be the Komperdell like Hans.

 

Ved-bad   wrist gaurds wont help protect your fingers.. I had a sprained  my wrist  "euro carving"so I started to  wear wrist gaurds, I had to stop wearing the wrist protection because they aggravated my fingers more than not wearing them.

 

I dont euro carve any more  &  I  touch the snow as little as possible with my hands while boardn . Wear padded leather mitten style gloves or make a fist if you prefer gloves.

Edited by nitro
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  • 1 month later...

http://forums.bomberonline.com/index.php?/topic/37883-alpine-snowboarders-hand-armour/

 

I broke a finger, requiring 3 screws to fix it, a couple of years ago. The cause of the injury was hyperextension against the edge of a wrist guard in an over the nose fall in a NASTAR course.

 

The hand armour thread above was my response to the injury. I no longer wear wrist guards.

 

The 3rd iteration of the wrist guard has just been tested and has much improved touch down characteristics, the more gradual curve of the leading edge resulting a no"catch" as the guard touches the snow. The earlier versions tended to catch and pull the arm/shoulder and make me a little off balance.

In a crash the round shape first absorbs the shock, then the HDPE slides, dissipating the impact forces gradually.

 

Yes, it's like Boone Lennon's Sliders, and slalom skiers gate punch guards.

 

The photos of the third iteration will be posted within the next hour or so in the Hand Armour thread.

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  • 7 months later...

Recently one of my friends received a lost ski ( It must be read here that It descended the slope alone... without skier!!) in the lower back. This brinks me back to the legitimacy of à back protector.

I already own one of the kind of sweater brand Demon. The problem is that it always goes up and it rests on the base of my neck when I turn my head to look behind me before beginning a turn. Do you have a few things to offer me?

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I have one of these: http://www.banggood.com/Racing-Motorcycle-Body-Back-Armor-Spine-Protective-Jacket-Gear-p-913392.html

It offers light protection, but basically disappears when riding.  The wide waist strap holds it down if I wrap it around the top of my outer shell pants.  I did have to add a small strap to keep the shoulder straps together on my chest, otherwise they fell off my shoulders constantly.  

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I tried armor for awhile but I found that I got WAY too hot while riding because of it. I generate a ton of heat while riding and after trying some different stuff, I just gave up. Too bad because it felt nice to be protected. On the flip side, I do enjoy the freedom of not having even more equipment on while riding. 

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  • 6 years later...

Alpinstars Bionic vest.  Goofy name, but good fit, good protection for my size, good airflow.  I top it with an oversized high flow motocross jersey.  Seemed to work at pretty warm temps. Low profile, in contrast to what I used to wear for enduro motorcycle riding, so I don’t feel like He Man. 

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  • 1 month later...

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