Husqvarney wrote:
I've ridden trials for 38 years without body armour and have fallen off a few times and occasionally hurt myself especially when I used to do the harder sections. Practically no one (apart from kids) wears any substantial body armour in trials as it restricts movement. The speeds are slow but you can still fall on rocks and hard ground, even at walking pace that can hurt. A lot of the more technical green lane trails are not dissimilar to trials sections and as soon as you introduce a bit of speed even slowish speed the resultant potential injury can be a lot worse.
Anyway I've been riding the trails with the TRF for about 10 months now and have only just invested in body armour. I do have a winter jacket with armour built in but it is too hot for the summer months. So I bought some soft armour that is built into a close fitting stretchy shirt. The armour stiffens up on impact. It was £50 on ebay (reduced from £100) and seems well made. I wear a close fitting wicking base layer underneath.
The first time I rode with it on I was leading a group and one chap fell off halfway round the route on an innocuous trail in a field, he lost the front end at about 15-20mph and fell off onto his shoulder and forearm. The ground was hard and his (Leatt) body armour didn't stop him getting a broken shoulder blade. It possibly/probably stopped other injuries though. He was also wearing a neck brace, the only person I've noticed wearing one on the trails so far. He was recovered by air ambulance and his story is covered on the TRF home page dated 8th Aug 'crash landing'.
On my third ride wearing my body armour last Sunday I fell off and hit a rock slab hard near Barmouth in aptly named Happy Valley! I was slightly accelerating to get over the slab and think I lost rear grip and was spat off the side. I now have some nice bruises. I think the body armour protected me from worse injury and as I'm getting older I take longer to recover and don't bounce so well! The worst bruise/strain is I think from my ruck sack strap as the bruise has a nice straight line to it on one side.
I have to say once it is on I forget I've got it on and overall I believe was £50 well spent. I will be looking to get some knee protection next. Again I have some built in to my winter trousers but not the ones I wear in the summer months. I know the brace type are best but they look quite bulky and restrictive so will be shopping and asking around.
What price your health? ...and remember however good you are you will fall off.
Hi Kelvin,
Good to read that you know the Barmouth route, I will be in contact.
Ben is recovering well, however he also broke his right wrist at the same time
I always wear body armour, still hurt myself in a fall, but I am sure not as much as it would have been without the armour.