TRF Forums :: View topic - Body Armour Poll

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.

Author:	vinnie [ Thu Aug 24, 2017 12:30 pm ]
Post subject:	Body Armour Poll
TBH, before a casual conversation at my local TRF meeting, I hadn't even heard of this stuff. Now I find quite a few people wear it for Green Laning/Trail riding. I guess all of us accept some risk just riding a motorcycle at all, I'm wondering if this stuff is to cover that last 0.1% of risk, or whether leaving it off is a 50/50 that you will smash yourself badly. I'm not against the cost so much as the (in)convenience of having this with me and wearing it every time on the trail. Cheers Nigel

Author:	smokinrider [ Thu Aug 24, 2017 1:11 pm ]
Post subject:	Body Armour Poll
Body armour is like a helmet but for your body! Mines the type with shoulder chest and elbow protection. I've another with an integral kidney belt. Look at it like this. If you have a tumble the chances are elbows and shoulders hitting the deck or a rock or ribs making contact with the handlebars. No protection on these areas = pain and injury or worse. Both mine were inexpensive hard plastic types and both have performed well over the last 20 years or so. No brainier really. Most people don't ride without a lid boots or a jacket or knee pads these days so why ride without some protection for your body. Of course back in the day a piss pot lid, Barbour jacket and welly boots were the norm but whilst still usable today, few still think this is sufficient. Back in the day bikes were slower and lower so most offs were just a wobble and fall. Taller bikes tend to go when the go and off speeds and types of offs are a lot different now. Fwiw I now also ride with 2 Troy Lee wrist braces after breaking a wrist in 3 places. They're comfortable and will prevent or leasen injuries from a FOOSH. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Author:	Husqvarney [ Thu Aug 24, 2017 2:21 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Body Armour Poll
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.

Author:	Paul13 [ Thu Aug 24, 2017 3:01 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Body Armour Poll
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.

Author:	davidscott [ Thu Aug 24, 2017 3:18 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Body Armour Poll
Body armour stays where it is and fits beautifully. Jacket armour always seems to move on impact, which, after the blood on my elbow dried, was when I went for armour. Same with knee protection - strap on ones stay in place, unlike the ones in trousers.

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Body Armour Poll https://www.trf.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=23950	Page 1 of 1

Author:	vinnie [ Fri Aug 25, 2017 10:51 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Body Armour Poll
Yeah, not sure what happened to the Poll! Must have missed a check box or something when I set it up...

Author:	davidscott [ Fri Aug 25, 2017 1:23 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Body Armour Poll
I seem to recall that previous polls haven't worked either.

Author:	andysp [ Sat Aug 26, 2017 8:02 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Body Armour Poll
Answers yes,.......I invested in some Leatt soft until contact made,body armour........after an encounter with the underside of the quad...... whilst still collected bruised ribs....nothing was broken. can't say for sure that the armour stopped any worse injury............but my guess is that it did. Also just brought some hard armour...and whilst I'm thinking it will work well in a fall situation, it makes me look like a gladiator

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