It's been ~5 years since the last body armor thread, and 661 was still being mentioned (RiP). I'm fairly interested in the new Ion Arcon HD Pro but will never be able to try one on and don't really have a frame of reference for them. Few posts I have seen about it they just said it's generically 'good'.
I tried a jacket style and it was awful. The chest and back were at least okay so I can run it as a chest and back (only level 1) but then its a jacket with the shoulders and elbows (that were like hard rubber and didnt flex over time) and is fairly uncomfortable and hot still, all while not being level 2 rated regardless.
I saw the Alpinestars has an epic level 2 on all four pieces jacket but naturally it looks BULKY and hot. Being in SoCal that's a tough call. I'd like to wear it at more than just the bike park if possible. I have some short tracks with jumps nearby that def warrant body armor, but are still a bit of a climb.
So hit me with your favorites. Also taking recommendations for knee pads. I tried on IXS Carves today and quite liked them, but they weren't in my size (too big) and they didn't have my size. But overall the concept felt great. Basically a normal park level pad but also with a small hard cap to reduce friction so it doesn't grab and pull down during a crash. Let me know if you run anything like that. I'd love to grab the Leatt hybrid pads.
In terms of chest pros, the cheapest one I'm looking at is like the Astars Bionic (level 1) and maybe the TLD Rockfighter but thats actually just a stone shield rated roost guard with a level 1 back, sadly. Other than that, Ion Arcon and IXS Hex (and Astars Plasma) for vest styles and then like Leatt or Fox for full jacket body armors. Any y'all got any of those? Thanks.
POC chest and back protector is my favorite, mainly since it goes all the way down your back and doesn't stop halfway up your spine like some other brands. It's also quite comfy.
Was lucky enough to feel that system as my friend had it, and really liked it. Of course its 300 buckaroos and only level 1 front and back. But I still think it's a rad option for customers like me chasing thermals.
In those regards, that's what is really leading me to that Ion Arcon. Looks like a cheaper (and level 2 rated) version of the POC system.
I'm just hesitant to commit to it cuz I did want a jacket for the shoulders as well as being a format that keeps elbows in place really well, but it's starting to sound like that's more hassle than it's worth. Maybe just skip shoulders and do a chest pro with elbows.
Aren't many shoulder injuries internal anyway? Like I'm sure it helps but you can totally still do your AC regardless of having a pad on your shoulder?
I have and wear a TLD Rockfight CE Flex pretty regularly, it hides decently under a jersey and strikes a reasonable balance of breathability/protection. As for knee pads, the Akta Trail's are easily the best I have owned. The only complaint I could muster is they can be a bit warm but the protection is good and the comfort is great.
For knee pads I have gone through (in a good way) several pairs of 7idp Sam Hills including some pretty hellacious wrecks (knee to rock at 20 mph etc).
I have broken ribs 2x and last fall I broke and dislocated my humerus.
As a result of the rib issues I have used three chest and rib protectors in that time.
Leatt 4.5 and 5.5 HD as well as an AlpineStars A10 with those last two as a response to healing up from the upper arm break.
The Leatt pads go slightly further down my torso (than the A10) but they are warmer and bulkier than the A10. The A10 is actually pretty good when it comes to not getting overheated, and are not as bulky as the Leatt to the point where if I'm wearing chest/rib/upper arm I'm wearing the A10 more often than the Leatt.
This is in Arizona so like So Cal it gets warm and plenty of rocks, old trees, and pokey things that are on the side of trails.
I have wrecked in the Leatt 4.5 and it did its job as far as protecting my lower ribs. The shoulder protection on the 5.5 and A10 is more to protect against a direct hit against my surgically repaired arm bone hardware than preventing dislocation or something like that.
Over hundreds, maybe a couple of thousand rides since 2007 a couple of injuries isn't too bad and part of it with pads like the A10 or Leatt is extra insurance - like a hedge bet while knowing that no protection is a 100 percent guarantee.
It definitely isn't something I wear to be irresponsible but like a full face helmet you wear it because the terrain and speeds might end up asking questions of you that better protective gear can help you answer or at least answer better than not wearing it at all.
Ya for the most part it seems like there is a fairly direct line between protection and comfort, as inverse functions. Part of me is okay with at the lowest end just getting that level 1 front and back Astars for 120, but if it's about the same comfort level as a level 2 front and rear Plasma or Arcon, both twice as much, I feel like that's a solid trade off in a way.
I just know I have a 100% Tarka jacket collecting dust in my closet despite going to bike parks and jump trails regularly and it makes me feel like a moron. But ALL I think about when riding with it is how uncomfortable I feel. And just about every other option I've looked at/felt has seemed better.
Knee pads I'm still stuck on those hard shell hybrids, or falling back on Raphas but I'd def be open to Aktas as well as they look great and review just about as well as Raphas.
I have the ion arcon chest protector. It is amazing! I've had poc and a Scott hybrid Softcon, the ion is easily my favorite. Great fit, nicely vented and has a good buckle system.
Nice. I'm just gonna have to commit to that eventually. Don't think it will get much better for the price. Astars Plasma does look pretty badass but maybe a bit warm.
In general I try to trust Nico Vink and all the other free riders that wear what he wears in terms of protection. (But then again you have Remy riding Loosefest in just a full face so kinda hard to trust all of em lol)
RXR has been my favorite!
Subscribing to this thread. I've got a Fox Baseframe Pro vest for the few park days I ride per year that is fairly comfortable... but the top of the zipper rubs my collarbone over the course of the day, and the thing is a PITA to clean. One of the cut-outs where the compression strap exits the front panel is delaminating already after just a handful of uses & washes in delicates bag / delicate cycle. I am now thinking of getting an over-jersey style like that Ion which can just be hosed off at the end of the day, and can wear any old jersey underneath without having to size up to fit.
Yeah I'd love to hear what experiences people are having with jackets cuz they have such an inherent hassle design-wise. Like not even touching on how DIFFERENT everyone's body is and how they have to try to design a 4 piece padded jacket that fits everyone. That is more comfortable than motorcycle gear because we are on bicycles potentially even pedaling in them.
I know the Leatt I felt was night and day better than my Tarka but it's also like twice as much for what its worth. Heard generally good things about Baseframe aside from the fact that it's not quite the same design when its vest vs SS vs full jacket. Not sure why. Fully has zip and the SS is just a shirt apparently, etc.
I thought that Race Face Ruxton thing was kinda cool but in reviews I heard its also fragile and just falls APART on top of the fact that the chest piece is laughable, barely even covers the man tits.
Really wish I could test em all and find out who made the most comfortable one. I know the new Dharco one looked quite good, but being same price as Leatt I'll never know which is more comfortable.
https://www.vitalmtb.com/forums/hub/upper-body-protection-enduroall-mou…
Thanks for the link. Didn't try 'body'. Thought I covered it with armor and chest.
Looks like more confirmation 100% is garbage, jackets are hit or miss, and chestys like the POC are a stand out favorite. Which considering Arcon is like the successor... I guess that's the move.
I do wonder how people run it when they un-buckle it (or take it off) for climbs though. Just let it hang loose while still being on the back or something extra funky like... On the bars/frame/etc.
If the climb is long enough and mellow. Knee pads at ankles. Chest protector and helmet on either side of handlebars.
Interesting, I'll have to try that. I'm familiar with the FF method, which can already be a bit janky when turning. But can't imagine the chesty in terms of getting so close to the tire. Also this Arcon seems sold out as fuck. Gonna need to find a place that even has it.
Akta knee pads also easily the best I have owned. Did about 5 rides and then bought a second pair as a back-up just as all the tariff craziness was starting up. The only downside is that if you ride flats, the mesh on the back is pretty delicate and it's easy to tear it with a pedal pin if you're doing some serious hike-a-bike. But the mesh also keeps them cool. On the first pair I've used the most, I've sewed up the mesh in a couple of spots and it's been just fine. Highly, highly recommended.
I also use the POC chest/back. The long back protector is nice, but if you're using it for anything but pure park, the length of the back protector makes wearing a small hip pack pretty awkward. On the chest protector, I really like how soft the edges are. It doesn't dig into your ribs if you're really breathing hard and expanding your diaphragm. Some of the other ones I tried on felt like they might.
I have the new ION chest protector and it’s good. I haven’t crashed in it yet (knock on wood) but it breathes well and moves well on my body when riding.
For knees I’m usually running Fox Launch Pro or the Leatt 3df 6.0 knee pads. Both have a harder material over an impact hardening foam. I’d probably give a slight edge to the Fox but both are good. I like that the Fox still have a calf strap. From my experience the ones that are purely elastic tend to get blown out and loose after a little while.
Ya as much as I'm emotionally scarred from the strapped pads we wore for skate/BMX in the 90s... I am trying to accept that straps are still the way to go if possible. Particularly when paired with a sleeve so there's no strap element touching the skin. Kinda best of both worlds scenario.
Ya when I felt my friends POC system I really did like it, but 300 msrp for level 1 front and rear felt... Iffy considering the new Ion is 230 for level 2. But damn if that thing aint sold out everywhere in the US. Really not trying to order from the EU and make it ~300 shipped.
IMO thigh straps are kinda useless but calf straps really help to hold the pads up. The leatt doesn’t have a calf strap but it does have an extra layer of material where a strap would go that helps hold them up.
For chest protectors, the IXS Hex might be worth a look. It’s not flexible like the POC or ION though. It’s currently discounted to $116 on Evo, and I think they offer free returns.
Yep, I got that baby bookmarked. I wouldn't say it's my... Top contender going off looks alone but it looks like it has great coverage and being level 2/1 combo for under 120 is def making it the best value available at the moment.
As far as knee pads for SoCal conditions, I’ve been using the tld stage knee pads and I’ve been super happy with them. I haven’t been unfortunate enough to try them out in any major slams but holy crap those things breathe well. They’re probably not the most protective out there and occasionally on especially hot and sweaty days they’ll slide down a bit but I’d probably buy them again once I wear this pair out.
Had the Baseframe from FOX, lost it in a very stupid accident, but its was decent, not much in the way of chest protection for how much it cost. Now running the Leatt Reaflex. Leatt Body Tee ReaFlex Stealth | Jenson USA Happy to have the shoulder pads and longer back panel. I like that I can remove the pads really easily and wash the mesh to get rid of the bike part stank. Its less bulky than a chest protector and has better airflow than what I remember from when I used to run a TLD one years ago.
I've got the Leatt Reaflex chest/back protector (not the tee) and I like it for sure. I have no complaints about comfort; my back gets pretty sweaty on hot days but I feel like that's to be expected. I haven't had any big falls yet to test it out (knock on wood). The back protector seems totally adequate. My only real complaint is that the chest protector is pretty small. If you're just concerned about impacts, I'm sure it would do fine. If you're worried about getting jabbed by sticks/handlebars, there's a pretty decent bit that's not covered by the chest protector. Other than that though, it's been great for me. Oh, and it's crazy easy to put on/take off.
As far as kneepads, I gotta throw in another vote for the Sam Hills. I've had mine for two years now. They're still as good as new, and who knows how many times I've slid on my knees. They're super comfortable, I wore them for a 10k vert day last summer and they did great. And they have fantastic protection.
I’m on my second pair of Ion K-Pact knee pads over the last 5 years, maybe?. Super comfortable. They don’t cause me to cramp up. Never slip down. Only gripe is that if you wear them in below freezing temps, the pad inside breaks in half. That said, I crashed in them the other day, and for the first time had a direct impact to my knee and they did their job. Even with the split pad inside. They also don’t scratch up my top tube like the Fox Launch Pro. I also own those pads but prefer the K-Pact because of the comfort.
I have been getting back into dirt bikes and have been really enjoying the alpinestars A-5 plasma chest protector, super comfortable once your body temp heats up it feels like it forms to you and is level 2 protection. I have also been wearing the alpinestars bionic pro plasma knee pads and like them more than my other fox pads for anything bike park or dirt jumps. I wouldnt recommend pedaling in them but so far I have been super impressed with the alpinestars protection. Also the chest protector is level 2 protection for around $225 and the knee pads are level 2 protection for around $145
Having hit the ground in everything from the original Answer full upper body kit w/ JT Racing knee sleeves to Dainese full body w/ bibs to nothing except knee pads for most of the last decade, I can confidently say that you ONLY land on the part of your body that's uncovered.
Rode the lift at Beech this weekend. TLD RockFight & TLD Raid knee pads on, I fell zero times & took a DIRECT, bloody hit to the shin on my last run directly below the 4 BandAids I wear on that shin that virtually no skin on it.
Give up the fight to pillow yourself. Be light on the bike. Get off the back & don't go out the front. Wear whichever kind of knee pads are comfortable.
Know that if you fall on your elbow with elbow pads on, you'll land on the uncovered part & cheese grate it...or the pad will rip your skin off if you do hit the shielded bit.
Broke ribs wearing a full upper body suit.
Blew an ACL wearing full armour.
Ripped a rotator cuff off wearing a chest protector.
Cut my upper lip wearing a full face
Snapped my thumb wearing a wrist brace.
For trail, I like the Leatt ReaFlex Pro knee pads. Tons of vents. Stay up. Disappear while riding. Far less issue than any others in the heat. Tough as crap.
Pads are for external injuries. And if you're lucky some impact resistance. I can't imagine any possibility of designing a product that eliminates internal injury. Even braces can only do so much. Particularly in so far as the better they 'brace' the more they affect your ability to ride.
I'm not expecting a chest pro to keep me from breaking my back/neck... My body will go ahead and do that to itself under compression.
But I'd love to, while I'm breaking my back/neck, not also take a handlebar to the chest or a pointy rock to the back, etc.
Just like a helmet does not actually eliminate a concussion. At best it can reduce it slightly, particularly with mips... But if I'm gonna go down and have a concussion, I'd like to not also have a black eye and stitches in my chin etc lol
So came across these on sale, and decided to just nab em while they were ~50, since thats pretty damn good. Will be interesting to see what they're actually like on trail, particularly with the hard panels, but so far I am kinda jaw-dropped at the fit and feel. I don't even know how to describe it. They feel about as slim as my Gforms, with slightly more comfortable sleeve material, and of course a more protective overall build with the large panel of 'd30' esque material and then the hard shells that hopefully reduce friction be it the ground or even just a pedal slip trying to rip my pads off the knee cap.
Still not sure what to do about the chest pro because I had lined up buying a used TLD CE rockfighter locally but it fell through, of course. Would have been a great budget way to try a more basic level 1 type roost first.
The IXS Hex I was eyeing went off sale so now its just an ok value. The looks still make my head tilt, just a bit. And I'm not sure if that Arcon will ever be back in stock somewhere. Would love some inside information lol. Astars Plasma still looks good but kinda warm for a vest style. At least by comparison to the Arcon at same MSRP.
Being impressed with these pads, part of me wants to stick with Leatt but their options are very... Hit or miss? Pretty basic roost guards that just get bulkier as they get rated higher, naturally. And then jackets that get more comfortable looking the more you pay, but literally reduce in impact rating the more comfortable they get.
Not really seeing anything else quite like the Arcon or Hex. Aside from the pricey POC System my buddy has that looks quite good, but for 300 only level 1 rated seems meh. Stretching my budget to get a kinda worse option. Dunno. I'd just go with Hex in that case, I suppose. Hmmm
Also have the Ion Arcon and it's been great so far in terms of comfort, breathability...
Regarding Arcon stock, I can't recall where it was (I think Jenson?) but it was supposed to be restocked sometime in August. No idea how accurate that is.
Not sure how helpful it is but Bike Discount have the Arcon in stock.. https://www.bike-discount.de/en/ion-arcon-hd-pro-protector-vest
Post a reply to: Alright, body armor. What is the best chest protector? (Also taking knee pad recommendations.)