I have always been worried about the Leatt's back piece. Was more keen on the A-Stars, got really excited by the Ortema and after seeing it, I am really pumped about the fact that some brands are moving forward from having a piece of hard stuff deflect the impact further down the spine and rather go for safer areas like the scapula/shoulders area.
The FFM (French Moto Federation) handed over the investigation to independent biometric labs. It last 1 year and a half, used soft protection (the old doughnuts), semi-rigid/soft (like the EVS) and hard shells like the Leatt.
Results shows that of the 3 type the only 1 that has some kind of positive effect, in some very rare cases, is the hard shell (Leatt, Astars, Ortema, etc). It shows that the positive effect is so small that the FFM has decided not to impose it in racing (after such investigations/survey they imposed helmets, boots, back-protection).
The survey showed that in cases where it was possible that the neck-brace deflected impact from C1-C2 to C3-C4. It showed too that the risk of injury to C3-C4 is still very important even with a rigid neck-brace (Leatt).
Their conclusion is that it is not the miracle product it was fashioned in 2007, that it could in a very small percentage of potential injury help in a very limited way but not to justify the investment for riders. They say important improvement are still needed, and that the perfect product will be a combo of helmet/neck-brace/body-armor.
The most important neck injury comes from compression, rather than hyperflexion, and none of the existing product remedy to that. It showed A-stars is still working on theirs, going more in that direction. Showing other serious investigation like this one are on the way in more European countries and that most come to the same conclusions.
I would be surprised any American magazine would ever investigate that way and publish that kind of results, advertising dollar is too strong here where publication sales pay less than ad sales.
What do I think? I'm in between, I'm old and heavy and I know I can get hurt easily (because I crash easily), I want to wear something for my neck but I am worried for my back. Right now, I'd be keen on something like the Ortema. Even if now Leatt and A-Stars says that the back piece is supposed to break under a certain load.