Poll: Chest protection

[Kembo693]

Hi all. This obviously has nothing to do with two strokes, and this have been asked on every imaginable dirt bike forum for at least 1000 times... But still it seems like many people are wondering this.

So whats your personal opinion/choice on chest protection? Nowadays, I pretty much do wear chest protection all the time, but sometimes I just feel better riding without it or using just a roost protection. If its hot, I'm riding without it, but if I'm riding in the woods or regular MX in normal conditions, I'm most likely wearing my chest protector.

And other thing which I've noticed is, that when riders become PRO (especially in USA) they stop wearing chest protection. OR, many riders will run one in Nationals, but when SX comes up, they say bye bye to chest protection. I consider PRO racing more dangerous than amateur racing, and I also think that SX has bit more risk in it than Nationals so that seems kinda weird...

Anyway I would like to hear your opinions about using/not using chest protection, and what kind of protection are you guys wearing. Peace!

[VintageBlueSmoke]

I won't ride without one. I used to never wear one (tuff manly man- grrr) but back in 1990, I was in a Hare Scramble in Hawaii, and my wife harassed me into wearing the cheap O'Neal one I bought for her "just for this one race". Well on the 4th lap, I crested this ridge top I had been over a 100 times before and while free falling the 20 or so feet down the cliff face, I was speared in the chest by a tree branch - maybe 4 inches in diameter and pointy at the end. It was one of those moments in slow motion, then your life passes in front of you. As I was picking myself up off the ground, coughing and wheezing, I realized the tree had not penetrated the chest protector. My ribs were broken and the plastic on the chest protector was cracked and broken, but I was alive - and though I lost a position or 2, I finished the race and trophied.

Now, I have a couple of them (backups). They are the cheap Ocelot brand. One thing I learned with chest protectors is that if you wear your jersey over the outside, it is a LOT hotter. You dissipate heat slower that way. Unless I'm at a regional (they require your name and number on the back), I'm sure to wear it OVER my jersey, though I've raced a lot with only the chest protector (no jersey) as well.

[motoman356]

i used to run one all the time for roost and a body skid plate unfortunately i dont have one at the moment so i havent been wearing one on the rare chance i do ride. but im def for them

[Kembo693]

I won't ride without one. I used to never wear one (tuff manly man- grrr) but back in 1990, I was in a Hare Scramble in Hawaii, and my wife harassed me into wearing the cheap O'Neal one I bought for her "just for this one race". Well on the 4th lap, I crested this ridge top I had been over a 100 times before and while free falling the 20 or so feet down the cliff face, I was speared in the chest by a tree branch - maybe 4 inches in diameter and pointy at the end. It was one of those moments in slow motion, then your life passes in front of you. As I was picking myself up off the ground, coughing and wheezing, I realized the tree had not penetrated the chest protector. My ribs were broken and the plastic on the chest protector was cracked and broken, but I was alive - and though I lost a position or 2, I finished the race and trophied.

Now, I have a couple of them (backups). They are the cheap Ocelot brand. One thing I learned with chest protectors is that if you wear your jersey over the outside, it is a LOT hotter. You dissipate heat slower that way. Unless I'm at a regional (they require your name and number on the back), I'm sure to wear it OVER my jersey, though I've raced a lot with only the chest protector (no jersey) as well.

Damn. It's sad but true, but humans are so stupid that they have to have an experience like that to learn! I was racing at our club race today with only roost protection on, and I felt so uncomfortable during the moto. I had to swap lines like crazy just to avoid the flying rocks and was just kinda afraid all the time... Think I'm gonna stick with the real chestie from now on, your story motivated me to do that...

[Coop]

All the time. Either an EVS jacket style with chest, back, elbow, etc all combined or a Shift brand plastic regular chest protector depending on how hot it is outside.

[TMKIWI]

Always.
When I broke my wrist in March , I was ejected over the bars while doing probably 50mph.
I tried to postion myself in the air to land flat on the ground, ( Picture Planking   ) to spread the load.
I landed flat on my chest with arms out the front, (just not enough obviously hense torn wrist ligaments.)
According to people behind me, I bounced a few times.
When I finshed bouncing I coudnt get up as I was seriously winded.
I have no doubt at all that if I was not wearing chest protection I would have had broken ribs and/or shoulder.
Apart from the wrist and a sore shoulder I walked away.
My elbow,Chest,Knee and boot protection did its job.

PS. It is funny how things slow down in the mind while waiting for the impact.

I wear the EVS Revolution 5 which is not as bulky as some full protectors.

[ktm150rippa]

about 6 months ago there was a man in church that was telling a story about his son and it just so happened that his son rode. It was completely random that this guy started talkin to me not knowing that I ride, but anyways his son was an up and coming B class rider real fast sponsored by suzuki the whole 9 yards. Basically the kid railed and knew what he was doing on a bike. Well one day he was racing down here at this track Nocona mx went over the finishline table (its about 80ft) and from what it sounded like to me kinda like what happened to Reed at spring creek he got swapped out going up the face and bailed off the bike but unlike chad he kinda stayed with the bike in the air just behind it. The front tire hit first kind of making the bike stand up. He was riding a 2006 rmz 250 this happend in like 07 anyways as we all know the 4 strokes then had those long silencers. He landed right on the bike and that silencer popped him right in the chest and tore a valve in his heart he died about 30 seconds later. His dad told me that the doctors said if his chest protector would've been on he would've lived. Ppl argue about that stuff all the time I think it's cause they dont get the fact that no a chest pro isnt gonna save you from injury I heard they are designed to spread the blow out in all likelyness the kid would've had some broken bones but I'd rather have that than lose my life any day. I refuse to ride without mine one time I drove out to the track and didnt have it I packed everything back up and left told myself "well thats what you get for being forgettful" lol

[snook620]

I cant stand plastic chest protectors. I use an under the jersey roost protector.

[TMKIWI]

I cant stand plastic chest protectors. I use an under the jersey roost protector.

Same. Try a EVS 5. It is half EVA foam/ half plastic.
Very comfortable.

[snook620]

Same. Try a EVS 5. It is half EVA foam/ half plastic.
Very comfortable.

Ill have to try one of those. I know the plastic ones give alot more protection I just never could ride with one.

[MXLord327]

I won't ride without mine, a Fox Airframe.  It's a little bulky but has great protection.  In my very first race, a Junior Enduro in 1981 at Bear Brook State Park in New Hampshire, I was about 2-3 miles in when I hit a buried rock 3rd gear wide open on my '78 RM125.  It pitched me right over the bars and I landed on all fours, I thought I was OK until the bike smashed right down on my back w/ no chest or back protection.  I was coughing up blood for about half an hour.  I was wearing an old, very thick football jersey, there was an outline of the chain and rear sprocket left on the shirt, and right in the middle a big blood stain where the axle bolt (w/ cotter pin) took a chunk of meat out of my back.  2 inches to the right and it would have been my spine....

[SachsGS]

I don't like being stabbed by tree branches - I always wear a chest protector.

[metal_miracle]

I used chest protector before

but got back pain from it.. looking into something like thor sentile or something similar

[dogger315]

Won't ride without one.  Years ago, I was told by a former Supercross and
National champion concerning protective gear, "if you got it, wear it.  If
you don't have it, get it and wear it."  I noticed he was sporting a chest
protector.

I was at the local Cycle Gear today and the kid showed me the new Fox roost
protector.  I like the softer plastic - should be more comfortable, but I would
still want the shoulder and bicep protection of a full on chect protector.
 
dogger 

[Shadow]

EVS BJ22 Ballistic jersey. One of the reasons I don't have broken bones from riding.