Body Armor

[Pat Donnelly]

I noticed a new "Pro Back Guard" in Ski Press (link updated 9/30/2006)


http://www.sixsixone.com/Products_661Snow.aspx

OR

http://www.sixsixone.com (http://www.sixsixone.com/)

then link from SNOW and then UPPER BODY ARMOR

[Bullwings]

save yourself some money and go to a motorcycle shop. You can buy spine protection armor for less than half that price. one of my friends has a brother that races motorcycles and he just uses his bro's "motorcycle" spine protector, which does exactly the same thing. samething goes for helmets. you can probably get non "snowboarding" specific helmets for a good deal less (e.g. full face downhill mtn. biking helmets like posted in that one other thread).

every company out there is looking to cash in on the snowboarding crazy/fad (since 95% of snowboarders are a fad...). they take some generic piece of protection equipment and jack up the price saying it's for snowboarding.

Besides, vertebrae (especially those in the lumbar region) are pretty tough to fracture. I landed pretty hard on my back one time that i felt electric shock like tingling in my toes and finger tips every morning for about a week and back pain for about 2-3 months. I got my back x-rayed, and guess what, no fractures.

What i'd be more sold on is, something to protect my neck... that's something that you can more realistically screw up (*starts thinking about getting titanium linkages imbedded into his neck*).

Well, that's just my 2 cents on the subject, but if it makes you feel better and inspires more confidence while you're riding and you have the extra $$$ to blow, then by all means, go and grab one.

[Phil]

Besides, vertebrae (especially those in the lumbar region) are pretty tough to fracture.

That is true unless you ride rails or a lot of rocky stuff. In these cases, I think back protection is a pretty good idea. It is also not a bad idea if you ride often at a crazy mountain. Some days I wish I had full body armor for protection from all of the unibombers that don't know how to turn.

[No.2]

I've had a few issues with unibombers as well. One bolded me clean over and sent me air born, backwards down a black run, broke my helmut, took a chunk out of my board and left me very sore and battered. Then proceded to tell me that I was all over the place. I told him it is called turning and something he should learn about.

By the time I did that BoarderCross comp I was rideing with a broken arm, 3 sprained fingers, well bruised hip, tweeked neck, partially torn tenton in my sholder and a cracked rib. I've since bought a UFO Scorpion (http://www.poamotocross.co.uk/Body%20Armour/Adult/UFO%20SCORPION.jpg) The best chest plate you can get I think and some Sixsixone Pro Bomber (http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/images/clothing/large/644.jpg) shorts, some Knee pads (http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/photos/300/g2089.jpg) And a full face helmut.

It seems OTT but I hardly notice when I'm wareing it.

I think the ultimate Body armor is Dianese Shuttle Race (http://www.dainese.com/eng/zoom.asp?articolo=3879540/41/42&cat=6&zm=UF) Apparently if you are built like an Italian i.e not ridicluliously long arms like me these things are super light and cumfy.

I realy rate body armor now, thinking the crustations were on to something.

[Phil]

By the time I did that BoarderCross comp I was rideing with a broken arm, 3 sprained fingers, well bruised hip, tweeked neck, partially torn tenton in my sholder and a cracked rib.


No excuses, quit your whining and get back on the stick! ;)

[No.2]

Hey no whining here Phil. I think the techically term for that is man-point fishing ;) I was on the stick through all that. But now I look like Robo-Cop.

[Rob Stevens]

Like No 2 said, the 661 armour is fairly cheap, compared to Dianese. It also fits much better (or at least more predictably) than the Italian armour. If you order a Large Dainese, be prepared for a shock when you can't get your little brother into it.

Other than Dainese and 661, there are many other choices... Beastgear, Hoots, ect.

For close contact s#!t like SBX, get yourself an MX neckroll. No sense in bleeding out after taking an edge across the neck.

The other stuff like knee-shin guards, ass pants and full face helmets make you look huge and imposing, which is cool. I wear the full face all the time (Troy Lee Designs, for that Palmer-in-all-his-glory look), the Dainese knee-shin combo fits very well with my boots and has saved me from s#!t just under the surface more than a few times.

[skategoat]

Don't forget to check out your local hockey shop for cheap protective gear. For butt pads, they make referee girdles that are meant to be worn under loose pants. They make the same thing for ringette but I'm guessing this is an unknown sport in most parts of the U.S. To protect your neck as Rob suggests, there are various models of neck guards for forwards and goalies.

[Neil Gendzwill]

you can probably get non "snowboarding" specific helmets for a good deal less (e.g. full face downhill mtn. biking helmets like posted in that one other thread).Snowboarding helmets have more insulation and different venting than bicycle helmets. I'd freeze my head wearing a bike helmet on the hill.

[Rob Stevens]

The Troy Lee D2 is much like an MX helmet, but slimmer and lighter.

It also has no venting to speak of, so it is nothing like most other bike helmets. The tradeoff is that they can be pretty hot in the summer.

I have worn them from +30 to -30 very comfortably, probably more so in the winter.

[Neil Gendzwill]

My main problem is just finding something that fits my gigantic head. I've got a Giro Ravine in XXL that works now, but it's still a little tight front to back.

ETA - holy crap, the D2 is over $US300! I'll take my $125 Giro, thanks.

[Rob Stevens]

Fair enough on the price... they're not cheap.

I have a pretty big head, too and the XL / XXL fits great.

"If you have the means, I highly recommend one." (Ferris Buehler on Ferraris, also)

[No.2]

No sense in bleeding out after taking an edge across the neck

Oh Rob your language is a world of pictures! I was haveing nightmares about that a while ago. I guess now I'm in for some more. :eek:

Got any sugestions for MX neckrolls?

[Jim]

I drove by the Dainese store in Newport Beach on Labor Day weekend but didn't have the time to check it out.

[Bullwings]

get a skateboarding helmet (it has less venting than biking helments) hahah.

Really though in all seriousness protective gear from other sports (mainly body armor and so on) can easily be crossed over to snowboarding without any disadvantages, such as loss of mobility, and for a significant amount less.

helmets tend to have a bit more design features in them specific to each sport (like venting). I have a snowboarding specific helmet and it actually has a significant amount of venting (it feels like it's raining after i fall and all the snow gets lodged in the vents and then starts melting into my head). If i really need to keep warm while wearing a helment, i have to wear one of those thin full-head/face covering masks so that only your eyes are exposed.

i'm just saying that i think it would definitely benefit you to shop around across sports for protective gear. Anything that's "snowboarding" specific tends to get a nice mark up price on it. Motocross armor/downhill mtn. biking armor would probably be just as effective as "snowboarding" armor.

I wonder what hockey would look like in football gear (with gloves) and what football would look like in hockey gear... and autoracing in board shorts and surfing in a full flame resistant jump suit..

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

I noticed a new "Pro Back Guard" in Ski Press

http://www.sixsixone.com/catalog.aspx?id=fbc37f3d-40fc-44b8-8e12-e255fff85af8&pl=SNO
Great link Pat, looks like good stuff and a well done site to boot!

Thanks for the link. Looks like I need to start ordering XXL jackets :)

[dantheman0177]

Like No 2 said, the 661 armour is fairly cheap, compared to Dianese. It also fits much better (or at least more predictably) than the Italian armour. If you order a Large Dainese, be prepared for a shock when you can't get your little brother into it.

Other than Dainese and 661, there are many other choices... Beastgear, Hoots, ect.

For close contact s#!t like SBX, get yourself an MX neckroll. No sense in bleeding out after taking an edge across the neck.

The other stuff like knee-shin guards, ass pants and full face helmets make you look huge and imposing, which is cool. I wear the full face all the time (Troy Lee Designs, for that Palmer-in-all-his-glory look), the Dainese knee-shin combo fits very well with my boots and has saved me from s#!t just under the surface more than a few times.

I agree about the 661 vs Dianese. I have a 661 suit (upper body inc. shoulder, elbow, back, chest, lumbar) which is great, except that I already fill my jacket out enough that wearing the thing makes me look like a fully kitted linebacker!

I have a pair of Dianese pants with knee pads in them which are pretty awesome. They also keep you warmer when kneeling in the snow.

And finally, Fox are producing a MotoX knee brace for this season under the name PodMX. I used the final production prototypes a couple of weeks ago up at the snow, and for anyone with knee issues they are amazing. And for those just looking for protection, they are pretty damned good for that too, being made of full carbon fibre and designed for protection in high speed collisions when riding trail bikes.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

:lol: Damn Dan, I will be watching out for you this year! Dude , you are built like a brick sht house in the first place , second you are an Aussy, I can't imagine someone hurting you!!! Now you have Armor on? I know you guys play rough down under but damn!! Do you mind wearing a flashing red light on your helmet ? Please ? :smashfrea