Back Protector Or Safety Jacket?

I am planning to upgrade my protective gear before my first track day. I am debating between a Dainese Wave 1 back protector (Item 46914 at www.cyclegear.com) and safety jacket. I wear a Dainese Luce (it is not me on the picture) full leather that already has shoulder and elbow protectors but lacks back protector.

When I started looking I mainly worried about my spine but now I see I can protect my chest as well. My suit is slightly big, so it would not be a problem to accommodate the safety jacket. However, the safety jacket looks like it is a lot of stuff on you. Would not it be bothersome after a while?

Does anybody have any experience with safety jacket vs back protector? Pros and cons?

Thanks for helping!

So http://cyclegear.com/images/streetapparel/dainese-wave_310x310.jpg or http://cyclegear.com/images/streetapparel/Dainese%20Wave%20V%202%20jacket_310x310.jpg ?

Hey, look what kinda bike Dainese uses in this video to show its product!

I had bought the Alpinestar thingy pictured below
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n85/baileyrock/alpinestarsbionicprotector.jpg

I slipped it on then forced my way into my rather tight leathers, it was almost 45 min. later of claustrophobic straight jacket insanity trying to get back out of the thing by myself. :blink: DO Not try this alone!
Be sure you have loose or over size leather before you try this stunt alone!!!!!!!!!! :rolleyes:
For protection it's hard to beat the safety jacket, they usually provide better and more armor and in places not covered in the Suit.
I bought a new larger suit and plan to try one again soon, but I'm still using a vest body suit along with a spine protector now.
It's much hotter than without it, but just like leather it's there when you need it. In a crash!!!

IMO you can't have too much protection and if have room in your suit go for the jacket! :thumbsup:

We could tell it wasn't you.....you didn't have a hat on.

I would think the extra protection would be good, especially if you have the extra room.

I don't have a safety jacket, but I do wear the Forcefield chest protector that is its own piece of gear.

Getting in to and out of my one-piece leathers isn't too bad. The chest protector is the last thing I put on. And, all the elbow and shoulder armor is left in the jacket, so I guess that makes getting into the leathers a bit easier too.

The Forcefield comes with a set of straps so you can wear it independently from your back procector.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/dennytim/Website/th_RaceLite.jpg
TPro Forcefield Race-Lite Chest Protector

Ha ha. At least when I tried this I wasn't dumb enough to announce it to the world on a public forum! :P (oops, I guess I just did too... :lol:)

Yeah, it did take a few anxious moments to wriggle free. Lucky for me it was just a jacket.

-- Johnny

[image: View Post]Baileyrock, on Oct 3 2007, 08:06 PM, said:

I had bought the Alpinestar thingy pictured below
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n85/baileyrock/alpinestarsbionicprotector.jpg

I slipped it on then forced my way into my rather tight leathers, it was almost 45 min. later of claustrophobic straight jacket insanity trying to get back out of the thing by myself. :blink: DO Not try this alone!
Be sure you have loose or over size leather before you try this stunt alone!!!!!!!!!! :rolleyes:
For protection it's hard to beat the safety jacket, they usually provide better and more armor and in places not covered in the Suit.
I bought a new larger suit and plan to try one again soon, but I'm still using a vest body suit along with a spine protector now.
It's much hotter than without it, but just like leather it's there when you need it. In a crash!!!

IMO you can't have too much protection and if have room in your suit go for the jacket! :thumbsup:

[image: View Post]Jeepist, on Oct 3 2007, 03:49 PM, said:

Ha ha. At least when I tried this I wasn't dumb enough to announce it to the world on a public forum! :P (oops, I guess I just did too... :lol:)

Yeah, it did take a few anxious moments to wriggle free. Lucky for me it was just a jacket.

-- Johnny

[image: View Post]Baileyrock, on Oct 3 2007, 08:06 PM, said:

I had bought the Alpinestar thingy pictured below
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n85/baileyrock/alpinestarsbionicprotector.jpg

I slipped it on then forced my way into my rather tight leathers, it was almost 45 min. later of claustrophobic straight jacket insanity trying to get back out of the thing by myself. :blink: DO Not try this alone!
Be sure you have loose or over size leather before you try this stunt alone!!!!!!!!!! :rolleyes:
For protection it's hard to beat the safety jacket, they usually provide better and more armor and in places not covered in the Suit.
I bought a new larger suit and plan to try one again soon, but I'm still using a vest body suit along with a spine protector now.
It's much hotter than without it, but just like leather it's there when you need it. In a crash!!!

IMO you can't have too much protection and if have room in your suit go for the jacket! :thumbsup:

I could make a 30 min. comedy about my ordeal with ease, I think what got me over the edge was Vise gripping one sleeve to my work bench to at least get it started to move! :blink:

My Teknic jacket has a built-in back protector and a pocket to slip in an aftermarket one!
It also has padded kevlar-covered protection in the elbows and shoulders, plus pockets under those with Knox armour. :blink:

The key thing about armour of any kind is it MUST stay put against whatever part of your body it's supposed to be protecting. The jacket has straps to cinch it in, but it's probably not as good as a fitted leather suit or that armour you wear under your gear like the ones shown.

Some leathers have better built in armour than others, but if there is any doubt, I have been with a guy who wore his Dianese mesh vest that went on under his vansons. He used the Dianese back and chest vest insted of the suit's back pro and could get in and out of it all pretty easily.

I have Vanson's and like their back pro just fine, so I only add a chest pro. In my street leather jacket the back pro was only poly foam even in Joe Rocket's, so I wear an articulated back pro plus the chest pro.

dont know if this is too far off topic, as i really dont answer the question the way you asked, but......


first, good on you for getting more than the basic protection. it is not a badge of honor or anything, but after 2 crashes, i can tell you that the more gear you have the better.

i have just started wearing the forcefield back protector and chest protector. $250ish for both. it is extremely comfortable to wear (a little hot of course) and everything i can read says it is AWESOME protection. i can tell you that i was not aware of it as i road the track this past weekend as it molds perfectly to your body. since your leather already has all the other areas covered, i am not sure why you would need anything more.

of course if you are old and brittle like BR (oops did i just say that out loud :rolleyes: ) i mean fast like BR, you probably need the extra protection. i tend to go so slow when i crash that damage is minimal.... :lol:

[image: View Post]turtlecreek, on Oct 3 2007, 07:59 PM, said:

of course if you are old and brittle like BR (oops did i just say that out loud :rolleyes: ) i mean fast like BR, you probably need the extra protection. i tend to go so slow when i crash that damage is minimal.... :lol:

:blink:

Hey, I resemble those remarks! :salesman:

[image: View Post]enzed_viffer, on Oct 3 2007, 06:49 PM, said:

The key thing about armour of any kind is it MUST stay put against whatever part of your body it's supposed to be protecting. The jacket has straps to cinch it in, but it's probably not as good as a fitted leather suit or that armour you wear under your gear like the ones shown.

Would not the armor jacket has a bigger chance to stay in place because it is somewhat closer to the body than the leather jacket and as you said it is strapped to the body?

My suit is slightly big because I can use it during winter when I wear a few long sleeve shirts under it. So, I guess I have to try it on at CycleGear this weekend.
Remember, this is not me:
http://www.rubbalad.talktalk.net/luce%20(4).JPG

I look more like this in my leathers: (I am the second from right)
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r44/SEPoindexter/2007%20Texas%20Mac/TheFacilities2.jpg

Quote

turtlecreek
I can tell you that the more gear you have the better.

That is why, I want to get more protection. I am going to the track to learn and to discover my limits. At the moment I find my limits I will need protection. :idea3:

Chest protection = good... after my wreck my ribs were pretty hurt. My new jacket (motoport) has armor in the front already as well as the back :thumbsup: .

[image: View Post]Baileyrock, on Oct 3 2007, 02:06 PM, said:

I had bought the Alpinestar thingy pictured below
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n85/baileyrock/alpinestarsbionicprotector.jpg

I picked up the Bionic SP Vest about a month and a half ago.

http://www.alpinesta...0/p/650807.html

Both my street jacket and track leathers have decent armor in the shoulder/arm area and I just wanted to supplement with some chest/back protection. The vest fits perfectly under both and after about 5 minutes, I forget it's even on. Doesn't interfere with the armor already in place in the jackets at all.

Oyama,

Long time no see :thumbsup: I wear a back protector (teknic spinegard or something like that external of my riding gear) But if I were going to the track I would probably upgrade to the full chest and back protection. But for around town I think that would drive me crazy. And I would look really funny after I took my riding gear off....LOL.