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Any Reason Not To Use An Armored Pressure Suit For Road Riding?


BRad704

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I was cruising a particular Flea Market on a particular other site... and saw a SixSixOne Pressure suit for under $100. Is there any reason that these would be a bad idea under an unpadded jacket for the road?

Something like this...

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Personally I would be more worried about the outer layer, how it will hold up to sliding on the pavement. The armor itself should be fine for impact protection and if it is tight fitting enough should not move around on you. I wear something similar under my Kevlar pants (Bohn Adventure Pants) and other than it being warmer due to the extra layer of material it seems to stay in place but I really don't know how well the Kevlar pants will hold up if sliding along the pavement but it's a risk I am willing to take to, a) Be comfortable, b) Not have to change in and out of gear when I go to job sites.

Choose the right outer layer and I think it would be fine, In other words I would do it, I'm doing it already actually.

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Funny you should mention it. I am at this moment debating whether whether to substitute DS gear for my Aerostich on my upcoming vacation. Its gonna be hot where I'm going, and the 'stich is an oven.

Much more pleasant to wear in the heat is the Firstgear Kathmandu, waterproof, well vented, and nice and light. The stock armor is crap which is why I would wear the Thor impact rig. Still much cooler than 'stich.

On the low end I would go with Klim Dakar pants, very rugged and with enormous thigh vents. Armor for knees would either be Reflex knee guards or Forcefield knee armor.

Haven't decided yet, but I'm leaning toward the cooler but probably less protective DS stuff.

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I wanted to add here, my first preference is for comfort, then protection, but not to the point of compromising my safety. If the gear is not comfortable then you're either miserable while riding or you just stop wearing it, which definitely is compromising safety!

I am lucky in that the off the rack gear seems to fit me well and for the most part is really comfortable, at least the styles I choose. I typically wear leather when doing spirited rides and for the most part both my leather suits (perforated/non-perforated) allow me to be comfortable, apart from too high/too low temperatures being the main uncomfortable factor. I will wear textile gear when commuting and sometimes touring as the comfort factor is much greater, but I do alter what I will wear based on the weather. In favor of the Bohn Adv Pants, in the summer time I use the strap on knee/shin armor and compression shorts, a lot cooler in summer but still warmer than just the outer layer. In winter the Bohn are actually preferred for the extra warmth they provide. I also use a Knox back protector which like the knee armor is strapped on, not a jacket insert. Most jackets usually feels well enough alone so I usually don't alter what's underneath apart from the back protector.

To me the strap on armor actually feels more secure than the "inserted" armor most textile gear provides, especially with pants, and personally I think that the impact protection it provides should lessen any potential impact injuries I might sustain and is more likely to be in the "right place, right time", as it is more secured to my body. The abrasion resistance is really the compromise there IMO.

Cheers

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If one were looking to replace armor I'd highly recommend checking out the T5 energy absorbing armor Aerostich uses in their riding suits. I've tested it several times, once severely, and it is quite remarkable. Saved me a lot of injury. CornerCarver saw the results of one crash and commented, more that once, "Only time I saw someone crash into a barbwire fence and come away without a scratch." The TF5 saved my knee from a potential disabling injury; with NO injury at all.

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I have an Alpinestars Bionic...basically the same thing. I wear it when riding the WR, either with or without jersey or Tourmaster DS jacket.

I also wear it on the rare occasion that I wear my un-armored leather jacket...a leftover from when I had a Harley and wanted to fit in lol. Good impact protection plus good abrasion resistance, oddly probably the best combo I have other than the 2-piece track leathers.

Assuming it fits you I'd say go for it, I think I paid $180 for the A-Stars.

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  • 4 months later...
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Most of these armor sets are for dirt. I wonder how they would hold up in a slide.

They probably wouldn't but for the street you can wear it under a jacket that has better abrasion resistence. This would give you both impact and abrasion protection.

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Most of these armor sets are for dirt. I wonder how they would hold up in a slide.

Well enough, I'd say, if they meet the standards. You might slide further on tarmac but the initial speeds can be higher on dirt (racing vs street).

My adventure rig is a pressure suit underneath a retired textile jacket with the armour removed.

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Here's how I look at it, as a "hard to fit" fellow who likewise looks at alternative protection schemes.

Most common injury is to the foot or ankle. I figure a man should shop as carefully for good boots as a good helmet, and wearing good boots is a good idea even if you're just rolling the bike around the garage.

For low speed riding, ie cruising down the beach, impact protection is a biggie and you want really good knee and elbow protection. Wouldn't fault you for wearing strap-ons or armored garments under something other than leather or Aerostich, although dang. If you're gonna do that, at least wear something. Mesh, kevlar, carhartt. Something.

For high speed riding, abrasion resistance becomes a priority. Leather rules if it's not raining, certain kevlar garments (eg motoport) would suit me fine. In adverse conditions way out on the open road, Cordura is more practical and net of everything (hypothermia, distractions) might be a tad safer. Plus it's less expensive, comes in sizes that will even fit my funny-looking body. I've been pining for an Aerostich Transit Suit for some time now, but meanwhile Cordura garments are so inexpensive, especially this time of year, it's hard to fault them too much..

But. I'm kind of liking armored base layers like this. Sticking armor into baggy britches is not optimal, I don't think.

That's how I look at it, anyway.

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  • 1 month later...

I picked up a Joe Rocket Airborne Textile jacket uber cheap on Amazon. I bought it a size bigger so I can use it as a wind breaker. I can fit a leather jacket underneath. I also thought about the armor jacket option. The ones I see specifically for street are incredibly expensive compared to dirt. Perhaps street vests have more abrasion protection than dirt. Do you think a good textile jacket will keep the dirt armor in place long enough to finish a slide?

http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Rocket-Airborne-Textile-Motorcycle/dp/B007SJLN4S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420870279&sr=8-1&keywords=Joe+Rocket+Airborne+Men%27s+Textile+Street+Bike+Racing+Motorcycle+Jacket

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  • 2 years later...
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I don't.  Don't trust them.  This old thread suggests why.  I don't know what they're selling these days, but there are plenty of reputable manufacturers out there to choose from...

 

Ciao,

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Didn't read everyone's comments. That suit offers great impact protection but lacks the over all abrasion and tear protection of a jacket. I would wear it under some sort of ballistic textile jacket or full suit. Seems like more hassle to don and doff two seperate garments. On the plus side it holds the padding where it is supposed to be when you need it. 

I have one for dirt biking and can attest for their effectiveness in all sorts of crash scenarios. Life saver.

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