Back Protectors

[Beaver Dam]

Any recommendations based on real world experience (or ones to avoid)?

Do you wear it with the foam slip in protector found in most leathers/jackets or take that out ?

[Ed.]

I went rolling down the road a year and a half ago wearing a dainese textile jacket with a forcefield level 2 back insert. Back protector did its job but I now wear a forcefield back protector with it's own waist and shoulder straps under the jacket because it has better coverage lower down spine.

Airbag protectors are becoming more available now.

[SteveS Cup]

I wear the Alpinestars Nucleon KR-R Back Protector.

Couldn’t ride without it, would feel naked! It warms up quickly from your body heat and moulds to your back. Very comfortable and offers good coverage.

It’s not been tested by me yet but it makes me feel safer!

In hindsight, I’d of got the one with shoulder straps as well as the waistband as the Alpinestars snap lock thing is ste.

[V8RX7]

I wear the Forcefield L2K Evo - googling said it was arguably the best one.

I remove the one from my jacket

The only issue it that it is longer than my jacket and not very flexible - so I can't zip my jacket to my trousers with it on.

[lythaby]

I went head-on with a van, wearing a Knox Contour. The only reason I’m still walking.
I removed the slip-in on the leathers and wore the Contour separately.

[BobSaunders]

Take it out, and put on a dedicated back protector. Tis a bit warmer and bulkier than the slip in, but safety etc.

[Cheeses of Nazareth]

It really depends what bike you ride, I had a Knox Touring one for riding my Supermoto bike, the race ones are too long and rub the top of your arse cheeks raw. That lasted 4 years , my Dainese one is less bulky but far more comfortable .

And +1 on taking the built in stuff out of the leathers.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

For what it's worth, I raced the Nationals on 1000's for 5 or 6 years, suffering the slings and arrows of the occasional monstrously high-speed offs. I was always careful to try and mitigate any impending injuries by getting the best protective gear that I could.

I used separate KNOX long back protectors, and replaced all the other armour in my leathers with KNOX stuff. I also used Dainese gloves which had added side / little finger protection, and Daytona security Evo boots. Arai lids (although I was lucky enough to have a bit of sponsorship help from Phoenix UK...)

I'm still here, and not paralysed despite having had one or two pretty nasty accidents where folk behind me out-braked themselves and piled into the back of me...so I would recommend the KNOX stuff 100%.

HTH.

[Beaver Dam]

Thanks all, will take a look at some of those

[StreetDragster]

Does anybody use the Dainese D-Air vests or jackets?

I like the idea of one, because in theory i can bulk down by removing the rigid back protector. However i don't think it would work well in vest form with my heated gillet, only the full jacket.

Which then, doesn't transfer over to my vented summer mesh clothes.

Oh, and they are pricey.

Anyone actually crashed with one on? Lots of people can give true life experience of hard armour, but these airbag equipped people do not seem to be accident prone, or, they are brown bread and can't write a decent review lol.

[Zakalwe]

In the Dainese shop last year I got chatting to another customer who was in getting a new D Air jacket after going into a motorway barrier wearing his last one, so I guess he was happy with the performance

[shirt]

any opinions on track vests vs back protectors?

looking at these 2 on particular, to be worn under a very lightweight mesh jacket [with shoulder and elbow protection] and eventually on track days.

https://www.planet-knox.com/product/track-vest/

https://www.alpinestars.com/track-vest-2

[Kawasicki]

I know this may seem like a daft question, but does anyone have any data that they work?

[knitware]

Kawasicki said:

I know this may seem like a daft question, but does anyone have any data that they work?

Dianese Air are used in MotoGP, so I guess they have impact data from there. I have a DAir jacket, not proved the technology yet

[shirt]

i guess it depends on the nature of your accident. come off on track or on clear roads, you're going to be sliding/tumbling so any abrasive or impact protection is going to help. hitting an object either as the cause of consequence of your accident and it's down to chance.

[Kawasicki]

shirt said:

i guess it depends on the nature of your accident. come off on track or on clear roads, you're going to be sliding/tumbling so any abrasive or impact protection is going to help. hitting an object either as the cause of consequence of your accident and it's down to chance.

I read a bit into them back in 2009, when I bought a quickish trail bike and used it off road a fair amount. The data I read at that time didn't really make a clear case for wearing one. I was wondering if there was a clear case for them now, that was it really...

[Salted_Peanut]

Kawasicki said:

I know this may seem like a daft question, but does anyone have any data that they work?

It's a good question, and there's evidence that back protectors are ineffective without tailbone protection. Research by the trauma centre at Hôpital Nord, Marseille, found that the design of back protectors should be reconsidered to better protect riders:

Trauma centre researchers said:

This study shows that the use of back protection does not decrease the number, type, or mechanism of thoracolumbar injuries associated with accidents involving two-wheeled motorized vehicles. However, it suggests that lumbar vertebral injuries are deflected towards the thoracic vertebrae when back protectors are worn. Finally, it suggests that the design of back protectors should be reconsidered to better protect riders from what are referred to as compression fractures (craniocaudal force), which remain the primary form of fracture regardless of the rider's characteristics, based on the data analyzed.

I think it means we generally land on our arse, and this compresses the spine vertically. Hence a coccyx protector is crucial; but most back protectors don't have one. Most of the current back protectors merely move the injury to a different part of the spine, if I've understood the research.

See: Afquir S et al. Descriptive analysis of the effect of back protector on the prevention of vertebral and thoracolumbar injuries in serious motorcycle accident. Accid Anal Prev. 2020 Feb;135:105331. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2019.105331. Epub 2019 Nov 18.

Is there a doctor who can check I've understood this correctly?

[Bob_Defly]

I'm surprised at how many people on here wear ones that are separate from the jacket, i.e. another layer.

Is this mainly on track, or also commuting?

Most of my rides are either commuting or just a Sunday fun rip. Another layer would kill me heat wise, plus the additional faffery at the office. Interested to know the above.

[bogie]

Bob_Defly said:

I'm surprised at how many people on here wear ones that are separate from the jacket, i.e. another layer.

Is this mainly on track, or also commuting?

Most of my rides are either commuting or just a Sunday fun rip. Another layer would kill me heat wise, plus the additional faffery at the office. Interested to know the above.

I used to wear a separate one on track days under leathers, but mostly because the leathers I have dont have an integrated protector.

For last 10 years on the road, all my jackets came have built in armour. One of them I upgraded to D30 as the original was very thick and stiff.

For road use Im happy with the convenience of built in armour versus a long separate protector with coccyx protector.

[shirt]

everyone i've spoken to about it has advised me to get a separate protector. hence looking at the track vests as less faff. was also thinking of the knox shirts as they could be worn on their own but they only have c1 armour on the back.