Cleaning body armor (661, RockGardn, etc)

[MotoMac]

For those of you that use any of the currently available body armor like the 661 Pressure Suit, Rock Gardn Flak Jacket, etc....how do you clean them? I didn't see any sort of instructions in the box and I've e-mailed the company (no answer).

Went for a 6 hour ride this weekend in 90+ heat and it was soaked completely through (as way everything else I was wearing), so I just know it's gonna be a bit "ripe" by next weekend. I was just going to hang it on the line outside and hose it down good, but thought it would be best to check with the TT experts first. ?

I've got the Flak Jacket and found out how well it works yesterday. Riding across the face of a very steep hill, the front wheel fell in a hole and I got tossed off. The hill was covered with basketball-size rocks all the way down and I tumbled end over end for about 60-70 feet before I could grab something to stop. I could hear the clack, thud, whap, etc as I hit all sorts of rocks along the way. Not a single bruise and only one small scrape below where the built-in kidney belt ends. I'm sure I would have been hurt if I wasn't wearing it. My riding buddy doesn't wear any sort of protective gear other than boots, gloves and a helmet, but as he watched me tumble and heard all the noises, he ordered one today!

Cheers,

Mac

[xrMike]

I put about 8 inches of warm water into a large plastic tub and add enough laundry soap to make the water good and sudsy. Immerse the flak jack into the tub and knead it with your hands for a couple minutes to work the soap into all the fabric (especially under the arms!). Then I take a foxtail brush and gently scrub all of the fabric and plastic portions with that, inside and out. Then I hold it up so most of the soapy water drains back into the tub, take it out to the driveway out front and lay it out and blast it with clean water from the hose until all the soap is rinsed out. Then leave it hanging up somewhere outside to dry. Usually takes a full day in warm weather.

[sharpmarble]

I just hang it up, and spray it with the hose using a brush for the plastic. I can second that on how well it protects.... I have had a couple of get-offs and popped right up without a scratch. Money well spent... ?

[chrissa]

I put about 8 inches of warm water into a large plastic tub and add enough laundry soap to make the water good and sudsy. Immerse the flak jack into the tub and knead it with your hands for a couple minutes to work the soap into all the fabric (especially under the arms!). Then I take a foxtail brush and gently scrub all of the fabric and plastic portions with that, inside and out. Then I hold it up so most of the soapy water drains back into the tub, take it out to the driveway out front and lay it out and blast it with clean water from the hose until all the soap is rinsed out. Then leave it hanging up somewhere outside to dry. Usually takes a full day in warm weather.

Ditto. This is pretty much how I clean my Dainese safety jacket. Though I use the bathtub. ?

Chris.

[SoCal_Chef]

How about take a shower with it? I remember reading somewhere that someone cleaned their helmet liners that way....

[sharpie1]

Hell, I just threw my pressure suit in the washing machine, while my wife was away for the weekend of course. ?

[mxmike92]

funny story

i have a pressure suit (661) and i needed it to be washed because you could smell it a mile away, it made my gf gag:eek:

so my mum just got a new washing machine and i chucked it in there, unfortuantly, the machine chucked a spaz and refused to work, dont do wat i did

[Janet from Joisey]

I soak mine in a a tub of luke-warm/cold water with TechWash (found at camping stores) or Woolite, both of which are made to clean and rinse out in cold water. I also use a large brush to get the mud crud out of the armor (I biff a lot); and then just lay the jacket out on a lawn chair to dry.

[Jeremy204]

I have a Dianese Safety Jacket that I use for downhill mountain bike racing and moto riding, as well as my 661 core protector that I use exclusively for moto riding. I've owned several Dianese body armor suits and jackets for over 10 years now and I have washed them all in the washing machine.

The key in my opinion: Wash them on a gentle cycle and unzip/detach the back plate to wash separately in the bathtub due to it's non-flexible nature and large size. Also allow them to soak for a bit before you close the lid and start the wash cycle. Use a fairly gentle/mild detergent and hand scrub any dirt or grime that is really stuck in the armor or fabric.....gentle cycle won't take it out anyways!

I've had no problems with the Dianese or 661 in the washer. They are both more than capable of handling a gentle cycle, as they are designed to handle some pretty violent crashes anyways. I typically wear the Dianese armor for two or three years, barring any nasty crashes that really tear the jacket/suit up, and I have always worn out the jacket/armor from use and not from the washing machine.

In a pinch at downhill races were it was extremely hot, and the sweat factor made the jacket ripe, I have worn the Dianese in the shower to give it a quick cleaning. It works, but it'll still smell a bit cause you have to use a soap that is also easy on the skin.......had a friend find out the hard way!

[JSV]

I put my AlpineStar Bionic pressure suit on a hanger and hang it on my fence and put my pressure washer spray on a wide spray and stand back about four feet and give her a good spray down. Good enough:thumbsup: