How Important is a chest protector

[BIGBLUEKNIGHT]

After hearing all of these horor stories, maybe ill pull my out of the trailer toolbox and start wearing it. Do you guys wear a rash guard or anything under it. I remember from the one or two times i did wear it, my nipples got rubbed raw, Any suggestions.

i have an uncle who has this problem he puts bandaids over his nipples. if u want the story on how i learned this fact pm me

[Dissident]

I haven't started riding dirt yet, but I crashed my street bike at 90+, and if it isn;t for my back protector, I wouldn't be walking. I had a nice line of purple bruises around the perimeter of it, where it had distributed the force of the impact(s). I can only image how my spine would have been otherwise...

So, I'm all for full gear in any situation...

[mxblake332]

yeah i dont usally were one but i will never ride with out one now thanks!!!

[Ohbowhntr]

What's a chest protector??? LOL, J/K'ing, but I don't wear one, however I also don't do any extreme riding.

[Drfletcherdc]

He was racing and as he landed going over the table top he sat down and twisted the throttle sending him careening off the burm and over into the other side of the rivene. Bars landed in his chest. he was pretty messed up. He still wants to ride but his parents sold his bikes while he was recovering. He was not happy to say the least.

Taft has a very scary table top. It doesn't matter where you land it still hurts. Makes me want to back off from racing also, but for some reason I can't.

[Utah Joe]

i like mine and I wear it but I question how much it really does for me outside of deflecting rocks. I have broken my ribs 3 times and seperated my shoulder all while wearing it. But I am not expecting miracles and I will wear it for nothing other than roost protection.

[rbkouki]

Well I mean it doesnt make you invincible ya know. A good chest protector is a trail/woods riders best friend. I have found out that the one time you dont have it on you'll wish you did.

[303]

riding MX without ones certainly feels better; less restrictive.

HOWEVER, i prefer to KEEP RIDING MX so i'll continue to wear a hard, outer Chest Protector.

...along with SIDI boots, Asterisk Knee braces, kidney belt, Hi-Quality Pants, Jersey and gloves, helmet, goggles and sometimes a cup!

sometimes if i'm just riding light practice i'll wear a foam under protector for a little freedom. But i'm usually very uncomfortable doing so because "under" just doesn't mean "under the jersey" ...they "under-protect" as well. i'm always concerned when i wear that thing that "...this time out i'll wreck bad and i should have worn the hard outer protector."

This sport is one of the most dangerous if you ride hard ...Wear every piece of good protection you can ...afterall, it's your body you'll have to live with for the rest of your life ...and without the protection, you might not have to worry about living long. and if you do survive a bad crash ...last time i checked ...there aren't very many, really good, hi-quality stores offering the best in human body replacement parts. so, you'll be stuck with whatever damage you incur. AND WORSE ...YOUR FAMILY WILL BE STUCK FOREVER WITH YOUR MEDICAL AND DAILY CARE ...YOUR LACK OF INCOME CUZ YOU CAN'T WORK ...AND THE HIGH MEDICAL EXPENSES TO TOP OFF THEIR MISERY. Not to mention they'll have to look at you everyday and feel guilty they didn't do more to stop you and your foolish, careless actions with your hobby.

sometimes i guess people really don't think beyond the 3 foot circle in which they stand. self-centered person thinks "...man, this chest protector sucks!" smart, caring person thinks "...man, this chest protector sucks ...but i'll wear it anyway because "Normal Life" for me, and those around me, must resume after i leave this track today."

boy i sound like a wife, huh? Reality! you can hide from it temporarily, but you'll never run away from it so long as you continue to breathe.

[SPDFRK450]

A couple weeks ago I went to a new riding place, and was there about 30 min when I lost it and hit a tree. It put me out for the rest of the day, and my cousin and I drove 4 hours. If I had a chest protector on it would have mitigated the injury to where I probably still could ride. It just sucks when that happens. So I am going to buy a pressure suit before the next ride. Its fitted so its under jersey, and I think it will work with my camelback as well.

Heres the one I will buy

http://www.sixsixone.com/catalog.aspx?id=5573704b-99cb-4ae7-bbf3-736c4d735897&pl=MOTO

[SoCalrider21]

Man you will get chewed alive without a chest protector, depending on where you ride. I ride mx, and roosts suck. So I don't even think of not wearing one unless I want to be in pain when I don't have to be. And if you ride trails a rock can come and hit you.

[deyosurf19]

those pressure suits look great, but probably way to hot, you will probably die of dehydration rather than an injury

[rbkouki]

sometimes i guess people really don't think beyond the 3 foot circle in which they stand. self-centered person thinks "...man, this chest protector sucks!" smart, caring person thinks "...man, this chest protector sucks ...but i'll wear it anyway because "Normal Life" for me, and those around me, must resume after i leave this track today."

Good points

Or they think they are so advanced beyond the skill of a normal rider that they are incapable of falling or getting hurt.I have a friend that fits that description to a "T". And he really cant even ride, he's just ballsey, err stupid I mean. We were otu riding actually the last time we rode together and he told me he thought he had reached the point in his skill level that he didnt needto wear a helmet anymore.. NO I am NOT kidding! Naturaly Iwas like whaaaaaaa? He said he was serious that he wasnt going to wear a helmet to ride anymore. Now from anyone else I would say c'moin your a retard lets go, but this dude suffers frrom a swrious God complex. Everythign he does he is teh best at, no one is better (yeah right). Anyway as soon as we start our bikes up and head down the trail he zips over a hill and has to bail into the woods t oavoid hiting a truck that was barreling up the hillside (rockcrawler). He hits a tree head on and cracks his helmet from teh center of the top to about 4 inches down towards the back. Imagine if he didnt have that helmet on, the ywould be scraping his brain fragments off of that tree. I dont see a chest protector being any different, you protect your brain why not protect all of your other major organs as well?

On a side note apparently my buddy who felt he was too good for a helmet has sold his bike and retired from riding.

[Nollage]

DO YOU LIKE STICKS IN YOUR CHEST???OR OVERSIZED ROCKS???? You would have to be pretty stupid.

[grungle]

those pressure suits look great, but probably way to hot, you will probably die of dehydration rather than an injury

I wear a 661 pressure suit every time i ride in outback Australia, and it's not that hot. Sure, it's cooler without it, but being stuck for a few hours in the sun with a broken collarbone is a lot worse than wearing a bit of padding while you're riding.

It's only hot while you're stopped anyway, the mesh is fairly wide and allows a lot of airflow. I frequently ride in 40-44 degree heat (104-111 Fahrenheit).

The one time i didn't wear it (or knee guards) i came off and tore a good amount of skin off. I had to get a lift with someone back into town - there was no way i was riding anywhere. Had I been wearing it i would at least have been able to ride home, if not continue the ride.

I wear the pressure suit with a 3L camelback and tools. I've taken the (removable) spine protector off and I don't even notice the camelback is there.

I won't go without it these days, and I ride faster with it on. Ever tried to ride in normal shoes or workboots instead of motorbike boots? It just doesn't feel right...

[mxkid416]

the 661 pressure suit is deathly hot while motocrossing above 90 degrees, i can attest to that after trying it out.

I have a troy lee chest protector and I won't ride without it. I once came up short of a triple, landing on the top on the very edge of the track and bounced right off the track into some pine trees and hit one dead on, it cracked my check protector and i was brused pretty good around the edges of it, I'd hate to know what would have happened if i hadn't been wearing it.

Plus the rock deflection it provides is great too

[RideRedForLife]

I went out for a quick ride without one. Got a heli ride to the hospital clinging to life. Broke 6 ribs, puctured a lung, exploded a spleen, with tons of internal bleeding. Never again. It makes you really open your eyes especially when you have 2 kids depending on you to go to work so they have a house over their head. Now both kids ride. Dont do more then 10-15 mph but they have to wear it everytime. So for a little extra sweat it's 100% worth it.

[nocturnal]

If i was skinny it wouldn't be a big deal but I am muscular and the camelpack straps pull at the protector then the protector bunches up around my shoulders and neck,

I cut the straps off my camelback and zip tied it directly to the back of the chest protector. It eliminates the problems you're having.

[splitpunk]

I wear a fox chest protector am a big guy 240 solid like a tree. Have gouges from trees rocks and gravel . all body parts still in the right place. I just picked up a pair of asterisks carbon fiber knee braces for More protection. I have 2 kids a wife and a motorcycle and a surf board habit . Can't be out of work money is parts, parts is money.

[racermx66]

Chest protectors aren't as uncomfortable as people think. Pro riders never wear them because they cover up sponsor logos. I have to work on Monday morning. Think how uncomfortable it is lying in a hospital bed for a week!

[bosshogg]

= This sport is one of the most dangerous if you ride hard ...Wear every piece of good protection you can ...afterall, it's your body you'll have to live with for the rest of your life ...and without the protection, you might not have to worry about living long. and if you do survive a bad crash ...last time i checked ...there aren't very many, really good, hi-quality stores offering the best in human body replacement parts. so, you'll be stuck with whatever damage you incur.

smart, caring person thinks "...man, this chest protector sucks ...but i'll wear it anyway because "Normal Life" for me, and those around me, must resume after i leave this track today."

You had some great quotes man. Thanks.

I always wear all of my gear. I should probably print out the last line from above and read it before every ride.