Back protectors

[Laura]

I was reading the sticky post about riding gear, and was wondering what people thought about back protectors. How many of you wear them? Do you always wear them? What kind do you have? Did they come with your jacket? After riding for a year, I'm still trying to find a decent looking leather jacket that fits properly. (I have a Cortech mesh jacket with some back protection.) Most jackets I look at don't have spine protectors, or even pockets to accomodate spine protectors. And some of the one's that do, look useless. For example, some of the Alpinestars jackets have this thin, soft foam in the back that seems useless to me. Any suggestions on what to buy? I would prefer to buy a jacket that included spine protection, or at least had a pocket to put something in, rather than having something else I had to strap on before I put on my jacket. Dainese seems like the way to go, but nobody around here carries it.

Laura

[zlei]

I always wear a backprotector when I ride. It just seems logical to me that if it can minimize an injury, why not take advantage of it.

Also if the jacket you like doesn't have a pocket for a back pro, just sew one in.

[tt_four]

my summer jacket has a back pad, about an inch thick of pretty dense foam, which would help with rash, and maybe a little protection from impact, but not a ton, my winter jacket doesn't have anything,

but i plan on buying a real back protector soon, so i'll let you know how it goes when i get one

[pantablo]

For example, some of the Alpinestars jackets have this thin, soft foam in the back that seems useless to me.
Laura

My alpinestars jacket has that same foam protector but a proper back protector fits in that pocket. Its on my list of things to buy...

[pizzleboy]

My jacket has it built in.  So does my wife's.

Im the same as TT_four...

my Summer jacket (Joe Rocket) has a back pad, nice thick hard foam, while my winter dosent. But the winter has the pocket. I feel much safer in my Summer jacket.

Stay Safe  

[Dragonfly]

My joe rocket gear, (phoenix 2.0 & Meteor 4.0) has the dual density foam pad. Its not much but its certaintely more than nothing.

There was a local guy receantly that highsided his gixer 750 and the bike followed him into the ditch and struck him in the back. He was wearing a full Dainese back pretector, and although it did break his back there was no spinal damage. If it werent for the back pad I highely doubt he would still have feeling in his toes.

I plan on buying one, but I am more interested in upgrading my gear to leather first. One peice at a time.

Micah

[davipu]

ever seen a cow go flying out of a stock truck? they go splat, that's why I don't wear leather,  it doesn't work on cows so why whould it work for people?   I whare a teknic chicane jacket http://www.teknicgear.com/pages/collections/textile/jacket_chicane.html
works great I went sliding down the road at about 45 when i did my first 12 oclock and I went down at 15 in gravel my foot was cought under the shifr lever (i was shifting into second) I tucked my elbow in and my jacket took most of the impact I brushed the dust off and had some scratches on the teknic label on the sleeve that's it.   I was taking steers to be slaughtered with my uncle one time he had to take some e-action from a alligator that flew off a truck and they started to stampeed in the trailer, there was about a 2 foot gap in the top of the rear door one jumped out it wasen't pretty. they really do go splat.

[nl_carey]

I use a dianese summer back protector. I strap it on just before my jacket goes on. I actually took the foam back protectors out of my summer and winter jackets to make them a bit more comfortable with the back protector in. You really don't feel it most of the time. Like most of my riding gear, I just feel naked riding without it. I don't trust foam padding much, there is a case against hard backed armour (due to shattering and the extra damage causded) but I prefer the extra protection, particularly along my spine.

[panik]

I wear a Dainese back protector, but I've yet to test to.
I wear it all the time, if you're worried about your back, I'd go get one.
It's also strapped on, close to you, and won't move much in a crash (hopefully), so it is better protection than the same thing slipped into a pocket of a jacket.

The foam you get in the jackets doesn't seem like it would do much, but I guess it would spread the impact enough to make the difference between a sore back and being paralysed.

[wasabi_peas]

I believe the foam pad that is included with (some/many/most?) jackets is considered a back PAD.

The hard plastic "Armadillos do it so it seemed like a good idea" devices are what I would consider back PROTECTORS, and the sites which sell them seem to folllow this convention.

I'd like to get one, though I spent my bike budget completely on the bike, leathers, gloves, helmet, and boots.  I've found some good recommendations at http://www.sportbikes.ws, but I can't remember the favorites off the top of my head.

If you end up getting one, please post your experience.  When I can convince my wife to divert more funds, I'll be shopping too! [/url]

[dgyver]

I always wear my Dainese back protector when I ride. Got it off ebay for around $30, the buckle was damaged but easily replaced. I attached mine to a lifting for lower back support for the longer rides. My leathers have the foam pad but they do not provide any real protection by themselves, I do keep in the leathers as well. When looking for a back protector, make sure you get one that is long enough to cover your tailbone.

[license2ill]

I posted this thread a while ago, hope some of the info can help you in your search for a back protector:

http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7625&highlight=back+protector

[wasabi_peas]

    Great post!  Thanks for linking, and for writing it up in the first place.

Maybe my inner nerd is showing through (I'm an engineer) but I love getting to see real actual standards, and a healthy respect for those standards by the manufacturer.  Or, to be honest, even manufacturs that don't follow standards but who do their own testing and explain the requirements (after all, standards can be terribly expensive, and as some points in your post could be taken to say, not exactly applicable)

Great stuff.  Time to go shoppin!

-J

[CasiUSA]

YEah, my back protector is integrated into my jacket. It's  just foam, but at least it's something :dunno:

[Zarathustra]

davipu, what are you talking about.  leather doesn't work because cows can get cut by falling out of a truck?  it's their skin on their body, it's not going to protect as well as a tanned piece of hide reenforced with armor and layered stitching.  leather jackets work great.  i mean, i bet your jacket works great as well, i just don't think you should write off leather.  there's a reason race suits are made of leather, and racers wear them afterall.

[WAP]

Bohn makes some very high-quality back protectors. Most if not all will fit perfectly into the built-in velcro of Aerostich suits and jackets. I wear my Roadcrafter 1-piece religiously, however i only strap in the hip and back pads for long distance/high speed rides. A bit of a trade-off safety-wise, sure, but it's much more convenient to just pack in the Roadcrafter on my daily commutes to work. The Vanson back protectors may be a step below Bohn when it comes to out and out safety IMO, but are still very, very good pieces of equipment.