Your experiences or opinions on riding armor, soft vs hard

[canuguzzi]

Like the title says, just looking for experiences or opinions of soft vs hard riding gear armor. Things like flexibility, ability to stay cool or warm, ease of fitting etc.

Or do you ride sans all that and just use gear that fits without armor built in?

Not trying to go down the road of the when vs if.

While I wear boots helmet and gloves, the gloves aren't the armor type and the jacket and pants aren't either although I sometimes do wear an armored BILT jacket, just not often. Pants are usually the double knee Dickies with a shove in knee pad on some occasions.

You? Brands? Soft vs Hard armor?

[John A]

I wear the soft, a surgeon told me that if its hard,it just moves the break . He wanted the pieces to remain mostly in place.

[not-fishing]

I'm an ATGATT sort of guy so my armor is mixed and depends on what I'm wearing.  It's mainly Dianese and Alpinestars with a pair of Stylemartin boots.  I like the solid shin-knee protection in my leather pants and forarm protection in my jackets.

Close to 40 years ago I wore Chippewa cop boots, a very heavy Bates jacket that I don't fit anymore, gauntlet gloves topped off with a shoei helmet.

The Chippewa's, Bates and gloves held up pretty well, the Shoei I had to replace more than once.

I haven't tested out my gear for a long time now.  There are advantages to being a turtle.

[canuguzzi]

I get a bit concerned over the muscle man posture, arms curved at the elbows and shoulders pulled inward. I often wear my riding jacket at rest stops and such. The riding position in the Norge doesn't lend itself to a lean forward hands closer together idea.

I have been hit by road debris though and some of that stuff comes at you with some very high speed. Usually the shins are what gets hit in my experience.

At least the heads will catch something knee height.

[pikipiki]

One thing I try to consider is that my gear can mix an match.
I recently bought a zip connection belt. Inexpensive accessory.
 For times it not practical to wear full gear I can now zip m jacket to my jeans.
As my waistline seems to fluctuate a bit no risk now of a grazed ass in an unfortunate slide.

[kirb]

The Klim badlands pro jacket has the following:
D3O T5 Evo Pro integrated elbow, shoulder and back panel armor system [Viper Pro Level II back armor}
Dow Corp. siliconized spacer mesh front chest armor

The flexible armor is much better than the rigid stuff in the long run. Some of the other suits I've had were unwearable with some armor (hip, elbow). The flex stuff of the correct type just work.

[canuguzzi]

One thing I try to consider is that my gear can mix an match.
I recently bought a zip connection belt. Inexpensive accessory.
 For times it not practical to wear full gear I can now zip m jacket to my jeans.
As my waistline seems to fluctuate a bit no risk now of a grazed ass in an unfortunate slide.

Brand and source? That seems like a good fit for any gear outfit.

[ITSec]

Around the city:
- armored jacket, Euro-spec armor at elbow, shoulder, usually spine pad, and usually over hips
- full-length pants, usually khakis or such
- leather shoes with steel sole and reinforced non-steel toe OR short SIDI touring boots

On the highway:
- full suit with full armor OR two-piece with full armor in both
- 14" touring boots (SIDI, Alpinestar, etc.) with built-in shin guard armor OR Magnum tactical boots

At all times:
- 3/4, system, or full helmet; Snell/DOT where applicable, non-Snell for system-style (HJC SyMax, usually)
- deerskin riding gloves (no armor) for hot weather, deerskin touring gloves (gauntlet style with thin layer of insulation and a very small amount of padding) for cooler weather, and fully padded soft-armor gloves with Thinsulate and Hypora or Goretex lining for wet or very cold weather; I'm looking at getting some more protective warm-weather gloves

[fotoguzzi]

The aerostich armor is high tech soft that hardens instantly on impact. It works, saved my knee and elbow in a 50 mph crash, still busted two ribs because I didn't have the back armor addition. But that high tech foam really works!

[Scud]

For dirt riding, I basically wear an exoskeleton, including an impact rig with back protector. Every now and then I think about riding on the street with that impact rig and a loose shirt - instead of jacket. Haven't tried it yet. Talk about your "muscle man pose" though, that thing makes me look deceptively strong.

For the street, I like my old Hein Gericke Mesh suit. Some of the soft armor pads deteriorated and needed to be replaced - which reminds me (thanks) that I need to get new knee pads.

I have Dainese boots and gloves. I think hard knuckle protectors are important - and pads around the wrist for long gloves (gauntlets).

I confess to just wearing jeans for my short commute (with all other gear).

[Arizona Wayne]

I wear a Bilt modular helmet, Tourmaster textile summer jacket w/both hard/soft shoulder, shin/elbow padding, Sidi waterproof boots w/toe, ankle protection, leather gloves.  Wear jeans w/dirt bike plastic/padding shin/knee pads underneath both legs.  Have yet to test the leg guards but they seem to stay in position nicely.  They also come in handy for cold or wet conditions. 

[redrider]

The only armor I have crashed with has been the Rocket brand. No broken bones and I'm still here. (Oh dang, I used a contraction)

[Kent in Upstate NY]

I like armor that will absorb the impact rather than transfer it to my joints.

[Cam Lay]

I have recent experience.

Me: Olympia mesh jacket with CME armor in back, shoulders, elbows. Double-layer Carhart jeans with knee pads. Gloves with knuckle protectors and metal studs in the palms. Shoei 1100. Sidi "City" boots.

Kid: Jeans with pads, Vanson leather jacket, HJC DOT helmet, off-brand "racing" gauntlet gloves, work boots.

Bighorn sheep: fur, horns, attitude.

Kid got off on the low side and walked away. Scruffs on the jacket, bruises on his knees, and a scrape on his side where the jacket pullet up as he slid. EMTs cut his pants off of him anyway. Go figure.

Me: high-side, lots of broken bones, 5 days in ICU (details are elsewhere). One skin-shear on the impacted shoulder. Shoulder didn't break, though everything around it did and the rotator cuff is messed up. Helmet has a movable fracture on the chin bar, visible cracks in the shell, noticeable compression of the foam inside, and lots of abrasions. (I was unconscious for approximately 90 minutes, though did wake up briefly in the helicopter.) Knuckle protectors on one glove are worn down about 1/4". My knuckles are unmarked. The toes of both boots are worn almost all the way through. The jacket fabric is ripped and abraded but all the pads stayed pretty much in place. I've got a big bursa at the left elbow, which is surprisingly aggravating even though it doesn't hurt much. Abrasions on right thigh where the jeans wore through, and on the left knee where the knee pad wore through. Left minor, the right not much more than that. The plastic case over my cell phone in my right leg pocket is worn through, however.

Sheep: DRT.

I was not going fast; it's a twisty road with limited visibility, and I had my kid on the back. 47.172369N, 111.821809W will get you close enough to see the terrain. 

I don't know that you can draw any conclusions from even a large series of anecdotes. I don't know that hard armor versus soft armor would have made any difference. Perhaps if I had slid more rather than just smacking into the road... My son walked away; I went to ICU. A quarter-second here and a quarter-second there and the physics are completely different. If I had to try to draw general conclusions they would be:
1) Wear something. Anything is better than nothing.
2) You can ameliorate abrasions easier than impacts. Leather works great. Mesh works pretty well.
3) Everything takes longer to heal than you're going to like. Bones heal quicker than brains. People have more sympathy for broken bones 'cause they can see them. This is probably a general rule of life.
4) Going back the the gym when you can barely lift 10 pounds is embarassing. But keep at it and don't despair -- in only a couple of weeks you'll be lifting 15...
5) Physical therapists are people for whom being a dentist wasn't sadistic enough.
6) If you think PTSD is imaginary, have an accident and then go driving with a 16-year old girl on a learner's permit.

I've got pictures somewhere but can't post them from work. (Where I am on my lunch break, for those watching the taxpayers' dollars.  )

Oooh! An Anxious Mommy (TM) just brought me a Big Hairy Spider to identify! That's how I now they love me - they bring me presents! Gotta go.

Thanks,
C

[HDGoose]

Ride neeked. Who wants to live forever?

[neverquit]

I usually don't wear armor but a couple weeks ago I decided to wear my armored jacket and gloves.  I did a low side in some gravel.  The hard armored elbow piece and the gloves did the job and provided good protection.  My blue jeans didn't and the wound on my knee is still a long way from healing.

[Testarossa]

When the SUV turned into me in Gunnison two years ago, I was wearing a cheap mesh jacket with elbow and shoulder armor and a foam back pad -- Carhartts with knee armor and a full-face Bell. At impact, I bounced off the bike (and car) and landed on my back on the pavement. No fractures, but some livid bruises. Helmet badly scratched front and back, and was replace. Jacket badly abraded and torn on right forearm. It did the job.

I've also landed (slowly) a few times on a thick horsehide jacket, with double-thick patches on the shoulders but no armor. Never been hurt in that coat.

The only time I broke a bone coming off a motorcycle, I high-sided and landed on my shoulder and helmet. Shoei helmet saved my life. Dungaree jacket did not save my collarbone.

I now have a light armored mesh jacket for hot weather (wear armored mesh gloves too), and Slider armored cargo pants. For iffy weather, a Fly jacket-and-pants hi-viz combo. On brisk dry days I often ride in that old horsehide coat.

[Arizona Wayne]

All my get offs have been at slow speeds and I almost always go down frontally, so my full, or modular helmets protect my noggin.   Just jeans are better than nothing at impact but that is all.

[charlie b]

Every time this comes up I think of how many miles I put on bikes when all I wore was blue jeans (or even shorts), a shirt and tennis shoes.  The other half of the time it was in uniform.

Only been off the bike two times, both in parking lots.  Tore my pants and jacket (both were winter time).

Now days commuting I usually wear a leather jacket and jeans with kevlar (but no armor).  If on a trip I get out my textile stuff with armor top and bottom just cause it is easier to deal with in wet and very cold weather.

[rocker59]

My top choice for gear is leather with "hard armor".

Hard armor isn't really that hard.  It's thin plastic that's lined with foam.  Still pretty flexible.

Leather does a lot better "in the wind", plus it will slide better if ever on the pavement.

Most of the time, over the past four years, I've worn some combination of textile with "soft armor".

My biggest beef with textile is that it's loose and light, so catches a lot of wind.  On longer rides, that can become tiring.

Yesterday, I wore my Olympia 1-pc suit on a 300 mile day to the Okie Campout.  It really wore me out, despite being flexible enough to use in a 40-degree temp change. 

I guess if I rode bikes with more wind protection, it wouldn't be that big a deal, but I like snug-fitting garments on longer rides.

[jdgretz]

My normal gear lode is:

Jacket - Tourmaster 3/4 Sonora Air - full CE armor in shoulder and elbows, soft whatever on the back.
Pants -  Moto-Port stretch kevlar - full CE armor in knees (long stuff down the shin as well), their Level 3 stuff is on the hips and butt.
Helmet - Shoei GT-Air.
Gloves - something with protection over the knuckles (leather in spring, fall, and winter (heated or lined) and mesh the rest of the time).
Boots -  if it's not raining when I leave, Alpinstars SMX-3.  If it's raining or I know it will be while I'm out, Bilt something or other that was on sale.

My unintended dismounts have been low speed low-sides and the gear has worked as designed - no abrasions, only bruises, except one busted lip where I hit the windshield with my face shield up 

The Kevlar pants have very good abrasion qualities and slide as well as leather.

jdg

[WitchCityGuzzi]

I wear soft armor. There's a great treatise on it on the Motoport site. There's been a lot of research and the soft definitely outperforms the hard. My Vanson leather had hard armor and I've since replaced it with the soft, and both my Motoport jackets have the soft quad armor. I find it really comfortable as well.

[SDC]

Depends on your type of riding in my experience. In the right weather (dry and not too hot) you can't beat a leather suit with built in armour for comfort and protection. If you ride all weather I'd go with a quality, well-fitted, textile suit with soft armour, just because they are more comfortable (temperature control and rain) and versatile. I use a Tiger Angel (Australian Brand) which has been excellent. Not cheap though, but tailored to my size which keeps the armour in the right place and also stops things flapping about in the wind.
As for jeans - don't kid yourself that they will protect you in a fall.

[Lcarlson]

Currently: Nexx full-face helmet in fluorescent orange with matching Conspicuity vest over Tourmaster Element jacket (claimed to be waterproof leather) with soft CE armor.. Kevlar reinforced jeans w/o armor. Cruiserworks boots. Lee Parks gloves (highly recommended).

Summer: same but with Vanson perforated Breeze jacket (no armor ) and Vanson perforated engineer gloves.

Touring: same but with Aerostich Darien pants (to handle rain mostly).