3 Vital Factors To Understand Before Buying Body Armor

Dirt biking is always wrapped in risks. But, your safety on the track lies in your hands. Wearing proper safety gear is the best way to fortify yourself on the rugged tracks. 

Body armor is the most sought-after protection element that you need to keep yourself safe in this high-risk game. But, before you spend your hard-earned money on body armour, you should know a few buying factors to make an informed decision. So, let’s not waste any time and explore some key factors to know about while buying body armors. 

1. Types 

Before you make your purchase, learn about the options available at your disposal. There are three basic types of body armors available on the market, which are further modified to expand the spectrum of options. Here are the basic types of body armors available to you:

• Body pressure suit: Body pressure suits provide overall upper body protection. Their offerings depend on the model you select. Some models include chest and back protectors, elbow guards, and shoulder pads, while some also come with a kidney belt; some armors feature hard thermoplastics, while some provide soft shell 3DF protection. 
• Hard-shell chest protectors: These protectors mainly offer chest protection; however, some armors also provide added back protection and some armors come with additional detachable upper arm deflectors and shoulder guards. They shield the areas that require the most amount of protection. And so, if minimalism is on your mind, hard-shell chest protectors are for you. One of the most noted features of some of these armors is that you can detach the rear side and replace it with a fitment strap. This reduces the overall weight of the armor.
• Padded under armor: Padded under armors are lightweight and offer basic protection. Worn under a jersey, these armors are available in sundry options, including t-shirt style, vest style, and full-length sleeves. These are apt for those hard days when you cannot fathom wearing solid hard plastic protective armor. 

2. Features 

Body armor is quite a big investment, and if you are spending a hefty sum of money on it, buy the one that’s worth every penny spent on it. But, for this, you need to know the safety features offered by this protecting gear. 

We have listed the important safety features that ideal body armor should have. 

• A sturdy polycarbonate external shell material 
• Thick padding around the neck and shoulder
• Armguards that can be removed as per rider’s convenience
• Chest and shoulder straps that can be adjusted to get a snug fit
• Design compatible with a neck brace
• Adequate ventilation

3. CE Ratings 

Body armors are meant to provide protection and their capability of serving their purpose is tested through CE rating or EN European rating. CE or Conformite Europeene, which means European Conformity, is a rating system adopted in 1993 to dictate the motorcycle safety standards in Europe. Though America hasn’t adopted this system officially, several organizations and authorities use it to comprehend the safety standard of motorcycling gears. 

Before buying gear, know about its CE rating. However, consider the fact that several American brands don’t use this European rating standard. This doesn’t mean that their body armor can’t offer good protection. 

However, it’s always better to know about the safety standard of the equipment you are buying. 

The final words 

Riding a bike on a track without body armor is like skating on thin ice. Hence, it is utterly important to wear sturdy body armor to enjoy a safe riding experience. They offer you much-needed protection during your rides from flying back debris, crashes, and falls. If you have a high-quality armor, you can focus all your attention on the track without having to worry about your crashes.  

Now that you have ample details about buying body armor, we hope you select the one that meets all your expectations.