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A bit of help here?~Pressure suit/knee guards.

Iridemtb

Turbo Monkey
Feb 2, 2007
1,497
-1
Ok, so I have a pressure suit, but I am in the market for something a little more flexible if possible. Here is what I currently have:

http://www.pricepoint.com/images/styleimages/D_535 SSOPS7.jpg

I am looking at this: http://www.sixsixone.com/Catalog_661Bike.aspx?id=1045284f-9660-47ab-839d-e5406dcc47b8&product=73c7aa18-b7c8-45c3-a878-e971d4274cee

I like the newer one because I have read in various forums and threads on here that is is more form fitting, it has more ventilation, and I appreciate the fact that it has a wider spine gaurd.

Basically, I am wondering if it is worth $200 of performance more?

I am not going with dainese (too pricey), I looked at a few other things too like a fox launch suit, but I am not to keen on the fact that the front plate allows the sternum open, and it doesn't look like it has as tough padding as the 661 pro. I am open to a suggestion on rock garden I guess.


Next on the plate, I need new knee/shin gaurds. I have these:
http://www.sixsixone.com/Catalog_661Bike.aspx?id=54d204c6-725a-4d9e-979b-8ed67b816d4e&product=21ad13c7-f0fe-4ebc-90a3-0d4db83f6318

And I have the slip ons to prevent them from moving, but these guards are almost dead, it is time for a new pair.

I was looking at TLD's Lopes guards:
http://www.brianlopes.com/albums/2006RandomPic2/TLD_Lopes55_Protection.png

And also these 661's:http://www.sixsixone.com/Catalog_661Bike.aspx?id=b8a0c6c4-60c1-44b3-83b6-a578b5b2270e&product=c2bb0970-0fce-4da7-ab02-24d753a38a62

Thanks guys for your help in advance. Sorry to serve up so many questions.
 

Leppah

Turbo Monkey
Mar 12, 2008
2,294
3
Utar
That's a ton of questions.

If it were me, i'd just stick to your current pressure suit unless you just want to spend the money. As far as shin guards go, i'd just go to your local bike shop and try them on. That's probably the best way to figure out what you want to buy. You want something comfy. You'll be wearing that stuff for hours on end. You don't want to buy something that looks cool, only to find out that it's uncomfy as hell.
 

MinorThreat

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2005
1,630
41
Nine Mile Falls, WA
I waited through a couple of backorders last year and with much anticipation for my Pro PS and got it in the early Fall. I wish I had not tried so hard; I think I like my old PS better.

The Pro is lighter and the fabric is nicer/more ventialted. BUT, the torso portion is shorter than the standard PS, which puts the 'kidney belt' wrap across the bottom of my rib cage on my 6'-1" frame, instead of around my waist where it feels like it should be. I DO like the extra velcro wraps to snug the spine protector to the kidney belt. I also like that the spine guard comes a bit lower and almost covers my tailbone.

If I were you, I would look at the 09 Pressure Suit - - the torso is noticeably longer and they've made some nice upgrades to it from previous models.

Shinguards: Like you, I found the Race Lites don't stay in place well without using Padlocks over them. I gave them to my daughter-in-law for riding Galbraith. The new Race guards have two upper straps now besides the knee 'sock' and should stay put even better than the older model Races do (mine only have one upper and the sock). My new ones are on the way from VSG right now.
 

dest

Monkey
Aug 1, 2006
180
0
NYCity
keep the your current pressure suit buy new knee shin pads i just bought new race pads by 661 there great and dont look like they will slip but they are white not grey as they look in the pic. the tld lopes are very small if you have small legs go for it but if not they are like elbow pads.
 

Iridemtb

Turbo Monkey
Feb 2, 2007
1,497
-1
I see there is no difference between the 08 and 09 pro pressure suit. Is the pro pressure suit, the suit you are talking about, or are you talking about the normal pressure suit I should check out?

Also I called 661 real quick and asked, and they said there were no changes to the pro model for 09.

I just have one question about your pressure suit Minor Threat, and this is kind of picky I know, but does the front of your suit protrude at all? Mine makes me look like I have tits through my jersey, haha.

Minor Threat and Dest, would you pm me or post back here after you guys use your knee/shin gaurds once or twice? That would be awesome. I have about medium legs I guess you could say, they are like the hulk, and they aren't toothpicks either.

Any more suggestions would be great from you guys.
 
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MinorThreat

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2005
1,630
41
Nine Mile Falls, WA
Shows you how much I paid attention - - didn't know the PS upgrades were done last year. Guess I was so set on getting the Pro.

I don't notice any 'man-boob' protrusions. But I'm pretty scrawny, so anything that buffs me out is probably a help
You could unzip and remove the hard-shell chest plate and see if that helps - - it's a tad bulky.

For knee-shin, my legs run medium to distance-runner-chicken-leg and I wear the Mediums. They're still a bit roomyand I have to cinch up the straps to the limit; but my manly pride prevents me from getting the pee-wee sizes :D.

Will try to remember to give you an update after i've used the new ones. dest, glad actually to hear the cups are white - - that's what the protos were; the logo space will be handy.
 
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Iridemtb

Turbo Monkey
Feb 2, 2007
1,497
-1
check out forcefield armour, most likely what ill be getting when im in the market for a new suit.

http://www.descent-world.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=977&Itemid=82
The rubber sounds like a bad idea, although the suit would seem good for like something in between downhill and all mountain. I have bruised my self with 661 race lights on, and even with pads on my pressure suit, I don't get scratched or scraped, but I have hit the ground, rocks, etc... so hard that I get bruised through the padding. Imagine what would happen if it was made of a tough rubber, or I didn't wear anything at all.

Thanks guys for the suggestions so far though.
 

?????

Turbo Monkey
Jun 20, 2005
1,678
2
San Francisco
Go with the Dainese 3x knee/shin pads. They're no more expensive than the other options and they actually stuff into themselves when you bend your knee.
 

freeridefool

Monkey
Jun 17, 2006
647
0
medford, or
I work for a very large motocycle online store and we deal all of the valencia group products. Which includes 661. We also deal tld. So I get to play with all the new stuff that comes out. The tld lopes knee pads suck. After running around the warehouse with them on they had already moved around. In fact in my oppinion all of the tld stuff has gone downhill. We recieve alot of returned tld gear for bad seams and poor construction. I love my tld stuff though.

The pro pressure suit is loads better than the regular one. But if I already had the regular one i wouldnt buy the pro. I just bought the core protector and I love it. Thats my two cents hope it helps.
 

?????

Turbo Monkey
Jun 20, 2005
1,678
2
San Francisco
I work for a very large motocycle online store and we deal all of the valencia group products. Which includes 661. We also deal tld. So I get to play with all the new stuff that comes out. The tld lopes knee pads suck. After running around the warehouse with them on they had already moved around. In fact in my oppinion all of the tld stuff has gone downhill. We recieve alot of returned tld gear for bad seams and poor construction. I love my tld stuff though.

The pro pressure suit is loads better than the regular one. But if I already had the regular one i wouldnt buy the pro. I just bought the core protector and I love it. Thats my two cents hope it helps.
Did TLD fire all of their designers for 2009? What happened to all of their helmets and jerseys?
 

Iridemtb

Turbo Monkey
Feb 2, 2007
1,497
-1
I work for a very large motocycle online store and we deal all of the valencia group products. Which includes 661. We also deal tld. So I get to play with all the new stuff that comes out. The tld lopes knee pads suck. After running around the warehouse with them on they had already moved around. In fact in my oppinion all of the tld stuff has gone downhill. We recieve alot of returned tld gear for bad seams and poor construction. I love my tld stuff though.

The pro pressure suit is loads better than the regular one. But if I already had the regular one i wouldnt buy the pro. I just bought the core protector and I love it. Thats my two cents hope it helps.
Hmmmm. Did you happen to be able to try this?
http://catalog.troyleedesigns.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2016


http://www.forcefieldbodyarmour.co.uk/reviews.asp

Check out the reviews on the Forcefield armour in the link above. I'm running the L2 back protector and it is the most comfortable piece of bike armour I've got at the moment.
Yea, like I said above, I think the stuff is good for lighter riding probably (dj's, something in between all mountain and freeride), but if you take a slam in a rock garden going 30mph, I doubt it is going to protect you the same as a hardshell would.

Thanks again guys, keep it comming if you would.
 

Sghost

Turbo Monkey
Jul 13, 2008
1,038
0
NY
I understand what your saying with how you want the front plate to be solid instead of zippered, but I don't think its the way to go. With the front zipper designs it allows more articulation to not shift coverage, and offers more for your ribs and sides.

These are my picks:
Rockgardn Flak Jacket


Azonic/O neal Underdog


Fox would be third
 

scottishmark

Turbo Monkey
May 20, 2002
2,121
22
Somewhere dark, cold & wet....
The rubber sounds like a bad idea, although the suit would seem good for like something in between downhill and all mountain. I have bruised my self with 661 race lights on, and even with pads on my pressure suit, I don't get scratched or scraped, but I have hit the ground, rocks, etc... so hard that I get bruised through the padding. Imagine what would happen if it was made of a tough rubber, or I didn't wear anything at all.

Thanks guys for the suggestions so far though.
i thnk you're missing the point with Forcefield kit. the idea with the rubber is to spread the force of any impact over a larger area than the likes of Dainese hard pads do.

I wear their padded shorts and in one particularly memorable train wreck the only parts of my body that didn't show any signs of damage were those covered by Forcefield (this includes putting a hole in my shim through my Dainese pads). It might just have been luck but i've had a few other crashes that seem to have come out the same way (I've even reduced from 4-layer to 2 as it seems like overkill now!)

As for the Pro PS. I switched from an 08 Dainese Race Jacket to an 09 Pro Pressure Suit. That was definitely a good choice as Dainese seem to have gone a bit screwy with their sizing these days. Dainese is best avoided imo unless you can try one on first or have unusually long arms :monkey: Maybe the quality isn't quite as high as Dainese and the wide neck is a bit odd (imo) but the 661 doesn't interfere in the slightest when I'm riding.
 

Iridemtb

Turbo Monkey
Feb 2, 2007
1,497
-1
The pro pressure suit is loads better than the regular one. But if I already had the regular one i wouldnt buy the pro. I just bought the core protector and I love it.
ALSO, I was thinking about getting a core protector with a leatt brace, but what do you do for shoulder protection? I have smashed the side of my shoulders into trees before, and that worries me.
 

freeridefool

Monkey
Jun 17, 2006
647
0
medford, or
ALSO, I was thinking about getting a core protector with a leatt brace, but what do you do for shoulder protection? I have smashed the side of my shoulders into trees before, and that worries me.
I've never put a leatt on with my core protector. So I dont know about that. I have never felt that I needed shoulder protectors or elbow guards so thats why I opted for the core. But to answer your other question I havent tried the tld protection jacket thing. I have held one and looked at one quite a bit, but I just feel its too bulky for what I want so I was never intrested. I will say if you are going to be buying one or the other you should check out www.motorcyclesuperstore.com Its a shameless plug but hey if your order from us then your keeping a fellow monkey in a job and our prices are pretty good.
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
I know I know, 661 rock garden Blah Blah.........I know there all good, But here is my report on a company that gets overlooked in MTB/DH.

EVS-Sports. I know you think mostly moto, but they make some damn good products. I currently wear the BJ22 ultrax jersey, and while it may feel a bit bulky, I cant tell its on while I am riding, its looks big, but its light, very protective<tested it two weeks ago the hard way> and damn it works well.

I will give, the shoulder pads are a bit bulky, but its not noticable while riding


So, here is a link, its flash so I cant give a direct link.

http://www.evs-sports.com/
 

Sghost

Turbo Monkey
Jul 13, 2008
1,038
0
NY
EVS makes good product, a suit from them completely slipped my mind, and theirs is pretty hot