[demo 9]

I would love to make this a sticky (but i dont have that authority) It seems that there are alot of threads lately about what helmet and all sorts of Leatt brace threads so i figure that there should be some sort of thread for staying "safe" We have a Sticky for those stupid sundays, why not one to keep us safe. Not sure how to start it but post all the safety stuff in here.

 

[Total Heckler]

Leatt brace FTW. Best $400 I have ever spent on safety gear.

 

[Prettym1k3]

Here's the products that I would vouch for because they've saved my skin and bones at least once, if not repeatedly.

Bell Ballistic helmet
THE IZYK Helmet
Bell Slant
661 Gracia gloves
Royal Pro gloves
661 Kyle Strait knee pads
Utopia Optics Warrant Goggles
Leatt Club Brace

I also love my 661 Mullet helmet, but it just doesn't fit my head properly.

Things I would NOT recommend:
Fox elbow pads. They slip and slide and never stay in place.
Fox shin guards. The Velcro doesn't hold and they slide around.

 

[mtnbiker49]

Okay, Ive ordered the 661 carbon evolution, THE Ink Composite, Fox Rampage, and also a Troy lee.

Should I think about returning all and getting a moto style such as Fox V1, 661 flight or fexix, or the Troy Lee SE2?

Or will the bicycle DH helmets be sufficient for Diablo Freeride park? All I need to know is moto or bicycle?

 

[Thiago]

I've never seen anybody talking about the ADVenture leatt brace. That's all I could buy. I always read about "get the Club and bla bla bla". Was it a good deal or should I have spent more money on the Club one?

 

[Hesh To Steel]

Just out of curiosity, why did you order 4 helmets at a time?

Anyway, in my short career to date here's what I've owned that I recommend:

Bell bellistic helmet (CPSC)
Rockgardn Blacklite helmet (DOT)
Fox Launch elbow/knee pads
Rockgardn Trailstar armor
Raceface bearclaw gloves
Rockgardn Fate CF gloves

Stuff I don't recommend:

Fox Basic (I think) knee/shin pads.

 

[rayhaan]

I've never seen anybody talking about the ADVenture leatt brace. That's all I could buy. I always read about "get the Club and bla bla bla". Was it a good deal or should I have spent more money on the Club one?

the adventure brace is just as good as the club but without the extra adjustability. so buying the adventure brace was a good move

 

[rayhaan]

my contribution...

Leatt brace (Culb/Adventure) depends what you can afford
Giro Remedy (Carbon/Composite) both equally as safe.
661 Race knee/shin guards.
661 race forearm/elbow guards.


Troy Lee XC gloves

 

[Total Heckler]

the adventure brace is just as good as the club but without the extra adjustability. so buying the adventure brace was a good move

You will notice the needed adjustability for DH riding when you are going down a steep hill. I got the club and that almost doesn't have enough looking back movement for me to be comfortable. Once I got it adjusted I barley notice it.

Seriously, be careful on your first decent with it on...

 

[Sandwich]

I crack up when I see people with "barely there" knee pads, a leatt brace, and a helmet and goggle and nothing else. Even better is when they skip the knee pads in addition. I guess to each, their own, but if you're so serious about safety to protect your neck, why not do the elbows knees and spine as well?

I have:
Dainese upper body suit, great kit but doesn't fit too well, I may need a size larger or maybe it's fine, I can't really tell but nothing hurts when I wear it so whoopty do.
Giro remedy...love this helmet. Has the certifications I want, keeps me cool, is light enough so I don't notice it, and is super easy on and off. I'll buy a new one when I wreck in this
Fox 911 or something elbow pads. Super excellent construction, but they upper pads are a little too loose to really stay in place. They still haven't let me down and no stitching or anything has come loose.
Troy lee shorts. I have a pair of 04 moto and 08 sprint shorts, and I love them both. Don't neglect the clothing you wear when you ride. For people with matching kit, they're fine, but for newbs a good set of abbrasion resistant clothing can be a godsend. I got a stick in my leg at whiteface that ended my day and I probably would have been fine with the nylon moto shorts....c'est la vie.

Sh.t I hate:
Raceface knee/shins. Stitching is blown out in a season, they're so big that they can't slide down your leg, but they can pull away from your knee in a slide because of the way the pad is held on. Not worth it, not a good design, and I would not recommend them to anybody unless they have problems with things sliding OFF THEIR FEET while riding.
Early 661 Race knee shins. Not sure whether these have gotten better, but the original pair I had (with white caps) would slide down religiously, lost all of their stitching, and barely had enough padding to cope with a good hit. Would not recommend to anybody. I used mine for paintball for a while and still had trouble with them sliding down.

I'll invest in a leatt when the price comes down a bit or other manufacturers start offering similar products. I know it's a great option, but I'll have to make due with the dainese until I get faster or richer. I'm still looking for a decent set of knee/shins.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

so can someone give some real world feedback on the Leatte adventure vs. club, I really don’t have the coin to shell out $400, but as many have posted it is very smart to invest in this. I know it was said above that the adjustment is nice but is it a must have?

I am headed to whistler in 3 weeks and want to purchase one prior to heading out, I need some ride time on it before as well. Every year at whistler I swear I have a total OH SH1T moment and I want this guy on when it happens in 09.

cheers

 

[rayhaan]

three friends of mine all use adventure braces, and only on the very steepest stuff do they notice it hindering them moving their head far back. two of them use giro remedy. and the other has a troy lee d2.
I can't fully comment or compare the two because I use a club leatt brace. This is just going on what they say.

 

[jonKranked]

Sandwich,

in regards to the knee pads: I used to use full knee/shin, but over the years as I have progressed and have gotten much better about not slipping pedals. Also, I switched over to 5.10's and have not smashed a pedal to my shin in the last 2 years (at least on my DH and FR bikes, BMX and trials don't count). I switched over to just knee pads and it hasn't been an issue. I am currently using 661 tomcats. The fit could bet better, but they stay put well enough that I haven't been hurt or injured because of them shifting slightly. The only injuries to my shins this year have been from jagger bushes, and a single random baby head that got thrown up during a turn at the beginning of the season.

My next pair of knee pads is going to be POC VPD knee pads. From everyone I've talked to that uses them, nothing else even comes close to fitting that well but more importantly not moving. Very pricey though.

I am also planning on getting a POC VPD spine protector (the one without chest or shoulder pads). I wouldn't mind shoulder pads, but I've heard the chest pads can be annoying, just like all other chest pads.

 

[DHperu]

I've never seen anybody talking about the ADVenture leatt brace. That's all I could buy. I always read about "get the Club and bla bla bla". Was it a good deal or should I have spent more money on the Club one?

it offers the exact same protection so as long as its comfortable for you to ride in then its an awesome deal. The only difference with the adventure vs the other two is that is has less adjustments that could compromise comfort level.

 

[Hesh To Steel]

I crack up when I see people with "barely there" knee pads, a leatt brace, and a helmet and goggle and nothing else. Even better is when they skip the knee pads in addition. I guess to each, their own, but if you're so serious about safety to protect your neck, why not do the elbows knees and spine as well?

When I see this it actually makes the most sense to me. The dudes that do this where I ride (diablo) seem to be mostly guys who race and are rather fast/skilled. For those guys I guess the biggest threats are really bad spills at high speeds, the kind that can snap a neck or crack a skull. Those injuries won't just ruin a day, they can ruin a life, so rather than protect themselves from the bruises/scrapes/cuts that knee/elbow pads protect us from, they just worry about the really major injuries.

If you take a header in a nasty rock garden going Mach 2, your main concern is going to be ending up in a wheelchair for life, not some lost skin on your elbows.

 

[DH Dad]

Sandwich,

in regards to the knee pads: I used to use full knee/shin, but over the years as I have progressed and have gotten much better about not slipping pedals. Also, I switched over to 5.10's and have not smashed a pedal to my shin in the last 2 years (at least on my DH and FR bikes...

Be very careful when you say things like that. I too wear 5.10's and have Atom Lab Aircorps pedals and went the last 2 seasons without slipping a pedal. Think I said what you just said a month ago and then slipped a pedal the following day on a muddy ride to shred my left shin. I wore shin pads my next ride but the following ride when it was drier left them at home again and slipped my right foot to put matching lines on that shin. Maybe the 5.10's start losing something after a couple of years or it's just too damn wet in the NorthEast this year.

Couple of years ago I was ranting and raving about my UST setup and how I hadn't had a flat in 2 years and sure enough got a flat that same day and 2 more that month!

 

[demo 9]

Im one of those guys that has a helmet and leatt brace only. Sometimes ill ride with knee pads. Personally, i can probably break my arm and skin my knee a dozen times, but cant afford to snap my neck once. I am also more careful with what i have on. If i feel ill be pushing the limits, i do wear more stuff. Right now i have the Leatt neck brace and a sh!t 661 helmet.

What DOT helmets are good with the leatt, my 661 flight was a POS with the neck brace.

 

[IH8Rice]

ive had great luck with my Dainese Pro knee/shin pads. they are light, dont slip, very comfortable and offer pretty good protection.
i also love my D2 helmet. its saved my dome for years and im ordering the new Palmer Carbon version ASAP.
the THE One helmet was great and cheap at the time, but their XL fits like a medium in other helmets. the mouth piece was basically on my mouth

 

[DORO]

When I see this it actually makes the most sense to me. The dudes that do this where I ride (diablo) seem to be mostly guys who race and are rather fast/skilled. For those guys I guess the biggest threats are really bad spills at high speeds, the kind that can snap a neck or crack a skull. Those injuries won't just ruin a day, they can ruin a life, so rather than protect themselves from the bruises/scrapes/cuts that knee/elbow pads protect us from, they just worry about the really major injuries.

If you take a header in a nasty rock garden going Mach 2, your main concern is going to be ending up in a wheelchair for life, not some lost skin on your elbows.

that makes sense, protect the neck but not spinal cord. ya guy!

I bought a leatte. No issues with it minus the armour underneath. I bought a 661 core saver to accomodate the brace but two things I have found.

The spine protector does no cover the lower spinal area like my rock garden flak jacket and it has limited shoulder protection. But its not bulky which is nice when riding but I think I may switch back to the full jacket for added security and protection.

 

[Sandwich]

JonBro,
I have tossed around the idea of getting just knees, or large knees (hardshell, not the faux pads), but like DH Dad said, it takes one time to remember why we wear knee/shins. I too haven't slipped a pedal in forever, but I also wear the mega pads and if/when I do, I don't notice it. That's worth it to me, for the little bit of heat that they create. I just wish I could find a set that wouldn't slide down AND wouldn't pry away from the knee in a face first slide. I like the PODs, but they are prohibitively expensive, and having seen them in person (but not used them) it looks like another setup where the knee is floppy but the leg is tight...exactly what I want to avoid. I'd have to spend a day in them before I can justify the $100+ price of entry.

To the dudes wearing no pads but a helmet and brace- that's cool, but don't look to me for sympathy next time you ragdoll off a drop or highside a berm or something and wind up with all kinds of broken "stuff". I hate reading about the foolish BMXer who was really good at jumping until his untied shoe got caught in his chain and he ate it hard into something more immovable than his face, and now he's dead/paralyzed/vegetative. We all have bad days, we all have accidents...I say wear what you need to stay safe and have a healthy, extended riding season.

 

[jonKranked]

For the knee shin argument, its more personal preference than anything. Shin guards annoy the hell out of me, so I'm fine with the risk of the occasional shin banger.

As far as the POC's go, knee pads are always going to have to have a little bit of what you call "knee flop" to allow for proper articulation. If they were SUPER SUPER floppy, they may have been the wrong size. They are supposed to fit pretty tight. But yes, they are cost prohibitive to many people. But then again they are filled with what's essentially a non-Newtonian fluid.

 

[OB1]

With all the rocks, sticks, and pedals flying around down there....I won't ride DH without snin/knee guards.

I use:
Dainese race jacket
Dainese under armor shorts
Giro Remedy CF
Race Face knee/shin
5 10 shoes(safety gear, because they keep me on the bike)
661 Gracia gloves

Reviews:
Dainese race jacket- After owning several other brands, and a Dainese 3/4 shuttle suit, this armor has been the best. Breathes better than all. Armor is well placed, and ergonomic. I did however pay a seamstress $14 to shorten the arms above the elbow. I'm in between sizes, and the elbow guard rode a bit low.

Dainese under armor shorts- Crash enough times and you get sick of showering with hip raspberries. Hit your tailbone on a rock, and you'll be KICKING yourself for not wearing these. Never owned a different brand. But I can say these don't cause me any problems. And just like Zoolander, I can take them off without taking my shorts off.

Remedy CF- Again I'm in between sizes. And the helmet doesn't come with "alternate" pads for fit. So my large slops around a bit. Nice and light though. And the carbon fiber makes me look fast. Something needs to.

Race Face knee/snin- As Sandwich stated above, the stiching comes out quickly. These are much better shin guards than knee guards. Shins stay in place and do their job. Since generally crashes leave us sliding downhill headfirst, the knee guards slide down to expose the knee.

5 10 shoes- If you run flats, they will keep your feet on the metal, and the metal off your meat.

661 Gracia gloves- I bought them mostly to add more carbon fiber to my look. And my wife looses her mind if I don't match. But the knuckle protectors have actually been practical. So since they don't slow you down, why not?

 

[Sandwich]

then again they are filled with what's essentially a non-Newtonian fluid.

you're a non-newtonian fluid.

 

[jonKranked]

you're a non-newtonian fluid.

My shear/strain ratio is perfectly linear thank you very much!

Anyways, back on topic.

I have been using a 661 Flight for the last 3 yrs. I have a big dome, and this is one of the few that fit me well. For a moto lid, I was very pleased with its weight and ventilation. I think my next lid might be that moto one that has the flat brim on it

 

[OB1]

I have a big dome that has the flat brim on it

 

[Bicyclist]

I have always liked Rockgardn upper body protection - I have owned 2 Flak Jackets and they always work very well and fit properly as well. The knee pads are too bulky for my taste (I like my 661 Strait's quite a bit). However, lately I want to get a Core Saver + Leatt and have that for upper body, as elbow pads and full suits are just too damn hot here.

 

[Hesh To Steel]

that makes sense, protect the neck but not spinal cord. ya guy

meh. I'm not advocating either way. I'm just saying I understand the logic they're using. In a high speed OTB crash, your highest chance of paralysis inducing injury is probably from head or neck trauma, since OTB spills usually involve flying headfirst down the trail. Obviously anything can happen in a crash, but I'd be willing to bet that more serious nerve injuries happen from broken necks than from slamming a spine onto rocks.

To the dudes wearing no pads but a helmet and brace- that's cool, but don't look to me for sympathy next time you ragdoll off a drop or highside a berm or something and wind up with all kinds of broken "stuff". I hate reading about the foolish BMXer who was really good at jumping until his untied shoe got caught in his chain and he ate it hard into something more immovable than his face, and now he's dead/paralyzed/vegetative. We all have bad days, we all have accidents...I say wear what you need to stay safe and have a healthy, extended riding season.

Haha, don't get me wrong, I wear as much pads as possible, I was just saying I understand why some don't. I think everyone knows the risks, so I don't think anyone necessarily expects you to feel bad for them, haha.

 

[nh dude]

the armor/protection pendulem has swung again a short amount of time.

1.fox launch knee shins have been with me for 3 seasons and they are finally starting to show thier some wear. these things breathe stay put and protect your legs. I slid 20 feet or so at highland in the grass/dirt on the course 2 weeks ago on my right knee baseball style with the bike and didn't seem to mind.

2. dianese jacket.

3. bmw carbon gloves, tld apex carbon gloves, rockgardn carbon gloves, 661 carbon gloves. My vote goes to the tld. lasted me almost a full year. august 2008 to last week when both thumbs blew out. carbon.plastic glvoes are like shingaurds for your hands.

 

[PepperJester]

661 full face helmets have saved my skull more times then I would like to admit. Currently riding the Flight II. I won't be going back to a "DH" lid again. DOT form here on in.

had great luck with some Kona branded shin pads (don't recall the exact model) but that lasted for ever. Horrid luck (like many others) with Race Face shin pads.



I'd like to also vouch for good pedals. Some people mentioned 5 10 shoes but equally important for staying on the bike is a good grippy set of pedals.

 

[demo 9]

661 full face helmets have saved my skull more times then I would like to admit. Currently riding the Flight II. I won't be going back to a "DH" lid again. DOT form here on in.

had great luck with some Kona branded shin pads (don't recall the exact model) but that lasted for ever. Horrid luck (like many others) with Race Face shin pads.



I'd like to also vouch for good pedals. Some people mentioned 5 10 shoes but equally important for staying on the bike is a good grippy set of pedals.

661 helmets are great, unfortunatly, not with the leatt brace. i have to retire the flight to keep the leatt

 

[skatetokil]

I recently dislocated my shoulder because the leatt pushed into my collarbone during a crash. I don't think I would have broken my neck in this particular crash but I did go down very hard in rocks at speed so you never can tell. Buyer beware. If it happens again and I mess up a shoulder cause of a stupid crash I'm gonna start to question wearing the brace. A shoulder's not a neck but I still need it to ride. . . Already had troubles finding a useable helmet.

Hated my 661 knee shins, love my Roach FR, and have a pair of Roach DH's that are just too bulky.

 

[mccdh]

I recently dislocated my shoulder because the leatt pushed into my collarbone during a crash. I don't think I would have broken my neck in this particular crash but I did go down very hard in rocks at speed so you never can tell. Buyer beware. If it happens again and I mess up a shoulder cause of a stupid crash I'm gonna start to question wearing the brace. A shoulder's not a neck but I still need it to ride. . . Already had troubles finding a useable helmet.

Hated my 661 knee shins, love my Roach FR, and have a pair of Roach DH's that are just too bulky.

There are a number of things that could have happened otherwise with/without the brace. If it happened because the ground pushed the brace THAT hard into your collarbone, what would have happened if the brace wasn't there? I dunno doesn't seem worthy of blaming the brace.

 

[Leppah]

I picked up a Moto HJC full face. Pretty burly. Hot as eff, but i feel pretty safe in it. I also wear a 661 pressure suit. I hate how the elbow and chest plate fit, so i pulled them off. Now it's pretty much a soft suit with a back plate. Better than nothing I guess. I'm looking at getting a moto protector (external) so i'm not dying from heat all the time.

661 shinguards work alright too.

 

[demo 9]

I recently dislocated my shoulder because the leatt pushed into my collarbone during a crash. I don't think I would have broken my neck in this particular crash but I did go down very hard in rocks at speed so you never can tell. Buyer beware. If it happens again and I mess up a shoulder cause of a stupid crash I'm gonna start to question wearing the brace. A shoulder's not a neck but I still need it to ride. . . Already had troubles finding a useable helmet.

Hated my 661 knee shins, love my Roach FR, and have a pair of Roach DH's that are just too bulky.

It says on the Leatt site somewhere (99% sure) that this can happen, personally id be happy it wasnt my neck, but to each his own. I am just saying that id think a little more about that dislocated shoulder, its still a SHOULDER, not a dislocated head. Not saying you are wrong, i wasnt there, and wont pretend to know, but its worth the thought.

 

[djjohnr]

Dainese Revolution Knee/Shin - Great pads. Never slip, not too hot and have saved my knees on multiple crashes.

Roach Elbow/Forearm - Don't slip, but very hot and don't offer much protection from crashes into large rocks. It's also harder to use wrist wrap gloves because they come down the wrist so far.

Fox Wrist Wrap Gloves - Best gloves ever; they've saved my already mangled wrists countless times. They also seem to last forever.

Azonic Jacket - Had this thing since 2002, so it's lasted forever - although it's definitely about done (elastic in it doesn't contract anymore). Not the most comfortable thing ever, but it's saved me a bunch of times.

Specialized Deviant Helmet - I HATE this thing. It's uncomfortable (cheek pads push my face in way too much) and the rock lock always breaks. Why they put a rock lock in a full face helmet is beyond me.

Older Fox Knee/Shin - CRAP. Always slipped down. Hot.

Pryme Helmets - Cheap and light. Cracked easy. Did I say cheap?

 

[weedkilla]

I have to admit I kinda dont get this thread (or any thread about protective gear). To me the only protective gear that works is whatever fits. I hate TLD helmets - they dont fit my head, I fit 661 armour but i'm told it sucks because the fit is bad,etc,etc.

However, to chime in -
THE helmets - padding could be attached better, glue on velcro gives before the velcro.

661 evo knee pads - very comfy, stitching/material could be better, take the brunt of an impact before they slip. Better than any knee only pad I've tried.(haven't tried poc)

Fox launch knee/shins - excellent protection, never slip, sometimes come undone.

Fox wrist wrap gloves - took them in to my physio when recovering from a broken wrist, she agreed that they hed the right amount of support. Any more and you would transmit the blow to somewhere else and break arm/elbow/collarbone.

fox 40 - saved my arse too many times

 

[Thiago]

Thanks for the responses on the ADVenture guys!

Here's mine:

Roach FR Knee/Shin - Hated them. They slipped down exposing my knees to injuries everytime I crashed. I've used them when recently launched. So I don't know if they worked on that on the lattest models.

661 Pressure Suit - Yellow one. Old model. Good protection but didn't seem to fit well.

661 Core Saver - First model. Fit well and a good protection.

TLD Knee guard (the one similar to the 661) - Perfect fit and protection.

TLD D2 - Best fit for my type of head.

THE ONE - Not the good fit like the D2 but more comfy. Never crashed with it.

 

[Sandwich]

Thiago,
Are the TLD knee pads you're talking about the Combat, Lopes, or just the knee guard?

 

[Adjunkie]

one thing i didn't see on here that I wear everyday is my fox padded underwear (not sure of the exact name), but they protect my hips.

Also for everyday:

Roach FR knee/shin: great protection except in the instance that you are sliding face first down the hill, then the tops of your knees will probably get torn up from the top of the pad being pushed out of the way.

Specialized Deviant: lightweight, cool, one crash helmet. saved my head in a nasty spill, and now i ride it with broken foam until i can get a new one.

Specialized gloves: ripped the first crash, now duck taped

And back in the day, I had a flack jacket that offered amazing protection, but was hot and bulky. think im gonna try a 661 core saver.

 

[skatetokil]

It says on the Leatt site somewhere (99% sure) that this can happen, personally id be happy it wasnt my neck, but to each his own. I am just saying that id think a little more about that dislocated shoulder, its still a SHOULDER, not a dislocated head. Not saying you are wrong, i wasnt there, and wont pretend to know, but its worth the thought.

Yeah, a crash is a crash and you don't always come out clean. Definitely noticed the disclaimer on the site, but you'd think they could build the brace with a collarbone cutout so that it wasn't as prone to doing damage to the shoulder.

I'll still probably wear the brace, if only because my sort of luck would get me crippled that first ride when i said, "naw, screw this thing, I'll leave it in the truck." It's just that after crashing on my head so many times my neck is pretty flexible and I think I would have just rolled out of this hit without injury if it hadn't been for the brace transmitting all the force into my collarbone. Then again it could have been much worse and I could be kidding myself.