Body Armour

[Pebble]

I recently thought the same thing and ended up getting the Fox Launch Pads (knee/shin). A couple of rides on them and they're not as bulky as I imagined, have excellent ventillation and great clip system. They are surprisingly comfortable to pedal in as well.
But I did have some issues with rubbing above my knee. Only talking two rides though & I have a feeling that they need to sit a bit higher to what I had them, which would possibly solve the problem.
On the downside I noticed the stitching on the side of one of the elastic straps is already coming off. I've emailed the store where I brought them to see what the next step is - exchange etc, hopefully it's a warranty issue.

In summary I do like the fox launch pads but they have potential comfort issues and quality control (stitching looks good I just got a dud I think). And I reckon you could do better: Race Face (also known as Roach) Rally FR pads have heaps of good reviews and other's I'd maybe look at are the Mace Tectonic.

Prior to that I've had the 661 veggie knee wraps and found the stitching at the back used to rub badly & they were not comfortable.

But yeah I've found that wearing knee/shins gave me a secure sort of feeling, not invincible just secure. Haven't taken the step to elbow guards yet.

If you are riding clipless pedals you may also like to consider just knee guards instead of knee/shin as they are probably more comfy for pedalling. Knee/Shin is probably recommended if you're using platforms.

[TerraNik]

I have a pair of RaceFace/Roach FR shin/knees... They're pretty good. I find that when I pedal they don't slip or anything, but they are pretty bulky... A little difficult to pedal in, but you get that when you're wearing a whole bunch of plastic on your legs!!!!! I've been investigating getting the TLD T-bones or 661 Kyle Straits (just knee pads) for those not-so-rocky tracks. I've heard that they are really comfortable and give adequate protection.

I also have the RaceFace/Roach FR Elbow pads which are great... When riding they don't move at all, and although they get a bit hot I can hardly tell they're there in terms of comfort. Again, a little trouble bending at the elbow in them, but you don't do too much of that when you're riding!

I have no idea how they'll hold up in a crash... Hopefully I won't have to find out!

[Pebble]

The stitching came loose or something after 2 to 3 rides in the fox launch pads and the particular strap started deteriorating pretty quickly. So I sent them back & opted for a store credit rather than replacement.
Comfort factor - I think I may have been wearing them lower than I should have been (ie should have been more over the knee or something) and that probably would have taken care of the rubbing issue.

Thinking of trying Roach (or Race Face it's known as now) Rally FR pads. Concerned wether they will be much bulkier than the Fox Launch - anyone know?

Otherwise these look pretty good (Mace Tectonic) and sort of low profile, but provide the back calf protection too: the design was drastically changed for '07 though so having 2nd thoughts.

Interested in other suggestions as well as per Wavedancer's original thread.

[tattiefritter]

I have some RaceFace FR ones as well which I bought to wear on a biking holiday in Spain, they were comfortable enough on descents but too warm and annoying on the long climbs. The trails were very rocky there (and I'm used to rocky) but I didn't find they boosted my confidence as such, I rode as I normally do as the protection isn't that extensive really - they won't stop a broken wrist. One of the guys fell off and his nice dainese knee armour moved, so he hit his knee anyway! I have short legs and got their smallest size, fine in length and fine for the knee straps but the back of leg straps were a little short for my cyclists calves! The small elbow pads were a very good fit.

But.....I'd never bother wearing them in the UK, even though I ride on some pretty rocky, slippy, slimy tracks and do my fair share of falling. I don't want to rely on them for confidence which may happen if I wore them all the time. I also couldn't be bothered taking them on and off on climbs/descents, I'd end up carrying them for nothing. I'm not entirely convinced that putting armour on will stop you being scared (fear of falling is a good thing). Learning to handle your bike properly (say by going to a skills class) will probably do more for you - I know a skills class did a lot for me personally.

Armour is becoming more prevalent, we turned up at one of the UK forestry centres with specific built mountain bike trails and I've never seen so much armour (and the XC trails are smooth and pretty non-technical, no need for armour), particularly on women - I'm waiting to see them on roadies next.

Sorry, that was a bit of a rant, but I think that people coming into MTBing now see all these pictures of people wearing armour and think thats what you need to wear. When I started it wasn't the case and you just got on with it (ee them were the days! ) and learned to not fall off - there is a definite attitude difference.

So... RaceFace: I found them comfy, very warm, seemed to stay put but I never really tested them by landing on them, heavy.

Others I tried:

Dainese: a lot lighter, more mesh and cooler, but hated the fit, felt flimsy in comparison to the RaceFace.
661: Similar to Dainese but heavier and not as well made.

[madisongrrl]

It is really not necessary to buy body gear for standard mountain biking. I think it just gets in the way, its heavy, expensive and hot. The only thing that has ever given me confidence is riding more singletrack, riding with people who are better than me (watching them do difficult sections) and learning more about the techniques used in mountain biking.

Examine the situations when you hit the dirt. Think about what happended, why did it happen and how could you have approached it differently? And if your not sure of something, dismount and walk it. Then you can determine if you want to ride it or move on to the next thing. Good luck.

[SadieKate]

I absolutely believe in the right protective gear in the right situations. Sometimes all it does is let you relax a little more which means you ride the obstacle and gain some confidence. There are skills clinics which won't let you ride without -- even for skills that some might not call extreme.

Gear comes in all types and categories. I just ride technical singletrack. I do not ride downhill or take huge jumps or risks. But there are times that a little light protection helps a lot. I carry these knee and elbow guards in my hydration pack and have put them on for technical sections - and take them back off for the easier aerobic stuff.

I use Skinz knee guards - very light and comfy so can be ridden in XC applications.

And plain old Fox Launch elbow guards.

Everybody's head is in a different place and if a little Armour helps them gain confidence and learn without being hurt, go for it. I don't care how many times you watch someone, you have to take the plunge and a little armor can help your mental attitude preventing a fall. Even a minor fall or brush up against volcanic rock or sandstone can do some damage. Gauge what your risks are against the type of riding and temperature, and try to find something that you will be willing to wear.

[Pebble]

I don't think it's so much about confidence, sure you feel more protected and perhaps gain confidence from wearing armour but in the end I want to wear it for different reasons. Mainly because I ride on my own. I value my knees, and I have a couple of young kids to look after at home so downtime would not be very nice.
If I wear it and never fall off well I guess I'll consider myself lucky. I still think it's worth having and using if you want to. Just like helmets never used to be mainstream and not everyone wore them if they had the option, perhaps armour is going the same way, becoming more widely acceptable as the standard, probably due to DH & FR influences in the sport.

I reckon there are probably alot of people, and new riders in particular who would like to wear some form of armour even in xc races, but in the end worry too much about what people thing and end up going with the main stream.

It's unfortunate that most of us have to have some kind of incident before thinking "what if" or "i wish i had armor" and then the pain is soon forgotten again.
From a womens perspective if pain wasn't forgotten I don't think anyone would be having more than one kid

I think I'll be deciding between the mace tectoninc, & race face FR.

[tattiefritter]

Everybody's head is in a different place and if a little Armour helps them gain confidence and learn without being hurt, go for it. I don't care how many times you watch someone, you have to take the plunge and a little armor can help your mental attitude preventing a fall. Even a minor fall or brush up against volcanic rock or sandstone can do some damage. Gauge what your risks are against the type of riding and temperature, and try to find something that you will be willing to wear.

Your absolutely right SK, I'll get off the high horse I seem to have found myself on!

I've been riding a couple of years now and armour wasn't common at all then, very rare for XC type riding so it didn't enter my head to want it. Its still very rare anywhere except the purpose built trails in UK forestry centres. I do have to wonder whether I would be so blase about it if I was starting now. One of the things I want to do next year is learn to jump a bit,not high or big just a bit and I'll likely have armour on for that. Voluntarily launching of the upslope of a jump is something I'm not great with at all Drops of a foot or two aren't so bad but jumps (shudder).

If I ever decide to do full on downhill then I'll be first in line for the stormtrooper suit!

[nerdgirl]

It is really not necessary to buy body gear for standard mountain biking. I think it just gets in the way, its heavy, expensive and hot. The only thing that has ever given me confidence is riding more singletrack, riding with people who are better than me (watching them do difficult sections) and learning more about the techniques used in mountain biking.

Examine the situations when you hit the dirt. Think about what happended, why did it happen and how could you have approached it differently? And if your not sure of something, dismount and walk it. Then you can determine if you want to ride it or move on to the next thing. Good luck.

That's exactly how I ride. Great advice! Last crash, I knew it was going to happen right before it did, and at the time, there was nothing I could do to prevent it. I actually laughed afterwards simply because I knew what I did to cause it, even though I ended up with a bloody arm and a bruised rib. However, I see it as all part of the learning process. I ignored the bruised rib and rode again a couple days later, and that time, I went right through that spot no problem, because I knew what needed to be done.

I exclusively ride singletrack with my boyfriend, who is an advanced rider. It's very hilly, winding, and rocky. I always have him go in front of me and watch what he does and where he goes. I feel like I'm getting lessons, and also I know what hazards, if any, are coming because I see him do it first!

Gravity is a harsh mistress, though, and now that I am nursing a horribly painful bruised rib, I am somewhat considering some body armor, especially since I am doing some challenging dowhill. Only trouble is, I'm rather well-endowed but have a narrow waist, so finding the right size seems impossible. I'm considering trying mens. As smart as I try to ride, a little extra padding might prevent another bruised rib. I am realistic and know that if I continue to challenge myself so I can progress, there will always be crashes from time to time

[Aggie_Ama]

This is an old thread but maybe someone will comment.

How well does this protect against bruising? I now have a more professional job and would like to stop going to work looking like I have been in a fight. A few weeks ago I bruised my wrist ridiculously bad. It is too hot to wear long sleeves but those buises were terrible. I think this is really hurting my confidence because no one likes falling but when you bruise extremely easy it is embarassing to explain later.