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All body armour sold in the EU is certified to Level 1 or Level 2, which indicates the amount of force the padding can absorb.
Alpinestars’s vest is well cut with a close fit and no awkward zip placement or sharp edges, but I felt the material is slightly ‘shinier’ and harder, and doesn’t feel quite as soft against skin as POC’s cushy fabric. CE Level 1 is rated to transmit a maximum force of 18kN, with no single value exceeding 24kN upon impact. Reasons to buy: High protection rating, very comfortable, low profile look and fit, good breathability Padding is constructed from D30 impact-hardening polymer along the spine panel and shoulder pads, which feels supple and flexible when riding but hardens to provide protection upon impact. It’s lightweight and comfortable, but be aware that it doesn’t offer the higher Level 2 protection that other body armour items here do. Body armour is less relevant if you are riding cross-country because you’re less likely to have the same high-impact crashes you see in enduro racing and downhill riding.
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The Rogue Plate Carrier is a performance-minded machine that will keep up with your workout no matter how hard you go. This top-tier model scored perfectly in our performance metric and earned a rare – but well-deserved – near-perfect overall score. The slim profile and open-side design aid in breathability and comfort; we could swing our arms normally during running and complete full-range-of-motion push-ups and pull-ups with zero interference from the vest. Its thoughtful chest design and optional shoulder pads easily supported the 20 pounds of weight we tested it with, and the velcro waist and shoulder straps let us cinch it down to perfection for full-speed sprints. The shoulder strap design deserves special recognition; it can be adjusted on the fly to customize the fit mid-workout, even while wearing a fully loaded vest. For the pads to be effective, they need to be held in place over the parts of your body they’re designed to protect. While our tests objectively measure performance, it is important to consider what style of vest you may prefer based on how you plan to use your new weight vest. These vests fall into three different categories, and each has its strengths: A snug fit ensures less potential movement of pads and panels and also helps keep protection low profile for a sleeker look under clothing. Softer, floppier fabrics vs the tighter squeeze of a compression fit will be a personal choice. 3. Protection levels
Trail armour is usually the easiest to wear, with less padding and therefore more breathability for longer days in the saddle.If you’re racing, especially downhill or enduro, or riding harder, faster or on more technical trails, you may want to consider body protection above and beyond just helmets and knee-pads. Mountain bike body armour will help keep your torso, and particular risk areas such as the chest, spine, coccyx and shoulders, protected in the event of a crash. 1. Materials and fabric In terms of performance and fit, we found it supremely comfortable and low profile, and it’s a direct rival to the IXS Flow Vest which is heavier, but also offers more protection. Downhill riders tend to wear body armour to prevent injury. Craig Mercer - CameraSport / Contributor Leatt’s Body Tee AirFlex Stealth slimline top is light and comfy enough to wear all day, and the open mesh fabric means it doesn’t feel too hot on long climbs. The compression fit is just that, nice and tight, but once you’re in it’s actually very comfortable and we didn’t experience any rubbing or chaffing. The fabric design also helps regulate temperature well, providing insulation when it’s cold and controlling heat build-up when it’s hot.
It has an off-set full-length zipper plus an elastic waistband which we found was effective in preventing the vest from riding up. The fit is comfortably snug, despite being described as a ‘compressive’ fit, so you don’t feel squeezed while wearing it. In action, the breathable fabric, close and slightly-compressive fit and offset zip design meant the vest stayed secure and twist-free, but because it’s a pull-on design, you can’t open the front to dump heat when things get too hot. Some body armour will have more pads than others to protect your ribs, kidneys, hips and coccyx. Weight The best body armour will feel secure when you’re riding without sacrificing comfort. Certification
How we tested
This panel is constructed from iXS’s own X-Matter material, which hardens on impact, but stays flexible on the body when warmed up. Ridge-like features allow it to bend and flex with the spine. Rated at EU Level 2, it’s designed to handle crashes at almost motor- rather than mountain bike speeds, yet doesn’t feel bulky. The protective padding is called Sas-Tec and is flexible in all directions; we found it flexed well with the body when riding. Sas-Tec is an expanded polypropylene foam with visco-elastic properties, which means it’s soft and flexy while riding but hardens in response to impact to absorb forces and offer protection. The padding layer is quite thin and this protection vest only offers a Level 1 protection rating.
A tight fit will reduce the amount of movement from the pads, while making the body armour less obstructive to your movements. Overall in our opinion this is the most comfortable protection vest we’ve tested, especially at this high impact protection rating. Weight makes a big difference to how the body armour feels, with heavier items feeling more restrictive to your natural riding position and causing added fatigue.We found moisture-management to be great, as is ventilation, but it is also the heaviest vest we’ve tested and we could certainly feel that extra weight.
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