‘How much protection do I actually need?’
I recently had an accident that resulted in smashed ribs, a punctured lung, a broken shoulder and a broken pelvis. I was wearing leathers with built-in protection and, as I also have previous injuries, extra knee and shin protectors with a full-length back protector.
I’m wondering whether extra gear actually gives extra protection, or whether it interferes with built-in protection. Is there any research into this? I’m guessing no-one looks at x-rays and injuries after an accident to see how the gear has worked. On returning to biking, once fit, I’m thinking of buying an air vest but would like to know if this would, on inflation, be more likely to push any extra protection into my back? Martin Poll
Sorry to hear about your accident Martin. I wouldn’t be worried about extra protection with an airbag — the hardware resides inside an integrated back protector on most so you wouldn’t need a separate back protector too. Air vests can work well, proteting the chest, neck and pelvis and you can swap between kit, but it may also be worth considering clothing with an integrated airbag, designed to work in conjunction with your armour and they have been proven to work in a decade of Motogp crashes. Their price is coming down all the time, too. Oh, and get well soon! MW