Review: Leatt Chest Protector Adventure

[Capricorn]

I've been looking for chest+back protection, and initially started off with the 661 core saver vest, 2009 model. It did the job, but it was big, and bulky, and the spinal unit was pretty long creating the impression you were born with a duck tail.

 

Then followed the vapor suit bandwagon and bought the 661 vapor suit 2010 model. wore it once just to check the size. Sold it recently with label still attached Again, too bulky.

 

i wanted something that could take some impact, but mainly be very low profile, forming fitting really,lightweight, offer good ventilation and be compatible with the Leatt neck brace.

 

It's been announced a while back, but today I bought into Leatt's chest protector, the adventure model ( it was the only one available at the store).

 

http://www.btosports.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000007/LEATT_CHEST.jpg

my model is the one top left

 

First impressions from teh photos floating around on the web was this thing could take a direct hit from an RPG. But in person, it's pretty thin plastic shell with a foam layer for comfort. Once I've crashed tested the unit, I'll feedback on how that thin shell + foam held up in terms of impact resistance, and the level of protection. Honestly though, if this unit managers to spread the initial impact, and prevents abrasion damage, then it will have done it's job superbly. How often it can do that is another story and only time will tell.

 

It's one size fits all with the Chest Protector Adventure, with various body sizes being accomodated by each attachment point having 3 possible positions. Attachment is via a screw and barrel nut requiring a very wide flat screwdriver. I used a two coins which worked well. Just note the screws are made of aluminum, and can damage the screwdriver slot if the coin or screwdriver slips too often. But Leatt thoughtfully include a packet of spare screws and barrel nuts.

 

Once it was adjusted to my body size, i have to say the fit was pretty snug, and fits by pulling the unit down over the head. I removed those flaps that hang off the shoulder flaps. I have no idea what they are for (perhaps for the tricep area?), and look pretty useless to be honest.

You can pull the chest and back plate more snugly to your body by the straps on either side as one would do when pulling your goggles tighter.

 

The backplate has a slot for the thoracic plate of the Leatt brace to fit, and it surprisingly went in first try when fitting the neckbrace. I thought it would be a lot more fiddly, but goes in very easily. I do think that if for some reason you prefer the leatt brace's thoracic support to be further away from your spine, you going to have trouble slotting it in to the chest protector.

 

The instruction guide says the bit of plate making the slot on the backplate can be removed, so there's that option as well.

The chest protector can be worn under or over your race shirt. But if worn under, and u want the neck brace to slot into the backplate, you going to have to cut a slot into your race jersey as well. But it looks badass enough for wearing over your race jersey

Edited January 29, 2011 by Capricorn

[Capricorn]

It sucks!

I've been using it for the past two days, and have the race at jonkers coming up, so maybe there's still time to change from this to this , but i i have this feeling the best it can do is leave me with is . I'll elucidate after this weekend.

[wesley_r]

dude, that's a bummer

 

when's the race? EDIT: nvm saw the thread

Edited February 4, 2011 by the_wes

[wesley_r]

and? what's the verdict?

 

is this you...?

[Guest Omega Man]

Ja that's the man himself. Bummed i couldn't make it. The pics look sweet.

 

Jees Cap. Armour much?

Edited February 7, 2011 by Omega Man

[Capricorn]

Hey Oh mega one..

why didn't u pitch? only had the leatt stuff (brace and torso), and elbow guards and knee guards. same crap u wear u know. Mine just looks snazzier

 

given my recent struggles to get back into riding, I thought i'd rather max out on protection than take another chance to be benched for a few months again. Lotsa guys were taking massive stacks. Witnessed one myself just before where that pic was taken.

 

In a nutshell, middle section was good, bottom section was ***: first run: lost two bolts on my chain device, so couldnt pedal properly. didnt risk doing any of hte jumps on the lower half. second race run, again after leaving the forest, my front tire decides to burp itself into flatty. Again, no jumps in lower half cos i had already smashed the rim hard coming out of the forest. Despite that, i'm just glad I finished my first race of the season without hurting myself. Look forward to the rest.

[wesley_r]

So tell us how the armour performed?

[Guest Omega Man]

Sweet. The wife and I went away for the weekend for some much needed R&R.

I heard about all of the crashes. I hope no-one was too seriously hurt.

 

I only wear my armour AFTER a big crash. Hehehe.

 

I'm keen for this weekend tho. I got a sportspass for that one.

Edited February 7, 2011 by Omega Man

[Capricorn]

I didnt crash, so have to wait till next race

What I can say is, air flow thru the unit is pretty good. shoulder stuff is useless, sothat needs to go, but u cant remove it without unlinking the front from the rear plate. it's a bit silly to be honest. The bottom surface of the shoulder plates are not completely covered with a foam lining, meaning if the plate bends, it can dig into your shoulder under impact. It's really uncomfortable those shoulder flaps as it's been hurting the little bone protusion near the clavicle. utter rubbish

 

The side straps holding the chest and back plates together dont offer sufficient tensioning if u want to pull them closer to your body (good thing cos it means i have lost weight! ). this somewhat undermines the whole One_size_fits_all_with_minor_adjustment 'feature'.

 

Also, the tension clip on those side straps are going to cause discomfort, if not outright blunt force trauma in a crash where u land on your side. They need to change it completely IMHO. Velcro straps will do just fine, or they can have a D-buckle right on the body armour as one would have on helmets.

[Capricorn]

I'll take some pics to show the items I've referring to above.

[Capricorn]

Sweet. The wife and I went away for the weekend for some much needed R&R.

I heard about all of the crashes. I hope no-one was too seriously hurt.

 

I only wear my armour AFTER a big crash. Hehehe.

 

I'm keen for this weekend tho. I got a sportspass for that one.

 

 

2 guys off to hospital with concussions, Mr Little (Huge stack head first into the track after front wheel clipped the log on the step up/double after 2nd road gap. It was abit horrible hearing him slam into the ground, and then hearing something snap. With all those branches lying around, it's tough to know at that instant if it was a bone/his neck, or a branch that snapped That double/step-up was removed as the runup was getting trashed) and Mr Botha (cased after coming off the 1st road gap and had a nasty tumble down the landing). Someone else hit a tree on Sat during practice, I believe and ended up with a broken wrist for which he had surgery the following sunday to have pins inserted).

 

Some of the youngsters were also getting banged up pretty good, but nothing major. I think Chris' kid also took a bit of a tumble on the transition after the first road gap. Thankfully, just some minor scrapes and scratches.

Edited February 7, 2011 by Capricorn

[Guest Omega Man]

I didnt crash, so have to wait till next race

What I can say is, air flow thru the unit is pretty good. shoulder stuff is useless, sothat needs to go, but u cant remove it without unlinking the front from the rear plate. it's a bit silly to be honest. The bottom surface of the shoulder plates are not completely covered with a foam lining, meaning if the plate bends, it can dig into your shoulder under impact. It's really uncomfortable those shoulder flaps as it's been hurting the little bone protusion near the clavicle. utter rubbish

 

The side straps holding the chest and back plates together dont offer sufficient tensioning if u want to pull them closer to your body (good thing cos it means i have lost weight! ). this somewhat undermines the whole One_size_fits_all_with_minor_adjustment 'feature'.

 

Also, the tension clip on those side straps are going to cause discomfort, if not outright blunt force trauma in a crash where u land on your side. They need to change it completely IMHO. Velcro straps will do just fine, or they can have a D-buckle right on the body armour as one would have on helmets.

 

So EXACTLY like their neck braces then. All Style Zero substance. Meow.

[Guest Omega Man]

Just joking.

[wesley_r]

So Cap - I see a GoPro on your lid - where's the footage?

[Capricorn]

footage is in my vault....

[stev0]

That looks good, but moera uncomfortable.