Best chest protector with sholuder protection

[jimyzttrxr]

Can someone recommend a chest protector that has good shoulder protection. I had a crash this past saturday and all my weight fell on my left shoulder which is still real sore. This is my second crash first one was on my right shoulder. There a lot of chest protectors out there but some look better than others for shoulder protection. I was considering the moose line. My weight is 214 and I am about 6 feet tall.
Thanks for any info.
Jim

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

Take a look at these CLICK HERE , I've talked to a lot of people that have them and say they are great.

 

[joereitman]

ascerbis zoom2

 

[Senior KX Rider]

moved

 

[HobRoff]

I wear a Thor force and while the chest and back protection are very good I personally worry about the shoulder protection, when you fall or rotate your shoulder for any reason - reaching for a barly pop, etc you pivot out from under the pad, my feelings are they, the shoulder pads, are pretty non-functional, monkeying with the adjustments hasn't seemed to have helped.

 

[Smit-Dog]

The best shoulder protection probably involves some sort of football or hockey shoulder pads. Unfortunately, they are not very practical to wear.

I've tried high-end hockey pads (Bauer Supreme 5000), and they are just too big and bulky. Plus, they'd be extremely hot in the summer, and fabric covers the plastic pads, which would get torn up pretty easily in the woods. I could not fit the pads under my normally sized riding jersey.

I did buy a set of cheap hockey pads, and I am going to try to remove the plastic shoulder pads and somehow rig them up to my Thor Aftershock chest protector. Definitely room for improvement on the shoulder area of chest protectors.

In the end, we can only take reasonable and prudent precautions regarding protective gear. The shoulder/collarbone areas are still really easy to injure. Even with over-the-top protection like football pads, it only takes a small amount of force at the right spot and right angle to break a collarbone or separate a shoulder.

I've broken my collarbone a couple times, and that really motivates you to be a better rider!

 

[nikki]

HobRoff - you are exactly right about the Thor Force. It is NOT designed to provide shoulder protection.

I got my Force for Christmas, 2002. I put it on and noticed how the shoulder cups seem to float above your shoulder. As I threw myself on the bedroom floor, I told Red (my fiancé) "look , the shoulder cups slide up and don't cover your shoulder at all when you hit the ground."

My first race of 2003, I had a bad crash. The result... multiple tears and damage to my shoulder/rotator cuff that still isn't right 9 months later. I felt stupid because I knew the new chest protector wasn't going to protect me like I needed in the shoulder area.

So when I got back to riding again, I retrofit my old Fox Airframe shoulder cups to go on my Thor Force. With a little drilling, they fit right up. I was much more confident with the Airframe cups because (1) they are rounded and cover the shoulder pretty well (2) they have more shoulder padding vs. the net webbing of the Force and (3) the Airframe upper arm guards help pull down the shoulder cups and keep them over your shoulder (Force has no arm guards to pull down the shoulder cups).

So I felt safer... then a few weeks later (July 2003) I landed on my shoulder again at Red Bud and reaggravated my shoulder injury, so the Airframe shoulder cups aren't perfect either.

MX chest protectors provide very little shoulder protection compared to something like hockey or football gear. I wish Thor would come out with an optional shoulder cup w/ arm guards for the Force that are actually designed to protect you some. :think:

 

[slideways11]

This is what your back will look like if you crash wearing an acerbis czoom 2 chest protector, the straps are so weak that they pulled out of the chest protector when I hit the ground leaving me unprotected as I slid down the track. Get a Thor or a No Fear protector the staps are substantial and I have never had either one of them pull off in a crash.

 

[joereitman]

Ouch! I will inspect the straps tomorrow, maybe rig up some reinforcements. I just got my Zoom 2's in Oct and didn't notice weak straps- maybe they have recently beefed them up? When did you get yours? Thanks.

 

[elf]

If someone could come up with some decent shoulder protection that was not to hot or bulky they could make a mint! I tried lots of different things but in the end I guess its up to us as riders not to get out of shape. physicaly or while on the bike.

 

[billtx]

I recently injured my rotator cuff and spent some time investigating this topic.
First you have to define shoulder protection. The pads made for MX are primarily roost guards and offer some impact protection if you crash. Per my ortho - who specializes in sports med - there is nothing that can prevent rotator cuff tears other than staying in shape.

You can use an EVS type brace to help with shoulder dislocations. My ortho told me that NFL players wear a brace like this. He said they are typically lineman and need extra help when they have arms extended when blocking - this would force the shoulder back and put pressure on the AC joint.

Not sure what to do, it does not appear our gear helps us much. Possibly the THOR scattershield is worth a look. The EVS if you have unstable shoulders. For sure don't land with your hands out. Under certain conditions a steering stabilizer may help - my cuff tear was made worse by a tank slapper and eventually trying to hold on after I locked bars with a guy.

 

[joereitman]

did the orto recommend any specific exercises? Maybe upright rows, lateral extensions, presses, etc?

 

[billtx]

Just had my first PT session today. For me, with a torn rotator cuff (Supraspinatus - the upper tendon/muscle), they started me on some basic stretching and strengthening excercises using a large elastic band. He said most of the weight machines don't do much for the rotator cuff muscles. So he said to go ahead and do them for the good shoulder also.

It's hard to describe the excercises here, although one was similar to a row.

 

[blanc]

I bought a set of hockey pads, they are the same size as the ufo motocross ones just 1/2 the price with better protection.

 

[HobRoff]

Bill and Joe, I have had some shoulder work done, screw - rerouting the biceps tendon etc. Initially the P/T involved just moving my arm around, pretty humbling when its all you can do just to raise your arm, then on to the weights. Upright rows and military presses definitly but in a press never fully extend - this further deteriorates the joint soft tissue - elbows only slightly above or even with shoulder level. The best excercise I have found for isolating the deltoids is called 21's. After completing rows and presses and with a COMFORTABLE weight, if it hurts heed the warning, begin with seven lateral raises, then seven front raises, bend at the waist, seven for the rear or posterior head of the delt - no rest between sets - done. should get a good burn - no standin around daydreamin or BS'n

 

[joereitman]

Those 21's sound good. Those posterior raises are TOUGH.

 

[HobRoff]

Hey Joe, I read somewhere that the back of the shoulder is the most neglected muscle in weight training. Short of major surgury, strengthening the joint is all we can do - and learning how to tuck and roll instinctivly! Take care

 

[joereitman]

Definitely- the only things that ever worked it for me were the posterior raises and I think narrow grip upright rows and bent over rows.
I wish I had tuck and rolled on Jan1 in a highside incident. Maybe no dislocated clutch finger. :(

 

[invrtedflag]

i have broken collarbone right now broke it before too and am looking for some good shoulder protection as well