# Rib protector



## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

Well, it is going to be personal choice...!!!

And, with practice, comes the ability, the problem is what pain do you actually need to suffer, and even when you have learnt, can you afford the hospital visits and time out if you do fall...

I always ride with protection, we have some very tight twisted tree runs, and i have a habit of hitting them, if i am running through them, or the park with mates etc, then i will always protect up, and for that i use this company, i have a FULL body protection and also impact shorts that cover thighs etc...

Forcefield Extreme Harness Adventure | Forcefield Body Armour

If i am out with Sneaky, then generally i am just running slower, doing much less, so i wear a simple carbon back protector from Sweet Protection. (Currently Not Available)

Sweet Protection | Ski and Snowboard

I always have some protection though, my history with a broken back and ongoing problems i just don't take the risk...

The difference is huge between the types available, the Forcefield has no memory, so never wears out, so for everyday use, is awesome if you are hitting stuff constantly like i do, but the carbon back, i know will wear out, but as i use in a different way will last me years... In fact i have only landed twice on a rail in 2 years while using this, saved me both times...


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## larrytbull (Oct 30, 2013)

Demon Snow Force Flex Pro.

this is my goto protection.

I like chomps am a "gummer" and have had too many surgeries to count
I need to protect body on a spill. although I don't do park, this keeps me alive and bruise free. 
had many beginner falls with this, and i walk away laughing about what an epic fall, rather than crying about how hurt i am


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

Kevin I like the harness looks lite and adjustable to your needs. Pieces come off/on as you may need them for specific situations.
But it doesn't look like much if any rib protection. Is this the case? 

Larry as you know Im a huge believer in protection. I have 2 sets of tail bone protection. 
Stepping up to boardslides I need to protect that center core for sure. Hoping I never need it but I know I will. 

Larry this looks nice 






Still shopping around wish I could hold, touch and see some of these side by side. Going to hit up a few Moto-X shops that are local to see what they offer. They may even have some connections on used gear.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Just general thoughts as I don’t wear rib protectors for snowboarding (but I always wear a backprotector snowboarding and a full body protector while eventing). The two later pics show vests with solid plates. If you bend your upper body forward or sidewards, I imagine, these solid plates would stick/push/press into your armpint? They're designes for riding bikes where you have a rigid upper body position, while snowboarding you move your upper body. I thus don't think they're suitable.
For eventing I chose a protector with many small plates rather than one big plate cos IMO they were the better trade off. (Line of thought: A one piece plate may give better protection but is hampering movement thus I'm less likely to wear it all the time, the many piece plate design may give a tad less protection but doesn't hamper movement all the time)


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## larrytbull (Oct 30, 2013)

the demon jacket protection is many long popscicle stick like plates in rib area, and has solid plates for elbow and shoulder, back is padding. you actually don't notice the jacket that much as it moves pretty well with you.


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## kosmoz (Dec 27, 2013)

What about feeling colder with d3o protection? Have heard some people saying, that these d3o pads "attracts" cold and it's not the best thing in colder days.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

Actually I think this might be what I saw my buddy wearing during our park adventures this year. I'll have to send him a text and verify.

Or Zolemite might see this post and chime in


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## Jason (Feb 15, 2011)

You could also check out lacrosse rib pads.


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

You can buy it in pieces as well, i bought the whole thing as it was the only one available, and have used it all... Not so much recently though...

Forcefield Extreme Harness Flite | Forcefield Body Armour

That is the lightest version, just chest and back, it is a soft material that goes heard on impact, but unless you can try it on, then you don't know what it feels like, and it can be a little heavy, anything over -2 and i hate wearing it as i sweat in it, but it is also easy to sponge clean as well, which helps...


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## andrewdod (Mar 24, 2013)

Check out a football rib protector. More mobile less protection but there another option. They make them kinda like a compression shirt now. All the pads are integrated into the shirt.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

I seen all those my main concern is no hard outer shell. 
The padding may lesson the blow but a hard shell will help disperses the impact. 
still looking and searching. a good off season project


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## andrewdod (Mar 24, 2013)

They also make vests that have a hard shell but they are getting harder to find bec those shirts are taking over.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

andrewdod said:


> They also make vests that have a hard shell but they are getting harder to find bec those shirts are taking over.


I thought of buying a shirt then modifying it with a slide in ABS plastic piece to make it work. Not sure if I want to try this or just find something manufactured that fits the bill


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

Look at how some of the soft stuff works, this is what Forcefield uses, it turns rock hard on impact spreading outwards, so you get varying degrees of hardness around the area, the reasoning behind this is how it lessons the impact and spreads it using changing molecular material to ease the impact.

This stuff is getting so advance nowadays, they are actually integrating it into stab proof vest for security staff...!!! Less weight, less restriction of movement etc...

I looked at the clothing that has the panels in it, and the cleaning side of it was a problem for me, too much work especially when doing so intensive as snowboarding many days in a row... The stench of sweat does not appeal...!

The advantages will become apparent very quickly with these protective devices over the hard shell stuff. If i was competing, then it would be hard shell, but we are never going to have the kind of impacts these guys do...! So why make the day uncomfortable, and the cost involved with replaced this stuff, is not cheap, 5 or 6 hard falls in the same place, and the hard protection effectively becomes useless...


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

Kevin are these soft-hard pads a one time use ? or do they then soften again. 
I can't afford the initial cost then replacing after every hard fall. 
I'll have to goggle this stuff some more it looks like


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

These are very good descriptions of what they do, try looking at some in a bike shop, you may be surprised... 






This video around the 1:20 mark explains and shows how exactly it works...


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

After watching the videos and claims of better and repeatable, multi impact shock absorption ratings, I'm wondering why this material isn't being incorporated into helmets?

Are the force transmission ratings they withstand higher than those allowable for helmets? I mean, my helmets full of some styrofoam material! That's a better helmet, shock absorbing material for my noodle?


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

I imagine, it is because it is too dense, and as such does not have enough give in it, so with the designs of helmets and the advancement of things like MIPS, which is probably better in terms of the way your head moves inside the helmet whiles rotating, i think i would want something softer inside, like they already have... A lot of helmets are integrating different tech now using different densities in dual layer lining, much like the same thing, but still softer, the disadvantage with this is that they have a memory still...!

I would bet they have done extensive tests in this field, they certainly have the pedigree to understand impacts etc...

The only thing i have with helmets currently, is that most people do not replace often enough, and that a lot of them do not have the ability to withstand a sharp impact... If you fell and skis hit your helmet, the chances are it would crack right open, unless you have bought a higher grade, not necessarily more expensive, but different grade material... POC are making some awesome helmets now that are impossible to pierce, or Carbon helmets are a good move as well...

They will never make a multiple impact helmet, not like the way body protection has moved forward...!

If you are interested, have a look at this... It amazes me the impact he took...! Looks more winded than hurt... Different protection and he could very well of been in BIG trouble...!!!


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

This forcefield looks nice. I'll be hitting up a few local shops to see what they have in stock to look at, touch and try on










Also seems like it can be worn as a chest or back protection in addition to ribs.



















They even have tailbone protection shorts if anyone is interested.


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

I would still look at the flite if you can, and most decent motorbike shops should be stocking that... That is where i had to get mine...! My local ski/snowboard shop in the UK now stocks a full range, and sells loads of the stuff... I recommended it to them, and they where over the moon with the sales they achieved...! The 1st season they stock,d they where sceptical because it does cost more, but they had to place a 2nd order within 3 weeks of getting there 1st delivery as they ran out...!!!

I love it, oh and i have the shorts as well, but they are on there last legs, 5 seasons done, and after taking in and out of the protection for washing, they are now starting to fall apart...


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

Problem with the Flite is there is no rib protection just some padding. At least that is what it looks like from the pics. 

Ya we have a few motocross shops local I'm going to hit up. 

Looks like this is huge in the UK I only found 3 dealers in the US and all in California. Not sure this is in the US yet anyone have any info on that ?


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

You know how they talk about layering, well this is me with it on, and how much it wraps around, it comes from the back, left of pic, halfway around your side, and the front, right of pic, comes slightly round from the front but not as far... I hope i have explained in a way that makes sense... The white perforated section you see, is a single layer of protection feather than 2 or 3 layers... In every fall i have had, i have never hit the side that has hurt, all my hard falls, as a matter of instinct to twist to land on your front, which on a rail is why you need protection, but i may just be weird with how i fall... Haha

Added a pic, i just this second took, in the hope it makes more sense than my explanation, and you can see how much it covers...

It may be that a back protector with the chest device would suit you better, but i don't think it would give you any better protection...


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

thanks for the pic that does help a lot :thumbsup:

I'm more worried about ribs, then back minimal on chest. 
I have seen a lot of taco'd or guys slip out on rails and I know I need some protection. 

I like the comment about reaction to twist when falling and land on chest or back. That may be an instinctual reflex and I'm sure i'll have that as well. 

Lots to take in and shop for. 
Thanks again for the pic it is a good help


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

Looks like I may have to pass on the Forcefield product. There are only 3 ppl that carry it in the states and the full harness is $400, the Flite is $300 

this is just cost prohibitive for me at this point


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## NovoRei (Mar 19, 2014)

slyder said:


> Looks like I may have to pass on the Forcefield product. There are only 3 ppl that carry it in the states and the full harness is $400, the Flite is $300
> 
> this is just cost prohibitive for me at this point


Second that.

I will settle for demon d30. But I have yet to check if it has reasonable rib protection.

One fall my elbow was able to bruise the lower rib.


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## larrytbull (Oct 30, 2013)

Tomorrow I will try to find mine and take rib pieces out and photo it. I have flex force pro one which is not 3do very siliar 3do is newer model


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

slyder said:


> Looks like I may have to pass on the Forcefield product. There are only 3 ppl that carry it in the states and the full harness is $400, the Flite is $300
> 
> this is just cost prohibitive for me at this point


I understand the cost side of things, any hard protection is cheaper, but if you can look at the long term cost if you have to keep replacing or even every couple of years, it is actually a huge saving... But i do hear you, i would at least try it on before committing to anything else, and maybe xmas present or similar from you other half...  Just an idea... Hehe...

We quite often do presents like this for each other with my other half, it makes it easier to validate having them... Otherwise we would just end up buying each other crap we don't need... Hehe


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

Kevin I/we have done the present thing in the past as well. Especially on big ticket items. Usually for the kids and often combined with grandparents contribution. 

Only issue here is there are only 3 ppl that carry this item in the USA and they are all 3000 miles away. 
I will keep looking to see if someone more local carries Forcefield but from their website I only see 3 retailers and again none are near me.


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

They list distributors not shops, so shops are harder to find, but there seems to be loads of stockists, so i would imagine you could find one near you.

Try motorbike clothing shops as well, they seem to be more likely to carry the stuff there...


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

SGboarder said:


> That looks like significantly less coverage than my Demon jacket.
> 
> For rails I would definitely want something like the Demon products - I have the D3O one (which works similarly to the Forcefield in dispersing/absorbing impact) but I think the Pro has similar coverage.
> 
> One thing that I do not like about the Demon is that the D3O pads are not removable (but the rib protection 'blades' and the spine armor pieces are), so you need to wash the jacket with those bulky pads. I believe that is not an issue with the hard protection Pro version.


That looks cool, but i can find no info on safety ratings, do they grade there protection...?

Taking there word for something working is not something i would do, and if it is not rated, then i would not buy it... Hehe


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## larrytbull (Oct 30, 2013)

SGboarder said:


> That looks like significantly less coverage than my Demon jacket.
> 
> For rails I would definitely want something like the Demon products - I have the D3O one (which works similarly to the Forcefield in dispersing/absorbing impact) but I think the Pro has similar coverage.
> 
> One thing that I do not like about the Demon is that the D3O pads are not removable (but the rib protection 'blades' and the spine armor pieces are), so you need to wash the jacket with those bulky pads. I believe that is not an issue with the hard protection Pro version.


Correct, the hard pads are all removable for washing.


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## NovoRei (Mar 19, 2014)

SGboarder said:


> Are there safety standards for snowboarding body armor?
> The only standards that I have seen are for motorcycle protection - and both the Forcefield and the Demon have the same EN1621-1 certification/approval for that.


It's worth noting that the certificate is for the components used by Demon.

I don't think there's a standard for an "armor".


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

SGboarder said:


> Are there safety standards for snowboarding body armor?
> The only standards that I have seen are for motorcycle protection - and both the Forcefield and the Demon have the same EN1621-1 certification/approval for that.


there are different grades to "armor" and it is all too do with the impact they are capable of taking and how it disperses it, i posted the videos with how they grade it earlier, and the highest rating you can get is what forcefield provide, but again they have different grades for different products... 

So 1 is a lower rating than 2, and you would want something with an EN-1621-2 really, one is protection but a much lower rating... They only grade 1 and 2, but using the scales they have for measurement, then they could actually have a 3 or 4 in todays markets...



> WHAT DO THE EN NUMBERS ON OUR PRODUCT REFER TO?
> EN1621-2:2003: Level 1
> EN1621-2:2003: Level 2
> "Motorcyclist's protective clothing against mechanical impacts - Part 2: Motorcyclists back protectors"- "Requirements and test methods": Level 1 and Level 2
> ...


So you can see there sub 4, would rate of twice or more the protection required to meet the s=current requirements for 2, making it the most protective back protector on the market. And a far higher rated product but the same rating as lesser products...

The flite that i use, is rated with 2 ratings, these ratings are for back and chest...



> EN1621-2:2003 (Level 2) Back Protection & EN1621-1:2003 (Level 1) Chest Protection


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## SnowDragon (Apr 23, 2012)

Just curious, how heavy are these things?

I have a POC Spine VPD 2.0 Jacket I have used riding. It is *serious* protection, and I would recommend it to anyone - except that it is somewhat heavy. As a result, I purchased the new Demon Flex Force X D3O V2 jacket last year. Similar protection as the POC, but not as heavy (the back protection is notably thinner than the POC but still good imo).

I'm just curious how cumbersome you guys find the ones you wear.
I assume you're okay with the tradeoff between added weight and protection?

BTW, I wear one of these jackets all the time I'm riding now. I treat it as a mid layer underneath a shell jacket.


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## Manicmouse (Apr 7, 2014)

GreyDragon said:


> BTW, I wear one of these jackets all the time I'm riding now. I treat it as a mid layer underneath a shell jacket.


I ride really hot being an unfit bastard and usually wear just a t-shirt under a regular jacket. I'm guessing I'll need to go to a shell if I was to get something like the D30.

Are there any temps you overheat in with that on? Spring riding?


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## SnowDragon (Apr 23, 2012)

Manicmouse said:


> I ride really hot being an unfit bastard and usually wear just a t-shirt under a regular jacket. I'm guessing I'll need to go to a shell if I was to get something like the D30.
> 
> Are there any temps you overheat in with that on? Spring riding?


Yah, spring riding would be the obvious problem, but then, the warmer temperatures usually make falls not hurt as much as the cold I find. :thumbsup:

I think you would have to go with a thin polyester or merino wool base layer, the body armour, and then just a lined shell.
I've been wearing Under Armour Coldgear as my base layer and I'm going to switch to a light/mid weight merino next season.


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## Manicmouse (Apr 7, 2014)

GreyDragon said:


> Yah, spring riding would be the obvious problem, but then, the warmer temperatures usually make falls not hurt as much as the cold I find. :thumbsup:
> 
> I think you would have to go with a thin polyester or merino wool base layer, the body armour, and then just a lined shell.
> I've been wearing Under Armour Coldgear as my base layer and I'm going to switch to a light/mid weight merino next season.


Yeah we get a lot of ice during a season as our temperatures don't usually get low enough to prevent melt during the day. We also get high winds which scrape off pow.... Talking North Island NZ here


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## jgarrett3 (Mar 13, 2018)

*Is rib protection even needed?*

Yes! Yes! Yes! My son just had a serious fall snowboarding at Jackson Hole. Landed on his left side and shattered his spleen and was bleeding internally. Needed immediate emergency surgery to remove the spleen. Anything that you can think of is commercially available. Don't think it can't or won't happen to you. Take the necessary precautions and live to enjoy boarding or skiing another day! Feel free to email me for more information. I am not a salesman trying to sell gear. Just a father who came close to losing his son.


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## Varza (Jan 6, 2013)

*Is necroing this thread even needed?*

And your first post, too. Learn to read last post dates :dry:


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## woodhouse (Jan 18, 2013)

Varza said:


> And your first post, too. Learn to read last post dates :dry:


you acknowledged it was his first post.... I'm pretty sure he was just trying to help

whats wrong with bumping an old thread thats still a relevant topic?


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## SnowDragon (Apr 23, 2012)

Varza said:


> And your first post, too. Learn to read last post dates :dry:


Wow.
Harsh!:surprise:

Perhaps you missed the part about his son requiring emergency surgery to remove his spleen due to a fall from snowboarding?
That seems quite relevant to me, regardless of the age of this thread.
Perhaps he should have started a new thread in your opinion?


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## Varza (Jan 6, 2013)

SnowDragon said:


> Wow.
> Harsh!:surprise:
> 
> Perhaps you missed the part about his son requiring emergency surgery to remove his spleen due to a fall from snowboarding?
> ...


Sorry, I didn't think it was THAT harsh. Yeah, I think a new thread would have been better to get his message across.

I learned to read dates the hard way too. Always a trade-off.


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## freshy (Nov 18, 2009)

Haha. This is the only forum I have ever been to where posting a new thread instead of using the search is preferred.

Who really cares anyway?


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