Which back protector?

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Spendtoomuch

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I need to buy a new back protector and no idea what is good, bad, best etc as I haven't had a new one for about fifteen years :eek:

It will used only for xc and maybe hunting (if I get brave enough to take him). Please recommend bps for me.

Would like something that is designed to fit womanly curves ;) I am not huge (size 12) but have womanly assets iykwim.

Thanks in advance
 
i second the kan.
that link above won't work, it's http://www.kanteq.com/
at least 1 HHOer has avoided very serious injury because she was wearing one (fired into arena fencing very very hard, no internal injuries at all iirc).
one of the major plus points is that the foam they use is totally different to the pvc-nitrile foam in other bps (which degrades over time, hence they will need replacing). the Kan foam, developed by Knox for motorbikers, stiffens up on impact then relaxes again (gas trapped in tiny tunnels in the foam goes more solid when squashed, fascinating imho!) and is not permanently deformed (as normal foam is), nor does it degrade over time. they're really comfy and very well shaped around the body. well worth the dosh for the superior protection they give.
 
Thanks, I had forgot about the Kan (probably because of the cost ;) )

I tried it on at Burghley last year and fitted very well, does anyone know how adjustable they are?
I am having an operation at the end of May and hopefully be able to start running again after and then loose some of the weight I have gained.

Might have to save up some pennies and look at the Kan again.
 
I had a fitting for the racesafes but they couldnt get one which was right for my back length (short!)

In the end I went for the airowear outlyne - fitted with boob room and very comfy!
 
Al is a big fan of her racesafe and it fits her like a glove. The Kan looks amazing, but for us the cost is a massive issue at over double the price of a different BP. I know you don't have to replace it ever, but equally you only need to replace a normal BP every 6 years or so I thought?

Al's racesafe is probably going to need replacing soon and we'll probably replace it like for like. It's offered fab protection (some nasty falls in it that she's got up and walked away from, including a trampling, with almost no injuries- the only nasty one was her broken collar bone, but no BP could have helped that!) and it fits her well. She's had it since her 14th birthday and she's now 18 and it still fits- the laces at the sides mean that it's been able to be adjusted as she's grown up. Really nice BP that does the job well!
 
love my racesafe!! also love the airowear outlyne i bought to wear while riding and pregnant as it is shaped for women and is even more adjustable than the RS, might be worth a look if you have a chest,i dont usually lol. Kans are worth a try but I hated the one i got and sent it back.

Lolo beta recommend something like every 3 years, doesnt bother me, I replace my hat more often lol
 
I have a Kan and have never looked back I wear it for sj etc and like the fact it looks smart with a jacket as I found my Rodney Powell looked awful over show jackets. Also the safety is far superior I found. Hubby is in to his motorbikes and this was the only one he would consider based on test results.
 
NeverSayNever said:
love my racesafe!! also love the airowear outlyne i bought to wear while riding and pregnant as it is shaped for women and is even more adjustable than the RS, might be worth a look if you have a chest,i dont usually lol. Kans are worth a try but I hated the one i got and sent it back.

Lolo beta recommend something like every 3 years, doesnt bother me, I replace my hat more often lol
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3 years? Whoops! Al's is 4 years and has been used a lot (although well cared for)...
 
What also needs to be remembered (and what most people don't realise) is that with the pvc-nitrile foam found in most BPs needs replacing after an impact in the same way a hat would need replacing if you landed on your head. The pvc-nitrile foam is essentially single use, and will not offer the same protection twice.

ETA. BETA reccommend a BP to be replaced every 3-5 years OR after an impact.
 
I have a racesafe, tried on some kans that were in the sale so about the same price as a racesafe but they just didnt suit my body shape also tried on an airowear one but again it didnt suit me. So my advice would be to go try stuff on and see what suits and go with that.
 
I tried on a lot and went with the airowear outlyne. The Kans are v.expensive and not the be all in my experience! The outlyne wasnt hideously expensive and v.v.comfy!
 
charlimouse said:
What also needs to be remembered (and what most people don't realise) is that with the pvc-nitrile foam found in most BPs needs replacing after an impact in the same way a hat would need replacing if you landed on your head. The pvc-nitrile foam is essentially single use, and will not offer the same protection twice.

ETA. BETA reccommend a BP to be replaced every 3-5 years OR after an impact.
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Oooops I think my BP has hit the ground a few times :( :( if other bp need replaced after every fall and kans don't it would make them a lot more cost effective for me.
 
I have the Airowear Outlyne find it very comfortable but have learnt to give it a few minutes to 'warm up' before doing it up, otherwise for some reason the bits under my arms dig in......but will more than lightly replace with a Kan next year, due to its age, One daughter has a Kan, she has finished growing and loves it, other daughter is currently in a Champion, but when she stops growing she will also have a Kan.
 
Spendtoomuch said:
Thanks, I had forgot about the Kan (probably because of the cost ;) ) I tried it on at Burghley last year and fitted very well, does anyone know how adjustable they are?
I am having an operation at the end of May and hopefully be able to start running again after and then loose some of the weight I have gained.
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The special foam pieces are inside a removable cover, and the front pieces are designed to overlap the back piece at the sides over your ribs - so a) they expand or contract if you're a bit bigger or smaller, and b) you can buy a different sized cover if you need to and just swap the expensive filling bit into it! (I really like my Kan. I can see how they might not be everyone's cup of tea but I feel lots more protected in it than other BPs...
 
Another vote for the Kan. :) :)

I know they may seem pricey compared to other competitor products, but really those similar products don't come close to the Kan when you look into the science and technology behind it's design so you can't logically compare them like for like. It is a body protector that stands alone.

You are buying a safety item so safety really should be your primary concern, price second (within reason). Kan's absorb 20% more impact energy than the average BP, that's 20% less impact energy when you hit the floor that will be reaching your body, they really are a superior design. I had my OH punch me in the chest and back when I had my Kan on to test it out, and yeah he's not 'My Universe' but it was a fairly hefty punch and I didn't feel a thing, the Kan took all the force.

They are FULLY adjustable and Wendy can fit them for you to a tea, just give her a call with your measurements, and she can make one up bespoke to suit you exactly (they are accommodating for lady bits too)

Honestly can't sing their praises enough, and yes I am bias having one, but whatever you do please make sure you at least try on a Kan before you make any decision, I bet you will be pleasantly surprised.

Those of you who said you couldn't get your Kan to fit, did Wendy fit it for you?....
 
Another vote for Kan. I honestly wouldn't wear anything else now. I have had mine for 3 years now, and still love it ! I wear it nearly everyday at the moment for riding youngsters and honestly forget I have it on. I can move with them if they do something unexpected, definitely don't feel restricted like I did with other body protectors. I quite often get off one, untack and tack the second one up with it. I have in the past mucked out and gone back into the house before realising I still have it on under my coat. You can still breathe and move very easily as the Kan moves with you. I have lost 3 stone since getting mine, and after adjusting it slightly it was fine, so no need to buy a smaller size to replace it!

I don't think you can put a price on safety...Save up a little and get the best !
 
I bought one last year and had tried a Kan (trialed it for a week before sending it back) as just didnt feel right. I then went to try a racesafe as thought this would be ideal for me but really didnt like it on. In the end I bought a new Rodney Powell which i hadnt expected to do as I already had one and wasnt going to get another. I find it really comfy and the foam in the newer ones is so much better than the old ones. You really must just try them on as my ecpectation as to what I would get was so different with what was actually comfy
 
Another vote for the Kan, R had her first fall in hers the other day and was really impressed. Previously she had the Rodney Powell but found it a little bulky as she is a 6/8 and when she fell off in it she found she was winded by it rather than from the fall.

When she fell off in the Kan last week, she proper back slapped the floor onto hard ground after unexpectedly going over the horses head and was amazed to stand up and as she put it 'not feel like the stuffing had been knocked out of her'. She also said it was weird as she said riding without her RP and her point 2 in just the Kan felt like she had forgotten to put it on :)

I think they are worth every penny!
 
I have had a racesafe and a KAN and although I loved my racesafe the KAN is far nicer to ride in IMO. I had mine fitted at Burghley, yes it's a lot of money but that's it..
 
Chloe_GHE said:
Rhino, if you give her a call to talk about the fit, I'm sure she will be more than helpful, and get it sorted for you. Worth a call coz it could just need a little tweak :)
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Odd shape + old injury means that it just would not be comfortable, sorry. I like them as a concept, I really do, they just don't suit me the way the racesafe does :)
 
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