 Poster: A snowHead
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Mrs RC had a bit of a prang on our last trip and broke a vertebra. Healing well, doc has said she'll be ok for the next trip, but advised on some protection. ChatGPT is suggesting a Level 2 certified vest - naturally I'm not just taking the computer's word for it, but these are the specific makes it's suggesting - can anyone give an opinion on any of them (or any others they'd recommend).
Really needs to be as lightweight as possible, ideally without costing a fortune in the process! She's not going to be racing down blacks, and from what I can see, the POC Spine looks a decent bet...
- Dainese Flexagon
- POC Spine VPD Air
- Scott AirFlex Pro
- Atomic Live Shield AMID
- Sweet Protection Race Vest (L2)
Cheaper alternative is an L1 vest like Decathlon's DCBK500 - but for the sake of £40 difference, I'd go with L2 if that really is a step change in protection (like the AI says...)
EDIT: Looks like most of these are actually L1 after all. And all my questions are pointing me constantly towards the POC model
Cheers
RC
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I am happy with my Slytech/Shred one. I have taken off all the straps apart from the waist one as I only wear it under a race suit and it doesn't move about. There are L1 and L2 models.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@ratechaser,
15 years POC VPD vest wearers in our family - and boy have they been put to the test - both skiing and mtb DH.
But def vest models not strappy ones.
Scott D40 vests good too.
Level 2 important as you say.
Also consider pack with back protector. We use POC VPD unit in EVOC packs.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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As with boots, the most important thing about a back protector is that it fits your body shape correctly. Make sure it doesn't move about. Next make sure it's comfy as you'll be wearing it all day possibly with a rucksack on.
I use a Dainese Wave full motorbike body armour which is a bit serious but has definitely saved me, but now have taken to just using the backprotector on it's own.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks all.
Have to say that I did like the look of the Kompardell one, for an L2 it seemed to be about as low profile as they come. But with a bit more investigation, I think L1 is going to be more than enough for a sedate fair weather skier, and does give a lot more choice if the priority is keeping it as unobtrusive as possible.
So with that in mind, have gone with the POC model, hopefully it will be a good fit, if not will have a rethink.
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@ratechaser, previously the VPD POC back protectors were rated level2. I have compared my old Level 2 POCs with my new level 1 ones and I can see NO difference.
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| valais2 wrote: |
| @ratechaser, previously the VPD POC back protectors were rated level2. I have compared my old Level 2 POCs with my new level 1 ones and I can see NO difference. |
Fair enough. Mrs RC is happy enough with the one that has turned up, and it's certainly a good fit and pretty lightweight. Let's just hope it doesn't need to be tested to its limit next week!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Big fan of my Salomon flexcell pro.
Low profile / slim but provides good protection.
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Was in Italy, saw some T shirt with what I will describe as external plastic vertebrae sewn into it up the spine. Wondered about buying it for ten seconds until I thought they could be in the wrong place when I wore it, and I don’t ever need a back protector anyway. I assume it was more form than function.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| ratechaser wrote: |
Mrs RC had a bit of a prang on our last trip and broke a vertebra. Healing well, doc has said she'll be ok for the next trip, but advised on some protection. ChatGPT is suggesting a Level 2 certified vest - naturally I'm not just taking the computer's word for it, but these are the specific makes it's suggesting - can anyone give an opinion on any of them (or any others they'd recommend).
Really needs to be as lightweight as possible, ideally without costing a fortune in the process! She's not going to be racing down blacks, and from what I can see, the POC Spine looks a decent bet...
- Dainese Flexagon
- POC Spine VPD Air
- Scott AirFlex Pro
- Atomic Live Shield AMID
- Sweet Protection Race Vest (L2)
Cheaper alternative is an L1 vest like Decathlon's DCBK500 - but for the sake of £40 difference, I'd go with L2 if that really is a step change in protection (like the AI says...)
EDIT: Looks like most of these are actually L1 after all. And all my questions are pointing me constantly towards the POC model
Cheers
RC |
You might want to consider whether the back protector will actually help. There are different ways of breaking vertebra so it might depend which type Mrs RC has. Personally i had 2 crush fractures (think of the spine like an accordion compressing). I did try various back protectors including the full motocross jacket and the more limited spine covering turtle shell style. In the end i dont think they did anything for me and they were all horribly uncomfortable to wear. I gave up on them in the end. I think they'd be helpful if the injury was too the spinous processes rather than the body of the vertebra, but my experience was that they didn't help at all for my injury.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@monkey, POC VPD and Scott D30 non-Newtonian protectors are warm and comfortable to wear. Unnoticeable. Indeed they will not protect significantly against vertical compression injuries and over-flex injuries. But they will protect against impact injuries and have done exactly that for five key incidents in our clan - two for me (impacts from skiers coming from behind WHAM), two for the Grom (behind-idiot and a fall), one from the Gromette (fall). In each case no back injury at all despite big impact - other injuries though on unprotected parts of the body in four instances which suggest protector doing its work. Ski Director Yves Caillet of SMS strongly advocates use of this style of back protector, particularly in young children.
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Fri 6-03-26 11:36; edited 1 time in total
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It was an impact and not a compression injury.
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You know it makes sense.
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@ratechaser, interesting … in which case a VPD or D30 protector would likely have helped
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| valais2 wrote: |
| @ratechaser, interesting … in which case a VPD or D30 protector would likely have helped |
Ah well, 20:20 hindsight and all that. At least it will helpfully help if it were to happen again. If it were up to me, I'd still be skiing in my beanie rather than a helmet, so I'm probably the last person to ask about risk mitigation.
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