G-Form Protective Body Armor. Opinions from those in the know please.

[WARPed1701D]

I know there has been a few discussions on protective gear lately. Marty showed of his gear in a video. There is a thread about gear suggestions which I guess is by people that own it and are happy with it, and finally the injury thread touches on some options. I've suggested a new section to hold protective gear discussions and reviews to make it easy to find these things and maybe prompt greater awareness and discussion. In light of this I hope no one minds if I start a new thread to gain opinions on a type of protective gear I'm looking at. I'd like to know from people who have fallen if they think this gear would have protected their impact areas. EUC falls appear to be unlike any other and particularly brutal. I'd also like to know from any medical professionals (@Rehab1) if they think the protection is in the right locations to avoid EUC type injury.

I want to find the right blend of protection and practicality. Ideally I'd like to wear most/all gear under other clothes so as to not look intimidating to pedestrians in city riding and because I'll be commuting and don't want to enter the office like RoboCop. While I hope to get a lot of recreational riding in on my new wheel most will be commuting to and from work and A to B travel for things like shopping, chores, etc where I'd like some level of discretion and comfort upon arrival.

I've found these undershirts/shorts and knee/elbow protectors by G-Form. They use RPT for protection which is basically their version of D3O. A non newtonian formed gel that goes hard upon impact but is otherwise low profile and flexible.

The complete range can be seen is here: http://g-form.com/shop-body

I particularly like the Pro X Compression Shirt
It has good shoulder and collarbone coverage (well the best I have seen). Sternum protection for face-plant falls and rib protection. Sadly nothing on the spine. I'd wear this under a shirt generally for riding.

Also for the hips and legs the Pro G Board and Ski Compression Shorts
They have tailbone and butt (sit-bones???) protection for downhill cutouts. Side impact hip protection. I wish the hip protection wrapped a little further forward though.

Anyone have any opinions on these?

Also they make knee and elbow protection using the same tech. Some options extend above and/or below the joint for additional protection. Would you feel comfortable wearing these in place of hard-shell knee and elbow protection? They are certainly more practical and comfortable for my planned usage but I don't want to compromise too greatly on safety. Hard-shell protection is pretty cheap. If I wanted to trail ride I could have a set of hard protection for those uses. But for commuting and general city use I'm hoping for a compromise, well actually I want the best of both worlds, but that is usually impossible to find.

I'm seeing good reviews from the snowboarding, skate, and mountain biking communities. But it is the opinion of this one that matters. 

Thanks in advance.

 

[LanghamP]

I believe the horseback riding community is far in advance of any of those other sports when it comes to asserting an ISO standard of body impact protection. Horseback riding falls are fast, serious, and usually from a great height onto a fairly hard ground.

http://www.doversaddlery.com/protective-vests/c/1202/

They all kinda look the same, like a giant catchers mitt, because they need to slow you down as slowly as possible.

Most other gear I've seen for motorcycles, skateboarders, etc... fall into men's fashion as regardless of what they tell you what to do, they all do the same thing:

They make your shoulders look much wider than your hips.

Notice how so little (no) protection is devoted to the abdomen? Yet the Hurt reports (bad coincidence that one) shows very clearly the majority of fatal motorcycle accidents are to the front of the abdomen AND the chest. Can you think of why?

Polo riders each require four horses, so with eight riders that's a total of 32 horses per game. Methinks they don't care too much about looking cool because participation = cool.

[The Fat Unicyclist]

59 minutes ago, LanghamP said:

I believe the horseback riding community is far in advance of any of those other sports when it comes to asserting an ISO standard of body impact protection. Horseback riding falls are fast, serious, and usually from a great height onto a fairly hard ground.

http://www.doversaddlery.com/protective-vests/c/1202/

I like that! It does seem to be a similar "falling style." This needs some further investigation...

[LanghamP]

1 minute ago, The Fat Unicyclist said:

I like that! It does seem to be a similar "falling style." This needs some further investigation...

You and I don't need those as protection as we've already got quite a bit around the middle, eh, EH?

I went riding with a forum member on Sunday, I was an astonishing 70 pounds heavier than him, that is really bad.

[Rehab1]

2 hours ago, WARPed1701D said:

I'd also like to know from any medical professionals (@Rehab1) if they think the protection is in the right locations to avoid EUC type injury.

Most EUC injuries involve the hand, wrist, elbow shoulder and face/head regions. The classic fracture is of the collarbone or clavicle but others include fracture of the distal radius, scaphoid fractures of the hand, complex fractures about the elbow and wrist, shoulder and knee joint tendon ligament tears, etc. Then as we get older osteoporosis can set in and we become even more prone to orthopedic injuries that take much longer to heal.

The only way you are going to fully protect yourself, no guarantees, is to wear the RoboCop gear with a helmet. Just don’t wear it over your dress clothes or you’ll look really stupid!

 

 

[The Fat Unicyclist]

4 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

Just don’t wear it over your dress... or you’ll look really stupid!

You do realise that you're setting yourself up for an @Hunka Hunka Burning Love exposé?

[Adel]

4 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

Most EUC injuries involve the hand, wrist, elbow shoulder and face/head regions. The classic fracture is of the collarbone or clavicle but others include fracture of the distal radius, scaphoid fractures of the hand, complex fractures about the elbow and wrist, shoulder and knee joint tendon ligament tears, etc. Then as we get older osteoporosis can set in and we become even more prone to orthopedic injuries that take much longer to heal.

The only way you are going to fully protect yourself, no guarantees, is to wear the RoboCop gear with a helmet. Just don’t wear it over your dress clothes or you’ll look really stupid!

 

 

@Rehab1, what is this thing attached to the front of the ACM and all the wires on the right side for ? Also is this the fox racing titan jacket, is it comfortable to wear .

[Shemp]

I'm not acquainted with that gear in particular. However, I'm a fan of non-Newtonian fluid padding in general, and have some bits of gear with D3O and POC's VPD.  A couple of general comments that apply to the linked gear:

• I find lycra cuff style pads uncomfortably restrictive on an EUC. I have "extreme" skate knee and elbow pads with that kind of fitting and stopped using them in favor of "tactical" style ones with straps (and thinner pads). They provide adequate coverage and impact protection, but they are not as hot and don't restrict movement at all. They're also easier to put on/off, and go over clothes easily.
• For EUC crashes (medium speed on pavement) you want a hard plastic shell. If you have a soft impact surface it will catch, increasing the likelihood of a fracture; if there's a hard plastic shell on top of the padding, you'll slide.
• While in theory shoulder and collarbone protection is important, you are way, way less likely to have a crash that hits those points. I'd prioritize my spending in this order: 1) head  2) wrists 3) elbows  4) knees  5) torso / shoulders / collarbone.  If you've got the best gear in each of the first four categories, I'd suggest the POC VPD 2.0 Downhill jacket.

[Gimlet]

I got the g-form elbow and knee pads last year and liked them so much that I've gone the whole hog and picked up a shirt, shorts (I went for the cycling version), ankle protectors and combined knee and shin protectors to replace my original knee pads. (Anyone want to buy some second hand knee protectors? )

I like it because it gives fairly effective protection without bulking you out too much or making you look like robo cop. I'm sure the horse riding gear would give more protection but it is a lot more bulky and obvious. It's not so much the cool factor of not having the protection showing, more a matter of not wanting to project he image that euc riding is dangerous, we all know it can be, but projecting that image too obviously is likely to encourage more restrictive laws just when we are trying to make riding actually legal rather than just tolerated in many countries.

I've ridden for just over 2 years now and had my fair share of falls wearing no protection but decided as of my 61st birthday I probably should take a little more care of myself as I'm no longer as indestructible as I was in my youth.

[Rehab1]

11 hours ago, Adel said:

@Rehab1, what is this thing attached to the front of the ACM and all the wires on the right side for ? Also is this the fox racing titan jacket, is it comfortable to wear .

That happens to be my Temperature data logger with probes installed inside the ACM at the bullet motor connector site.

Good observation! Yes it is a Fox Racing Titan Jacket. Comfortable yes but a bitch to put on if you just going for a leisure ride.It has vented sleeves. I suppose if I donned the jacket over a tight fitting shirt it would be easier to apply but I was at work and fitted it over a dress shirt yesterday. 

[WARPed1701D]

6 hours ago, Shemp said:

I'm not acquainted with that gear in particular. However, I'm a fan of non-Newtonian fluid padding in general, and have some bits of gear with D3O and POC's VPD.  A couple of general comments that apply to the linked gear:

• I find lycra cuff style pads uncomfortably restrictive on an EUC. I have "extreme" skate knee and elbow pads with that kind of fitting and stopped using them in favor of "tactical" style ones with straps (and thinner pads). They provide adequate coverage and impact protection, but they are not as hot and don't restrict movement at all. They're also easier to put on/off, and go over clothes easily.
• For EUC crashes (medium speed on pavement) you want a hard plastic shell. If you have a soft impact surface it will catch, increasing the likelihood of a fracture; if there's a hard plastic shell on top of the padding, you'll slide.
• While in theory shoulder and collarbone protection is important, you are way, way less likely to have a crash that hits those points. I'd prioritize my spending in this order: 1) head  2) wrists 3) elbows  4) knees  5) torso / shoulders / collarbone.  If you've got the best gear in each of the first four categories, I'd suggest the POC VPD 2.0 Downhill jacket.

Thanks for sharing your experiences and opinions. Exactly what I am looking for.

Apart from motorcycle gear I've not used any kind of body armor before. Even when I used to mountain bike it was just a helmet. My concern with the cuff style pads is movement upon impact. I saw a few reviews that said the pad shifted on impact resulting in some rash. I expected comfort to be greater than regular pads. Your comment is food for thought.

I too was concerned about the material snagging on the pavement without the plastic outer layer but all of this will be under regular clothing so I didn't think the plastic layer would be able to do much. I guess in an extreme impact my outer layer will get torn away anyway exposing the plastic. More food for thought. I just like these as they lack the bulk and can be discrete under other clothing. Trying to find the right compromise of comfort, practicality and protection. Protection wins over all though.

For my total protective gear load out I'm looking at a Giro Switchblade Full Face MIPS helmet, Demon Flexmeter Wrist Guards, all the gear mentioned above for all other body parts as well as a POC Spine VPD 2.0 back protector. If I fell I think I'd bounce! I like the POC VPD jacket and considered it carefully but don't see how that could go under regular clothing.

Thanks again for responding. I really appreciate hearing from those with experience.

[WARPed1701D]

2 hours ago, Gimlet said:

I got the g-form elbow and knee pads last year and liked them so much that I've gone the whole hog and picked up a shirt, shorts (I went for the cycling version), ankle protectors and combined knee and shin protectors to replace my original knee pads. (Anyone want to buy some second hand knee protectors? )

I like it because it gives fairly effective protection without bulking you out too much or making you look like robo cop. I'm sure the hose riding gear would give more protection but it is a lot more bulky and obvious. It's not so much the cool factor of not having the protection showing, more a matter of not wanting to project he image that rich riding is dangerous, we all know it can be, but projecting that image too obviously is likely to encourage more restrictive laws just when we are trying to make riding actually legal rather than just tolerated in many countries.

I've ridden for just over 2 years now and had my fair share of falls wearing no protection but decided as of my 61st birthday I probably should take a little more care of myself as I'm no longer as indestructible as I was in my youth.

Great to hear from someone with this gear, and it sounds like you brought it for the same reasons as I'm considering it. You want protection with the minimum of bulk and without being conspicuous or appearing dangerous/threatening to pedestrians in city situations. Comfort is a big deal too. I intend to be ATGATT and that is much more likely if it is comfortable to wear.

Have you had any falls with the gear on? How did you find it performed? Does it shift around much during use or move under impact? What about the comfort of it? Shemp said such lycra cuff designs can be uncomfortable.

I'm glad you mentioned the combined shin and knee protectors. I was looking at them but wasn't sure of the utility of shin protectors in the long run. I know they are beneficial while learning but what about after? Do you feel your shin is at risk in a fall? The main reason for going for the Knee only protection is that G-Form has released the "Elite" version of the knee and elbow pads. They have significantly more coverage around the joint and are slightly thicker. They don't yet have this version in the knee/shin all in one. It made me feel giving up the shin protection was worth it for expanded joint protection of the Elite version.

I looked at the ankle protectors. I'll mainly ride in hiking boots negating the need for them but can see the occasional need to ride in regular shoes. Do you feel that are beneficial?

[WARPed1701D]

16 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

Most EUC injuries involve the hand, wrist, elbow shoulder and face/head regions. The classic fracture is of the collarbone or clavicle but others include fracture of the distal radius, scaphoid fractures of the hand, complex fractures about the elbow and wrist, shoulder and knee joint tendon ligament tears, etc. Then as we get older osteoporosis can set in and we become even more prone to orthopedic injuries that take much longer to heal.

The only way you are going to fully protect yourself, no guarantees, is to wear the RoboCop gear with a helmet. Just don’t wear it over your dress clothes or you’ll look really stupid!

 

 

Thanks for the response. I know that the gear you have on here is the best protective option but may not be entirely practical for me in general commuting etc. Do you think the shirt and shorts mentioned above offer any kind of worthy or sufficiently increased protection from some of the injuries you mention to make it worth it, especially shoulder and collarbone areas as well as tailbone (downhill cutout). I've read of a few broken ribs on here too!

[Gimlet]

4 hours ago, WARPed1701D said:

Great to hear from someone with this gear, and it sounds like you brought it for the same reasons as I'm considering it. You want protection with the minimum of bulk and without being conspicuous or appearing dangerous/threatening to pedestrians in city situations. Comfort is a big deal too. I intend to be ATGATT and that is much more likely if it is comfortable to wear.

Have you had any falls with the gear on? How did you find it performed? Does it shift around much during use or move under impact? What about the comfort of it? Shemp said such lycra cuff designs can be uncomfortable.

I'm glad you mentioned the combined shin and knee protectors. I was looking at them but wasn't sure of the utility of shin protectors in the long run. I know they are beneficial while learning but what about after? Do you feel your shin is at risk in a fall? The main reason for going for the Knee only protection is that G-Form has released the "Elite" version of the knee and elbow pads. They have significantly more coverage around the joint and are slightly thicker. They don't yet have this version in the knee/shin all in one. It made me feel giving up the shin protection was worth it for expanded joint protection of the Elite version.

I looked at the ankle protectors. I'll mainly ride in hiking boots negating the need for them but can see the occasional need to ride in regular shoes. Do you feel that are beneficial?

I've tried out each piece individually as it's arrived by wearing it whilst going about my normal active day on the farm. Really just to ensure it stays in the right place and is comfortable. The combined shin/knee pads were great in this respect especially as on that day I was having mechanical problems with my Kubota ride on mower and spent the day jumping of and on and getting down on my knees to reach under it.

The padding material on the knee protectors seems to be about 6.5-7mm whereas the combined shin/knee protectors are about 9.5-10mm thick so maybe they are already up to the elite specification? I don't know!

I have to admit that I haven't had any problems that I couldn't run off since I've been wearing it so it hasn't been tested in earnest yet.

 

[WARPed1701D]

@Gimlet. I really appreciate your follow up. Thank you!

[Rehab1]

5 hours ago, WARPed1701D said:

Thanks for the response. I know that the gear you have on here is the best protective option but may not be entirely practical for me in general commuting etc. Do you think the shirt and shorts mentioned above offer any kind of worthy or sufficiently increased protection from some of the injuries you mention to make it worth it, especially shoulder and collarbone areas as well as tailbone (downhill cutout). I've read of a few broken ribs on here too!

Yes I would not wear this gear for daily commutes. Any protection is worthy. Injuries can be minimized by going slower. I just came back from a cemetery ride with an average speed of 5.5 mph wearing nothing!  Best to just dress for the occasion! For me, normal speed=helmet and wrist guards. Fast speed = helmet, wrist, knee and elbow guards. Testing full speed = full gear and a prayer!

 

[WARPed1701D]

@Gimlet Sorry. One last question. I see mentions in reviews that these run small. Did you measure up and order online or just try them out in a store? If you measured up did you find the fit was as expected or did you have to size up/down?

[Gimlet]

I'm a bit of a cheapskate so I bought when on special offer, highly discounted or with the combination shin/knee guards second hand off fleabay.

I bought xl shorts and shirt large ankle and shin/knee and the elbow which were my first purchase were actually small size knee protectors as when i got the chance to check them out the knee and elbow protectors were the same except for sizing.

It all seems to fit quite well but I'm 94Kg and about 1.78metres tall with a bit of a beer belly and fairly broad shoulders from a lot of canoeing in my youth and middle age.

[WARPed1701D]

Thanks @Gimlet. I placed an order tonight. Jesus that was expensive! I did order two sizes of some things though as my measurements were either on the cusp of sizes or in the case of the knee and elbow pads you measure above and below the joint and for me one measurement suggested one size and the other measurement another. I'll have to try them on and see which works out the best.

I think the total for the gear I'm getting is almost equal to the cost of the wheel!  Now to live through a few days of "pit of you stomach" feeling for spending too much. 

[WARPed1701D]

TL;DR If you decide to buy some of this gear sign up for the blog first. You may get a discount code to use on your order.

A little update to this. Immediately after I placed my order I got an email from G-Form thanking me for signing me up for their blog. I didn't sign up. It seems to be a bi-product of buying something. Normally this bugs me but on this occasion the welcome email included a 10% discount code. Nooooooo! KAHHHHHHHHHNNNNNN!

I emailed G-Form late last night and asked if they would be kind enough to apply the discount retrospectively to my order and this morning I got a reply from Kat at G-Form saying that while it wasn't normal practice they would! Awesome customer service so far. I hope the gear proves to be just as good.

I invited them over here to answer any questions or place some details in the Ad/Deal section. Maybe a discount code will be forthcoming!

They have "ambassadors" for several sports/past-times who promote their gear and feature in their newsletters and blogs. I suggested that an EUC ambassador might be cool. Not me though. I don't think my (not yet been delivered) V8 is extreme enough, nor my noob riding skills...but @EUC Extreme certainly would fit the bill, or maybe @Marty Backe could keep a non-fixed mSuper around for future stunt riding!

 

[Scatcat]

On 2017-07-10 at 8:06 PM, WARPed1701D said:

I know there has been a few discussions on protective gear lately. Marty showed of his gear in a video. There is a thread about gear suggestions which I guess is by people that own it and are happy with it, and finally the injury thread touches on some options. I've suggested a new section to hold protective gear discussions and reviews to make it easy to find these things and maybe prompt greater awareness and discussion. In light of this I hope no one minds if I start a new thread to gain opinions on a type of protective gear I'm looking at. I'd like to know from people who have fallen if they think this gear would have protected their impact areas. EUC falls appear to be unlike any other and particularly brutal. I'd also like to know from any medical professionals (@Rehab1) if they think the protection is in the right locations to avoid EUC type injury.

I want to find the right blend of protection and practicality. Ideally I'd like to wear most/all gear under other clothes so as to not look intimidating to pedestrians in city riding and because I'll be commuting and don't want to enter the office like RoboCop. While I hope to get a lot of recreational riding in on my new wheel most will be commuting to and from work and A to B travel for things like shopping, chores, etc where I'd like some level of discretion and comfort upon arrival.

I've found these undershirts/shorts and knee/elbow protectors by G-Form. They use RPT for protection which is basically their version of D3O. A non newtonian formed gel that goes hard upon impact but is otherwise low profile and flexible.

The complete range can be seen is here: http://g-form.com/shop-body

I particularly like the Pro X Compression Shirt
It has good shoulder and collarbone coverage (well the best I have seen). Sternum protection for face-plant falls and rib protection. Sadly nothing on the spine. I'd wear this under a shirt generally for riding.

Also for the hips and legs the Pro G Board and Ski Compression Shorts
They have tailbone and butt (sit-bones???) protection for downhill cutouts. Side impact hip protection. I wish the hip protection wrapped a little further forward though.

Anyone have any opinions on these?

Also they make knee and elbow protection using the same tech. Some options extend above and/or below the joint for additional protection. Would you feel comfortable wearing these in place of hard-shell knee and elbow protection? They are certainly more practical and comfortable for my planned usage but I don't want to compromise too greatly on safety. Hard-shell protection is pretty cheap. If I wanted to trail ride I could have a set of hard protection for those uses. But for commuting and general city use I'm hoping for a compromise, well actually I want the best of both worlds, but that is usually impossible to find.

I'm seeing good reviews from the snowboarding, skate, and mountain biking communities. But it is the opinion of this one that matters. 

Thanks in advance.

 

You just HAD to point me in the direction of G-Form, didn't you? Now I have to sit on myself not to order them right away, spending another few hundred dollars... 

[WARPed1701D]

6 minutes ago, Scatcat said:

You just HAD to point me in the direction of G-Form, didn't you? Now I have to sit on myself not to order them right away, spending another few hundred dollars... 

Also look at Xion and POC. Their gear is also non-newtonian so likely also very comfortable vs hard plastic and probably offers greater protection than G-Form (through increased coverage) but at the cost of bulk and heat and maybe a little mobility. I thought G-Form suited my requirements the best for protective undergarments that are discrete. I hope to do a review of the gear when it arrives. Maybe text. Maybe video. Not sure yet. Never done a video. It could help your decision making.

[Scatcat]

On 2017-07-11 at 8:02 AM, Shemp said:

I'm not acquainted with that gear in particular. However, I'm a fan of non-Newtonian fluid padding in general, and have some bits of gear with D3O and POC's VPD.  A couple of general comments that apply to the linked gear:

• I find lycra cuff style pads uncomfortably restrictive on an EUC. I have "extreme" skate knee and elbow pads with that kind of fitting and stopped using them in favor of "tactical" style ones with straps (and thinner pads). They provide adequate coverage and impact protection, but they are not as hot and don't restrict movement at all. They're also easier to put on/off, and go over clothes easily.
• For EUC crashes (medium speed on pavement) you want a hard plastic shell. If you have a soft impact surface it will catch, increasing the likelihood of a fracture; if there's a hard plastic shell on top of the padding, you'll slide.
• While in theory shoulder and collarbone protection is important, you are way, way less likely to have a crash that hits those points. I'd prioritize my spending in this order: 1) head  2) wrists 3) elbows  4) knees  5) torso / shoulders / collarbone.  If you've got the best gear in each of the first four categories, I'd suggest the POC VPD 2.0 Downhill jacket.

I would reorder the prio between elbows and knees. If you get a cut-out, the knees WILL almost certainly hit the ground.

[Scatcat]

1 minute ago, WARPed1701D said:

Also look at Xion and POC. Their gear is also non-newtonian so likely also very comfortable vs hard plastic and probably offers greater protection but at the cost of bulk and heat. I though G-Form suited my requirements the best for protective undergarments that are discrete. I hope to do a review of the gear when it arrives. Maybe text. Maybe video. Not sure yet. Never done a video. It could help your decision making.

Yeah, but the bulk thing is part of my thinking too. It's one thing if I go on a Sunday ride, then I couldn't care less. But when commuting or going around town I'd like to have stuff on that ain't too awkward when I get off and go into a shop, or sit at a café - or for that matter enter work and go right into a meeting. Something that I can actually leave on if needed, and take off whenever I get the opportunity.

The ideal would be something like G-form protection for ankles, knees, and elbows, and then a jacket I can wear under my regular one for body and hip protection. Something that is as easy to take off as the jacket itself.

I can probably make do with the ankle, knee and elbow protection, as I already have a flexmeter D3O wrist guard arriving tomorrow. But as I tend to go at >20mph on long boring stretches of my commuting, I would feel a bit better having some protection for ribs, shoulders, hip and breastbone. Probably a full-face helmet too, if I'm to go faster than I do now.

Also, the cars close to my job seem blind to anything with less than four wheels - it is a typical "car area". The day when one of them brushes me, is the day when I want as much protection as money can buy. I'd probably get hurt anyway, but better hurt than maimed or dead.

[WARPed1701D]

40 minutes ago, Scatcat said:

Yeah, but the bulk thing is part of my thinking too. It's one thing if I go on a Sunday ride, then I couldn't care less. But when commuting or going around town I'd like to have stuff on that ain't too awkward when I get off and go into a shop, or sit at a café - or for that matter enter work and go right into a meeting. Something that I can actually leave on if needed, and take off whenever I get the opportunity.

The ideal would be something like G-form protection for ankles, knees, and elbows, and then a jacket I can wear under my regular one for body and hip protection. Something that is as easy to take off as the jacket itself.

I can probably make do with the ankle, knee and elbow protection, as I already have a flexmeter D3O wrist guard arriving tomorrow. But as I tend to go at >20mph on long boring stretches of my commuting, I would feel a bit better having some protection for ribs, shoulders, hip and breastbone. Probably a full-face helmet too, if I'm to go faster than I do now.

Also, the cars close to my job seem blind to anything with less than four wheels - it is a typical "car area". The day when one of them brushes me, is the day when I want as much protection as money can buy. I'd probably get hurt anyway, but better hurt than maimed or dead.

We seem to have the same requirements.

I also went with the Flexmeter wrist guards. G-Form doesn't offer that kind of impact protection. Their wrist guard appears to be more for baseball etc. I have the Giro Switchblade full face helmet (removable chin guard) on order too. I hope to provide a review of that too when I get it. Watch this space.