armored jacket/hoodie

[Dogmaticjoe]

I've been looking up armored hoodies and jackets for when my KS18XL arrives (first euc) arrives and I know people say lazyrolling but they just seem so expensive when compared to actual motorcycle armored jackets as on amazon some of the highest rated armored jackets are around $70. I live in where I live it regularly gets to 90+ degree in the summer and I know that motorcycle jackets are hotter because they are expected to be ridden at higher speeds therefore more airflow, but is there a armored jacket out there that is good for lower speeds "less airflow" and wont roast me in the heat. I just find it a crazy price difference for thicker more built for bigger crash jackets to be so much cheaper than the lazyrolling ones.

[Aztek]

The Italian urban toucan have some pretty meshy summer jackets.

Unfortunately they seem to have problems with delivery lately.

Edited July 17, 2021 by Aztek

[enlightened0ne]

I haven’t seen anything similar to the lazyrolling offerings while looking around. If anyone has seen one please post here.

[Txglider]

Repost off what I mentioned in a previous thread.

 

I've got the Merlin Hamlin Hoody.  It has dupont kevlar lining and CE approved armor.  It comes with your typical shoulder and elbow protection and does have back protection(but is very light and flimsy, probably more for skid protection.)  It's very comfortable and feels like I'm not wearing it.  With that being said I live in Texas so during summer it gets pretty hot.  I typically will ride when it's cooler in the morning or evening around 93/94 degrees.  Hoodie feels great and fine for about the first 40 minutes then it starts to get hot.  I'd say it's more of fall/spring hoody.

[CarlW]

I just got my new 16X, and still considering the torso, shoulder, and elbow protection issues.  I'm staying on grass and rubber playground surface until I figure it out.  I'm not much of an Amazon shopper, but can not see how any manufacturer could put together much of an offering for 70 dollars.  Members of this forum have almost entirely recommended products from well know manufacturers of protective gear.  After seeing a few xrays from EUC crashes I am not inclined to look for economy solutions.  When learning to ride I already managed to take a thump to my ribs.  Avoiding one trip to the emergency room by getting something well outfitted with D30 or equivalent makes financial sense to me.       

[Aztek]

2 minutes ago, CarlW said:

managed to take a thump to my ribs.  Avoiding one trip to the emergency room by getting something well outfitted with D30 or equivalent makes financial sense to me.       

Broken ribs are not the worst here. One should get in the habit to exhale when falling, because pneumothorax and lung contusions are worse.

[Skeptikos]

There's probably a reason for the price difference. I'd guess it's due to the kevlar lining in the Lazyrolling hoodie (the amazon jacket will only have reinforced fabric around a few common impact zones), the reflective material (a good feature for night riding), and whatever RECCO is.

I've noticed that, as a rule, the cheap jackets on Amazon have very cheap (as in not very protective) impact armor. So I absolutely disagree that they are "more built for bigger crash", regardless of what the reviews say. The cheap and highly-rated jackets on amazon are probably competent but very basic jackets with relatively low-end protection, and they're totally fine for people who aren't looking for premium features or quality.

Anyway, there's no shame in getting a cheaper jacket-- a kevlar lining is probably overkill for most EUC riding anyway, you can easily upgrade the cheap impact armor if you want, and you could just wear a reflective safety vest or LEDs at night so cars see you. Lazyrolling is definitely not the only option, it just happens to be an option that's pretty good for many riders.

Also mesh jackets are impressively cool even below motorcycle speeds. Once you're moving it basically feels like you're sitting in front of a fan.

Edited July 22, 2021 by Skeptikos

[.....]

1 hour ago, CarlW said:

I just got my new 16X, and still considering the torso, shoulder, and elbow protection issues.  I'm staying on grass and rubber playground surface until I figure it out.  I'm not much of an Amazon shopper, but can not see how any manufacturer could put together much of an offering for 70 dollars.  Members of this forum have almost entirely recommended products from well know manufacturers of protective gear.  After seeing a few xrays from EUC crashes I am not inclined to look for economy solutions.  When learning to ride I already managed to take a thump to my ribs.  Avoiding one trip to the emergency room by getting something well outfitted with D30 or equivalent makes financial sense to me.       

Cheap is cheap...  I used to go cheap shopping and for certain things, I still do. However, as I kept keep getting burned by sub par cheap stuff, I learned. The 'cheap' market is so competitive now that the only way to win is to go cheap for everything from materials to labor to service. If you're going to bother donning gear, make it worth it. Treat youself to something quality. Once you step into the darkside of top tier craftsmanship and materials, its hard to go back. I guess the REAL question is.. how much more money is quality materials with quality employees while offering long wearing and more comfy protection, worth to ya? Sometimes I pay more and realize Im paying a premium because employees deserve to eat too. Buy once, cry once. It was 20+yrs into my motorcycle 'career' before I even KNEW what a quality helmet felt like. So many wasted years of discomfort from ignorance and being cheap.

Sorry to hear about the ribs. Did ya fall on your own arm? Tbf, none of my gear has rib protection. Its hard to protect those ribs and stay comfy/mobile...

Edited July 22, 2021 by ShanesPlanet

[Dogmaticjoe]

I have also seen some pretty good looking gear on the demon united page if you go to their mtb/bmx upper and lower body section that all looks food i just dont know how cool it would keep me they all look pretty well buolt tho. Thanks for the advice. I also bought my helmet from them the demon podium.

[Skeptikos]

Quick note on the Demon Podium-- I've been using it for riding on my V8 (top speed 18mph) and it's totally great for that. However it's only certified as a regular bike helmet, and the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute recommends getting a sturdier helmet once you're going 20mph. At that point you probably want to get a downhill rated helmet (ASTM F1952). Just something to be aware of.

[CarlW]

22 hours ago, Aztek said:

Broken ribs are not the worst here. One should get in the habit to exhale when falling

My plan would hopefully be to avoid getting in the habit of falling.  I've never had fast reflexes so in the split second where I say "Oh shit" as I fly towards the ground I now also need to have the wherewithal to evacuate my lungs?  If I fall so often to get enough practice to perfect the exhale I might should find a new hobby.

21 hours ago, ShanesPlanet said:

Sorry to hear about the ribs. Did ya fall on your own arm?

No, just hit the grass in poor form.  I'm liking the looks of the Forcefield mesh product with CE level 2 through out.  Unfortunately they are out of stock in the US until next month some time.  Seems like a garment that will work for hot weather under a thin shirt or as a layer in cold months.  I just can't get into the black body armor storm trooper look, plus they never seem to have CE 2 ratings and appear more for rock and tree limb protection as opposed to impact reduction.

 https://www.forcefieldbodyarmour.com/pro-xv2-air-range

Expensive, but way cheaper than my insurance deductible.  I guess a decent helmet is similar money.  I heard about a company in Mooresville making some level 2 shirts and pants, but they do not have chest protection and the back protection looks lame.  I might try their padded shorts.  Demon has some options, but they seem more for skiing and look like you dumped a load in an effort for buttocks protection.  I'm going to hope that is one part of my anatomy with a reasonable amount of natural cushioning.

https://www.bohnarmor.com/product-category/armored-motorcycle-riding-shorts/

[yoos]

If you are looking for the lazyrolling casual look and hoodies specifically the Icon Malice Hoody might be an option. It's roughly half the price and has D3O elbow and shoulder pads. It does not advertise any abrasion resistance (which is generally a bad sign) but otherwise might be worth a look. If you are looking for an mc jacket in general, perhaps buying a gently used one could be a good idea. I would definitely prefer a mint second-hand top-brand jacket with branded and certified components to a new generic jacket. Apart from actual protection there are things like zippers, which, once they fail, can make the garment unusable. And while you can assess the quality of zippers, leather, seams without special tools, there is no way to test the impact absorption of the pads on your own.

I guess lazyrolling is so expensive because in addition to all the quality factors they are apparently the only jacket brand that is devoted to the skate/onewheel/euc market. This allows them to command a premium.

By the way, I really wonder why motorcycle hoodies are a thing at all. The general mc rider wouldn't ride without a helmet (and if he would, he probably would not care for armored hoodies either). So, most of the time the hood would be stowed away (if the jacket allows it - to avoid flapping in the wind or catching something in the event of a crash). The only scenario where a hood makes sense to me is if you are adventuring and your mc jacket doubles as your pedestrian jacket. However, that would be a proper adv jacket, not a hoody lookalike.

[Skeptikos]

9 hours ago, yoos said:

If you are looking for the lazyrolling casual look and hoodies specifically the Icon Malice Hoody might be an option. [...] It does not advertise any abrasion resistance (which is generally a bad sign)

Icon's stuff generally has some kind of abrasion resistance (nearly all motorcycle clothing does). In this case they mention it has ripstop nylon overlays. Those are the darker/more reflective sections around the elbows and the top. It's not going to offer as much protection as a full kevlar lining, but it's probably fine for unicycle speeds.

 

9 hours ago, yoos said:

By the way, I really wonder why motorcycle hoodies are a thing at all. The general mc rider wouldn't ride without a helmet (and if he would, he probably would not care for armored hoodies either). So, most of the time the hood would be stowed away (if the jacket allows it - to avoid flapping in the wind or catching something in the event of a crash). The only scenario where a hood makes sense to me is if you are adventuring and your mc jacket doubles as your pedestrian jacket. However, that would be a proper adv jacket, not a hoody lookalike.

This is urban-style gear that's meant to be worn both off and on the bike (not adventuring, but just around town).

Revzilla reviews are usually pretty useful. Here they are pointing out all of the convenient features that this cheaper hoodie is missing:

 

[Skeptikos]

Anyway, so the deal with motorcycle gear is that, since we're not going as fast as motorcycles, we don't need as much abrasion resistance. But we still want good impact protection for crashes.

So one thing you can do is buy relatively cheap motorcycle gear with lower abrasion resistance, and just upgrade the impact protectors as needed. That way you end up with good EUC protection for lower-than-motorcycle prices.

One more issue, though-- if you're going fast enough to worry about road rash you probably want some kind of chest/rib protection, which most motorcycle jackets don't provide. One convenient way to address that is to get a jacket with some kind of chest protection option. (But you can also wear a separate chest protector if you get a jacket without that feature.)

 

[EUC Forest]

On 7/23/2021 at 11:04 AM, yoos said:

If you are looking for the lazyrolling casual look and hoodies specifically the Icon Malice Hoody might be an option. It's roughly half the price and has D3O elbow and shoulder pads. It does not advertise any abrasion resistance (which is generally a bad sign) but otherwise might be worth a look. If you are looking for an mc jacket in general, perhaps buying a gently used one could be a good idea. I would definitely prefer a mint second-hand top-brand jacket with branded and certified components to a new generic jacket. Apart from actual protection there are things like zippers, which, once they fail, can make the garment unusable. And while you can assess the quality of zippers, leather, seams without special tools, there is no way to test the impact absorption of the pads on your own.

I guess lazyrolling is so expensive because in addition to all the quality factors they are apparently the only jacket brand that is devoted to the skate/onewheel/euc market. This allows them to command a premium.

 

I have a "Course" low priced (90€) hoodie that seems OK for abrasion resistance (some kevlar) and has good protection pouches placement (I replaced the stock paddings with Sas-Tec slims L2 that fit fine), so pretty decent for the price but I soon had problems with the main zipper that died, now the replacement has also partly died so it's a slight hassle again...The textile shell doesn't look too fresh anymore and it wasn't used all that much but the black holds well. There are no garters (?) to attach to your pants which is useful to prevent rash (btw you can get bad "EUC rash" crashing at a mere 30kmh like I did...painful and slow to heal, leaves a permanent scar.) I am getting a Lazyrolling jacket with the chest pouches, hopefully overall quality is much better.

[UniBlab]

On 7/22/2021 at 12:53 AM, ShanesPlanet said:

Cheap is cheap...  I used to go cheap shopping and for certain things, I still do. However, as I kept keep getting burned by sub par cheap stuff, I learned. The 'cheap' market is so competitive now that the only way to win is to go cheap for everything from materials to labor to service. If you're going to bother donning gear, make it worth it. Treat youself to something quality. Once you step into the darkside of top tier craftsmanship and materials, its hard to go back. I guess the REAL question is.. how much more money is quality materials with quality employees while offering long wearing and more comfy protection, worth to ya? Sometimes I pay more and realize Im paying a premium because employees deserve to eat too. Buy once, cry once. It was 20+yrs into my motorcycle 'career' before I even KNEW what a quality helmet felt like. So many wasted years of discomfort from ignorance and being cheap.

Sorry to hear about the ribs. Did ya fall on your own arm? Tbf, none of my gear has rib protection. Its hard to protect those ribs and stay comfy/mobile...

Pops always said, "A cheap tool is an expensive tool...." Which can be applied to pretty much anything.  You want something to last, shell out the money...... Most time you'll be happy you did..................

[bracky72]

I wear a Klim Induction vented moto jacket. Kinda pricey but I feel like it will actually help if I go down.  It’s very high quality. The venting makes heat a non issue once rolling. 
 

https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/klim-induction-jacket-2017

 

[EUC Forest]

Got the Lazyrolling yellow hoodie with pockets for chest protection, from erides UK. Quality is vastly superior to the "gen" mc hoddie I had, in addition I like the vents under the armpits and under the reflective textile on the back, which I hadn't seen mentioned. Looks like a solid piece of equipment, worth its price. I had to cut my D3O L2 back protection to make it fit, the pocket could be a bit larger tbh...

[East Coast]

Hey All!

I'm new to EUC and got my KS18XL recently . Would to following cheap jacket be fine https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076JBZNN1/

If so, I wonder what's the fastest I can go with something like this? My KS top speed is 30.1 mph which I don't expect to get up to anytime soon lol

 

Thanks in advance!

[RockyTop]

10 minutes ago, East Coast said:

Hey All!

I'm new to EUC and got my KS18XL recently . Would to following cheap jacket be fine https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076JBZNN1/

If so, I wonder what's the fastest I can go with something like this? My KS top speed is 30.1 mph which I don't expect to get up to anytime soon lol

 

Thanks in advance!

That looks great! I was wearing a similar jacket when I crashed at 37mph. The Jacket did its job and did not wear threw. That said, I still got an equivalent of road rash. I got a 2 inch by 3 inch area on my elbow that looked just like road rash. I think that I got the road rash from the inside of the jacket. I am absolutely sure that it would have been much much worse without the jacket.
Just remember that some healthy people die falling in the tub while others survive falling out of planes. Skill and luck have their part. 

[East Coast]

Thx!

[Circuitmage]

On 7/22/2021 at 12:03 AM, Txglider said:

Repost off what I mentioned in a previous thread.

 

I've got the Merlin Hamlin Hoody.  It has dupont kevlar lining and CE approved armor.  It comes with your typical shoulder and elbow protection and does have back protection(but is very light and flimsy, probably more for skid protection.)  It's very comfortable and feels like I'm not wearing it.  With that being said I live in Texas so during summer it gets pretty hot.  I typically will ride when it's cooler in the morning or evening around 93/94 degrees.  Hoodie feels great and fine for about the first 40 minutes then it starts to get hot.  I'd say it's more of fall/spring hoody.

@Txglider As a fellow Tx rider...I decided to get that Hoody. I also liked the Scorpion EXO hoody, but it had no shoulder padding, so this one seems better. What size do you have and how does it fit? I wanted to get the Large, being 5'11 and around 200# with about a 42" chest, but they were sold out everywhere. So I ordered the XL.

[taiguy]

On 8/9/2021 at 1:19 AM, EUC Forest said:

Got the Lazyrolling yellow hoodie with pockets for chest protection, from erides UK. Quality is vastly superior to the "gen" mc hoddie I had, in addition I like the vents under the armpits and under the reflective textile on the back, which I hadn't seen mentioned. Looks like a solid piece of equipment, worth its price. I had to cut my D3O L2 back protection to make it fit, the pocket could be a bit larger tbh...

Would you be able to post some photos of the chest protector pockets? Shipping to the US would have been egregious got erides, so I ordered the "standard" jacket from lazy rolling. 

I'm guessing I'll have to diy a sewing project so I can add some d3o to the front of the jacket.

[HighEndScooters]

Those of you based in the UK you can now purchase Lazyrolling from the following link https://highendscooters.co.uk/product/lazyrolling-armored-jacket/

Be sure to browse around to see our growing collection of EUC gear for the UK Market more products arriving from Russia for those interested in items such as Fibreglass shells, and 84v and 100v capacitors etc. 

[Planemo]

You dont need to spend a lot of money. All my MC jackets have been bought used and if you buy smart you can get a virtually new one for very little cost. In fact I just picked this summer mesh jacket up off the bay, used once apparantly (it looks brand new) as the one I have is a little snug and at this price I can afford to be fussy.

Rev'It Airforce. Brilliant for the summer and proper MC build quality which also means decent abrasion resistance. Just £45.