Hard or Soft ?

Hammer · 12-10-2006, 11:50 AM

With the title I now have your attention.

With the purchase of the new leathers, now poses the question of installing hard armor in the new set or just leaving the soft CE armor in them.
I had Barnicle Bill install hard armor in my last suit and liked it but is it necessary, seems to give a little more protection.

What is your preferance and why?

seamus · 12-10-2006, 12:09 PM

Hard armor will disperse the force of an impact over a larger area rather than just absobing a portion of it.

Hammer · 12-10-2006, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seamus

Hard armor will disperse the force of an impact over a larger area rather than just absobing a portion of it.

That is a lodgical explination and the reason I had it installed in the old suit. But with all the R&D being done now days, I just wondered about the benifits of either one.

jhonda41 · 12-10-2006, 6:37 PM

Why not hard armor if you've got it?

Band your elbow or knee against a wall with both the hard and soft armor on. Then imagine hitting the pavement with the soft stuff on

SpikedLemon · 12-12-2006, 12:32 PM

I like soft armor; it's less intrusive.

I can't stand hard armor on gloves; it's a comfort thing.

JustinkF · 12-13-2006, 1:36 AM

CE please!

Repeater · 12-13-2006, 1:52 AM

Depends were you want it.

For me it is.

Elbows hard
Gloves soft but built up like the kushitanis. oh yea thats why i paid 230!
Knees combination of both
Hips soft
Sholders i would go for hard but not some crazy huge football type armor

My z-leathers have some armor, but not too much. i do wish it would have come with more on the shin, but thats mainly to fill my boot.
I could also use a butt pad like my track pants. i may add stuff to the suit if i can.

Scout · 12-13-2006, 11:28 AM

Soft, except the back protector.

bikerboy1974 · 12-13-2006, 11:34 AM

Hard, but that's just because I'm used to it and feel a lot safer in it. Had soft in one of my jackets and it was the worst I've come out of a crash. Can definitely feel the difference on actual impact and during the slide.

CBRVFR · 12-13-2006, 1:27 PM

I can't believe you'd consider soft armor for the track, after the geosynchronous orbit you returned from at Putnam.
I don't think race organizations accept soft armor, do they? I have it in my aerostich, and I'd rather be wearing my leathers in a crash.
Hard. CE. or a combination of both, one on top of the other.

BDA116 · 12-13-2006, 1:32 PM

I thought we got rid of the NWS section.

Hammer · 12-13-2006, 2:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BDA116

I thought we got rid of the NWS section.

But we still have you around.

Scout · 12-13-2006, 2:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

I can't believe you'd consider soft armor for the track, after the geosynchronous orbit you returned from at Putnam.
I don't think race organizations accept soft armor, do they? I have it in my aerostich, and I'd rather be wearing my leathers in a crash.
Hard. CE. or a combination of both, one on top of the other.

Hey! My CE is soft (or am I speaking from which I don't know?).

CBRVFR · 12-13-2006, 4:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scout

Hey! My CE is soft.

TMI!!!

Here's a link to newenough's basic armor orientation:

FAQ:* General Information about Armor

I misused the term, Scout - my leathers have GP armor, and my aerostich has the memoryfoam stuff.

slanger · 12-13-2006, 4:31 PM

on the track, hard armor... those speeds and you can get slammed to the ground in an instant.

on the street CE should be enough if you ride with your head and dont get out of control

CBRVFR · 12-13-2006, 4:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slanger

on the track, hard armor... those speeds and you can get slammed to the ground in an instant.

on the street CE should be enough if you ride with your head and dont get out of control

Yet on the street, you're likely to come into contact with really hard objects that don't appear on tracks.

I'm going to upgrade my aerostich to hard armor, I think.

Vanson's website mentions that CE armor should be considered useful for one impact and has to be replaced after that. Try explaining that to the second tree you hit.

Hammer · 12-13-2006, 5:43 PM

Ends up the leathers have hard armor in them in all places except the shoulders. I will have them upgraded asap. CBRVFR, it was a question as to the tech and knowledge of H vs S armor and what recent upgrads have been made in recent years. I love the hard armor, it does not bother me on the track so that is not a concern.

SpikedLemon · 12-13-2006, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

Yet on the street, you're likely to come into contact with really hard objects that don't appear on tracks.

It's odd that people figure they're "safer" on the street than the track... I wouldn't want to hit one of those "really hard objects" like a fire hydrant, phone pole, SUV or even the curb.

jhonda41 · 12-16-2006, 6:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CBRVFR

Yet on the street, you're likely to come into contact with really hard objects that don't appear on tracks.

I'm going to upgrade my aerostich to hard armor, I think.

on the hard objects.... and I will be recycling my Fieldsheer armor if my next suit doesnt have hard parts within.

Quote:

Vanson's website mentions that CE armor should be considered useful for one impact and has to be replaced after that. Try explaining that to the second tree you hit.

Helmets are the same way so I guess we're all ****ed!

-jh

Hammer · 12-16-2006, 6:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhonda41

Helmets are the same way so I guess we're all ****ed!

-jh

Snell requirement are that the helment can sustain 2 hits. So if the helmet is snell you can hit 2 trees and live with little to no drain bammage.

jhonda41 · 12-16-2006, 6:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammer

Snell requirement are that the helment can sustain 2 hits. So if the helmet is snell you can hit 2 trees and live with little to no drain bammage.

Yeah but most of the time... the first hit is the pavement... the second is the first tree.

Hopefully I'm not going fast enough to become a pinball in the woods.

-jh
Proud supporter of controlling the amount of times my helmet falls and rolls around like a bowling ball

SpookyjacK · 01-02-2007, 4:45 PM

Funny thing about hard armour is that when it's in my suits the suits just fit better, soft armour seems to make the suits too tight......Hard armour good.

MR_TiGGer · 01-25-2007, 3:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammer

Snell requirement are that the helment can sustain 2 hits. So if the helmet is snell you can hit 2 trees and live with little to no drain bammage.

What about the brain damage that was possibly present that caused the spill in the 1st place