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  • Back protection?
  • larkim
    Free Member

    Is there a rule of thumb for when it is considered more highly desirable than not to wear back protection? Don’t have any at the moment, but heading Alps-wise in the summer.

    I expect its like the helmet debate (“I’ve never needed one, don’t see why I should have to put up with a hot back” vs “If you can afford £50 for back protection to stop you having a paralysed life, why wouldn’t you”) but thought I’d ask anyway…

    Ecky-Thump
    Free Member

    For me, that rule of thumb is when you no longer have to pedal up because you’ve got the luxury of an uplift and the downhill that follows involves an element of “wheels off the ground”.

    honourablegeorge
    Full Member

    Yes, very much like the helmet debate.

    EVOC or similar bag is a nice middle ground, if you’re going to be carrying a bag anyway.

    Doesn’t hurt that they’re extremely well made, durable, well organised and confiortable bags. Certainly on the pricy side, but mine is (dirt aside) as good as new after about six years constant use in all sorts of conditions.

    philjunior
    Free Member

    At the moment, I wear full body armour when it won’t be a complete hassle – i.e. when I’m getting a lift up the hill.

    I think when time comes to replace my Camelbak I’ll consider something with integrated back protection, subject to price and comfort (there’s no point in doing my back in in order to protect my back in case of a particularly unlucky crash)

    chrishc777
    Free Member

    Agree with Ecky, if I’m uplifting or pushing to the top I wear armour. Most of my mates don’t but I’d rather sweat out than paralyze myself. It does happen. Stops the constant bruises and cuts from all the crashing I do

    reggiegasket
    Free Member

    The EVOC bags are good. That’s what I went for recently, rather than an armour or ‘padded base layer’ solution.

    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    Evoc pack is the comfiest and lightest feeling I’ve ever owned, so the back protection is a nice bonus.

    mudfish
    Full Member

    Yeah, uplift = armour, Dainese for me

    golo
    Free Member

    I managed to get one of the small Ergon ones for half price and use it in place of my now retired Mule. I use it all the time because it a) works brilliantly (smart German engineering types) and b) if you can’t tell a pack has a back protector, why the hell not use it?

    I do also have an Evoc 20l for when I need to carry more than water + odds and sods. They look massive but are shallow and spread the load. The protector sits behind a much wider ribbed back. It’s really comfortable and easy to forget. Better still the 20l back protector can be zipped off if you want to use it on its own say for an uplift day at BPW (not so the 16l). Again, brilliant German boffinry. Buy the 2016 version and there’s a revised waist strap and back ribbing for better ventilation.

    In both cases I considered a Kudu. I found it was much more of a hump and had less flexible storage.

    stewartc
    Free Member

    For uplifts there is no reason not to wear the amount of armor you feel comfortable with, typically for me I don’t tend to wear a backpack for descents below 20-30 minutes so wear the usual helmet, knee and elbow pads along with a Race Face back protector similar to this but the vest version.
    For non-uplift rides with a lot of climbing and rocky descents, typical in my neck of the woods, I stick with an EVOC backpack.

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