I’m considering one for this years trip and wondered if anyone had any experience using/wearing them? I ski most things on the piste but rarely venture off piste, I also pretty much always wear a backpack.

Any general thoughts and/or recommendations? Something I can use on the bike may not be a bad idea either.

Dainese, every time.

something like this

Why do you need one?
If you are only in piste and don't do park or pipe then I cannot see the point?
Snowbording yes piste sking no. 😉

I user a Dainese on in the park/off piste and forget I'm wearing it as soon as I put my coat on. They'er well worth the money, rails hurt a lot without them!!

True but u wouldn't wear one for normal on piste sking ?

I can't see why you'd want or need one for general on piste skiing. Especially if you're skiing with a pack that's already providing a degree of protection from impacts. Just make sure your pack is packed sensibly to avoid any problems if you fall on it.

Look at POC gear, much more comfortable than Dainese and better protection. Have used both the above for DH MTB.

They've just started pushing their gear as mtb friendly but have been making snow stuff for a while.

Can't reccomend them enough.

Forcefield make some excellent gear – shirts, trousers (both with their armour in them).

I use one of their back protectors and it's very good.

smurf

We have a POC and a Dainese in our house, and I disagree that the POC is more comfortable. Dainese is slightly more comfortable IMO, but both are so comfortable that it is not an issue. Also, the Dainese offers more protection, as the POC is quite narrow.

Backpack and spine protector combo is quite thick. You will expose yourself to more risk of slipping off the chairlifts than you will protect yourself from spinal injuries.

Ortovox make bags with built in back protectors.

Dainese are good but expensive. I have a Demon one that has straps and a waist band. Don't notice I'm wearing it tbh. Ebay might be worth a look.

Its never a bad thing to have on just incase but only really worth it if your hitting the park or powder or pushing yourself.

I use mine in the alps for DH, wouldn't use it in the UK.

Dino – Member

Why do you need one?
If you are only in piste and don't do park or pipe then I cannot see the point?
Snowbording yes piste sking no.

Are you telling me you can't injure your back on a piste???

EVERY person i've ever seen stretchered off, or helicoptered off was on piste. I've been skiing for 24 years and have seen plenty!

Back injury is not uncommon for skiers and wearing a back protector is a smart move.

I have a Ski specific Camelback which affords some protection, but not a great deal.

I have worn a helmet after being forced onto a huge slab of ice by a novice. I wasn't going very fast, but it was my fault because I hadn't been watching her properly. I'd assumed she was a better skier, but she turned unexpectedly and the resulting outcome was me nearly knocking myself out.

I sometimes ski fast, as much as 60mph on occasions, so I should be wearing back protection. I do this on empty pistes where I can see the well ahead, but it's still risky.

Accidents can happen anywhere, to anyone, with any equipment and wearing kit to mitigate injuries is a very wise move indeed!

Beveled edge – Whcih POC have you got?

I have the Spine VPD vest, would never go back to a rigid Dainese one!

I've got the POC spine ergo and highly recommend it. I purchased it for Snowboarding but also use it for longboarding.

I had a spectacular wipeout on the longboard earlier this year which resulted in me flying through the air and landing quite awkwardly on my back – but was able to stand up and walk away with just bruises and scratches thanks to the POC back protector .

Spongebob do you work for the health and safety executive?
60 mph on a piste really?
Also the accident you had by being pushed off the piste by a novice was your fault (were you doing 60 mph and didnt see her by any chance??)
I may well buy a back protector if you are on the slopes at the same time as me.
Dont want to run the risk of being hit by someone who didnt see me!!

Spongebob do you work for the health and safety executive?
60 mph on a piste really?

SO totally don't!

Also the accident you had by being pushed off the piste by a novice was your fault (were you doing 60 mph and didnt see her by any chance??)

Read my post!

I may well buy a back protector if you are on the slopes at the same time as me.

I haven't ever collided with anyone, but You do that!
Dont want to run the risk of being hit by someone who didnt see me!!

Forget skiing on a mountain then!

Protections oui, sac à dos non. Un ami moniteur est resté accroché au télésiège par son sac à dos au moment d'y descendre. Bilan: plusieurs os cassés et quelques mois de convalescence.

60mph is no problem if you are on the first chair of the day and only have pisteurs and errant fondeurs to worry about.

Just one minor observation about protective equipment in general… The law of unintended consequences… It will probably make you ski faster… and therefore need it 😉

I decided about 5 years ago that I should buy myself a ski helmet (having always insisted the kids wear one, I thought I ought to too)
I'd pay good money just for the effect that the (false) sense of invulnerability had on my skiing.
I might give a spine protector a try this year. Thanks for prompting the thought.

> 60 mph on a piste really?
Why not, I thought we all enjoyed hurtling down hills, pushing the envelope, on the ragged edge of our own abilities, etc.,
Like the biking, you just need to be careful around others and not endanger them.

reasons to where protection on the slopes, i know i do,

That wasn't an accident it was a refusal of priority collision and the video would have been enough for a prosecution in the case of injury. The helmet made no difference to the outcome as the kid wouldn't have been injured without it. A court in Bonn recently ruled that in collisions between a boarder and skier where responsibility is not clear the boarder is automatically 60% responsible given the lack of control of a board compared with skis.

Why do you need one, back injuries are not that common in skiing (although I'm sure some one will come and say other wise), although I guess increasing numbers of people ski in to each other!

IMO wear less protection not more, you will improve your skills, rather than uses skill compensators. Also learn to fall… it is the best way of preventing injury!

IMO wearing rucksacks etc increases the risk of injury as they alter your centre of gravity making you more likely to fall. Unless your off piste, or have a cr@p jacket no need for rucksacks…

Flatfish – Absolutly YES……WEAR A HELMET at all times !!!!!!

We all remember the incident with Liam Neesons mrs last year!!!

As for armour – whatever youre comfortable with, backpacks are ok on/off piste but reccomend protection in the park or rocky drops.

As for the video – the rules of the slope are that you must be able to control your direction and speed and it is the responsibility of the rider/skier upslope to take evasive action where nessecary.

I board alot and you really do see some stupidity on the slopes, a little bit of thought ahead of time really could save a life.

u are the new Shane McConkey nar rad dude shredding it.
live south of Watford by any chance l.ol?

I do 61 mph backwards any advance on this? (waving @ spongykn*b)

i'm not suggesting back protectors, helmets, padding, etc are skill compensators. as the vid i put up shows it wasn't the little lads fault, it was some other idiot that took him out. he had a helmet on and it potentially saved his life and i thought his skills were quite good for three days of riding a board.

Armour/helmets etc aren't just compensating your own dodgy riding/skiing

Is 50mph lying on my back with skis waving in the air an advance Rocketdog? (closed piste).

61 MPH!! That's Leatt and full face teritory!

You need to be in a tidy tuck to reach that speed and you might have trouble seeing forward with a leatt. I haven't seen any local racers using them. In answer to the OP's original question Rossignol make back protection that just velcros around the waist and is less likely to provoke neck injury in a crash.

Edukator – with a leatt you would have no trouble looking a total pr1ck though!

i hit 68kmph on my snowboard a few years back. they had one of those speed traps on the side of the piste. the girlfriend hit 70kmph!
her board is a lot quicker (stiffer) than mine.

Discrete but effective Rossignol back protection

Edit: now where did the pic go? Try again

Lol will the naughty boy in the corner please stand up 😀

Just one minor observation about protective equipment in general… The law of unintended consequences… It will probably make you ski faster… and therefore need it

Indeed.

"Jeez look at that guy. What an idiot. I wouldn't go that fast without body armour."
"I don't ride park or rails unless I'm wearing a helmet"

Classic risk compensation in action.

Doesn't mean it's a bad thing though – it's just something to be aware of. I wear a helmet and impact shorts because it gives me the confidence to do more in the park. I'm aware I'm risk compensating, but I like doing more 😀

What's a leatt?
I've been skiing many years and never heard of it/one/them.

I sometimes ski fast, as much as 60mph on occasions, so I should be wearing back protection. I do this on empty pistes where I can see the well ahead, but it's still risky.

So RocketDog, after your pathetic abuse, now READ what I wrote.

empty pistes where I can see the well ahead

Twunt!

Leatt is a neck brace, with unproven benefits. They have to be worn with a full face helmet, I don't think you'll be seeing them on the slopes anytime soon!

it is perfectly easy to hit 60mph on slopes. i only weigh 11stones and managed to clock 94.7kph through a speed gun last week (~57mph). some of the big 14stone blokes were going through at 100+kph, i think the fastest i saw was 114kph

Although slightly off topic, a proper bow tie knot.

Bowline's my fave. Reef and clove hitch are good too.

Should know more seeing as I crew on a reasonable sized yacht

Comment from spongebob?
I rest my case 😆 (Still doing 60mph still though)

That helmet made sod all difference to that kid when the snowboarder collided with him. His legs were taken from beneath him, I would have been more worried about leg injuries.

What I do know for certain is that if the kid hadnt been wearing a helmet and goggles he would have been more aware of his surroundings and probably taken more notice of what was going on around him rather than being in his own little world.

Perhaps Daddy should have taught him to look up the slope when crossing a piste, IMO the kid was at fault as well as the boarder who took him out .