I originally posted this 7 month ago (and got no replies!) but have gone and fractured another rib so……I need ideally, something well ventilated in vest form that has good protection for the rib areas, don’t do DH so spine protection (though appreciated) is not the main concern.
Ride mostly XC/Trail stuff and it gets a little warm out here in HK in summer so something as lite weight as possible is appreciated.

Don’t think you’ll find much, actually protecting ribs is not easy at all- it’s a momentum injury, it’s not so much the ground that breaks your ribs as the rest of your body.

661 Sub Gear has chest foam but I wouldn’t trust it to do anything apart from make me sweat. Knox make a standalone chest protector though which is designed for use with their motorbike back protectors, I guess you could work something out with that.

Yeah most torso protection is designed to stop abrasion and penetrative injuries.

I wear Dainese full sleeve Jacket for racing DH, with padded chest protector and plastic chest plates etc and I’ve still broken my ribs while wearing it.

AS said above – broken ribs are a momentum, brute force injury not much is going to stop that save from not falling off.

Might be about the only thing…

The problem is the expansion and contraction of the rib cage as you breathe. There isn’t much out there that could give you the protection you are looking for that can cope with that much movement, never mind be well ventilated.