Back Protectors

[minig0d]

So I just got a new jacket and happened to read the print on the package and its got CE approved shoulder and elbow armor and lists a "pocket" for a back protector... it has a nice 1/4" thick foam pad or something useless there already but it got me thinking that obviously it wasn't CE approved armor...

So... I did some research about CE armor and apparently there are two CE specs, a level one and a level 2. Supposedly the difference is the amount of force that is allowed to pass through the armor. The level one significantly reduces the force, but the level 2's level reduces the force to a point where it is not enough to crack ribs (which is the differentiation in energy levels)...

So of course I got to thinking who doesn't want the best level of protection and looked into the CE level 2 back protectors... apparently all I've seen are the type that strap onto you and are worn under the jacket. The level 1 back protectors come in either the strap on style or the in the jacket pocket style.

So the few questions posed by this are as follows:

1) how many people have even bothered to insert a back protector of any sort into their jacket? (From my research, unless your jacket is a $600+ jacket, it probably doesn't have a CE back protector of any level in it)

2) has anyone seen a CE level 2 back protector that inserts into the jacket pocket?

My thoughts are that for street riding, (and probably dual sport riding) we already put on a whole lot of gear (jacket gloves, helmets, and sometimes special pants) that I don't know how many people are going to be willing to strap on an additional piece of armor just for that purpose. If we were suiting up for track day it would be a different story... but I would kinda like to put some armor in my jacket...

I found a couple CE level 1 back protectors in the denniskirk catalog that are inexpensive:

A tourmaster brand one http://denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp;jsessionid=DMUTRYNXMFFKPLA0WTISM4VMDK0 OWIV0?store=Main&skuId=3566391&productId=p3566391 (DK part #3566391) $6
and
A Joe Rocket brand one: http://denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=&store=Main&catId=402&productId=p353559&leafCatId=40210&mmyId= (DK item #353559) for $24

but haven't seen any level 2 ones for in the jacket...

[2Evil4U]

i've been thinking about picking up a back protecter recently. i'd figure that the class2 units would have to strap tightly to your torso as any air-gap between you and the unit that could exist in a jacket inserted piece could increase the transmitted forces significantly.

[blkhalo996]

http://i16.ebayimg.com/06/i/08/c5/b3/7e_1.JPG

http://i24.ebayimg.com/05/i/08/ca/5b/1e_1.JPG

I picked up a suit similiar to this one off of ebay, but I think the brand of mine is Velocity. Pretty much same design though. The backprotector zips off the shirt part of the suit and can be worn by itself. I always were a back protector now, no matter what riding I'm doing. And when I ride the trails and dirt, I wear the put the back protector back on the shirt part. Those pine roots on the trails can hurt,,,,vouch!