DH Gear

[FretsOnFire00]

I've been riding DH for awhile now and i'd like to start doing smaller races, but i need to get some better gear. Right now i've got a day to day DGK skate helmet and a Giro Remedy for DH, i also have some DGK knee pads and im about to order some mudslides next time i get some cash. Besides that i need the rest of the suit. I noticed the majority wear leathers, what pads do u guys wear under those and how well does a full suit breathe? I was thinkin of getting a full body armor setup, mostly because of the spine protector. Any ideas?

[NorCal DH]

I've been riding DH for awhile now and i'd like to start doing smaller races, but i need to get some better gear. Right now i've got a day to day DGK skate helmet and a Giro Remedy for DH, i also have some DGK knee pads and im about to order some mudslides next time i get some cash. Besides that i need the rest of the suit. I noticed the majority wear leathers, what pads do u guys wear under those and how well does a full suit breathe? I was thinkin of getting a full body armor setup, mostly because of the spine protector. Any ideas?

most leathers come with built in armor, no need to wear pads under them.
full leather suits get extremely hot, they dont breathe.
id say just save up and get leathers, not a pressure suit(body armor).
get a spine/soft back protector in your leathers if they dont already have one

[FretsOnFire00]

Besides they slow u down faster whats the advantage of leathers over a pressure suit?

[NorCal DH]

Besides the slow u down faster whats the advantage of leathers over a pressure suit?

a pressure suit is pretty much full pads, with a
spine protector and it only goes on the top half of your body
you can still get road rash with a pressure suit on
leathers are much more protective because

they cover your entire body
more aerodynamic (depending on how they fit)
you will not get road rash when you fall
for many races, you are required to have a full leather suit
most likely last longer
slow you down faster after you fall

edit: leathers look way cooler

[Rob Shook]

leathers are flexible and let you move. pressure suits are not designed to take falls at real speed on asphalt; you will fly off the side of the road. roadrash sucks but its nothing compared to hitting trees, guardrails, rocks, etc. leathers are designed to slow you down as quickly as safely possible when you fall; that is why the igsa requires them.

my leathers are fieldsheer and have awesome padding all over including the back, but i still wear a spine protector underneath because i think its silly not to. if you break your spine, you can be paralyzed for life, so why not protect it?

[FretsOnFire00]

thanks for the help, can u guys give me some sites to watch for good deals on some leathers?

[Rob Shook]

thanks for the help, can u guys give me some sites to watch for good deals on some leathers?

ebay and craigslist. look for fieldsheer, alpinestars, njk, vanson, etc (im sure there are others i just dont know them)

mine are fieldsheer. i highly recommend them; theyre heavily padded, flexible (basically new but i dont need to break them in), and feel solid. good luck