After a memorably painful rib injury at the BMW GS Trophy in Namibia last year, I decided that I needed the most comprehensive protection I could get for off-road riding. My particular focus was to find something that shielded the ribs along the sides, where neither back nor chest protectors can do much good. That search led me to this product.
The immediate worry from looking at the images was that this comprehensive CE Level 2 protection was going to be heavy, bulky and a pain to wear. All those concerns turned out to be unwarranted, and we’ll address them in the above-mentioned order.
While the A-10 comes with hard-plastic outer armour for the chest, back and shoulders, this material is remarkably light. Generous padding ensures that you not only don’t feel the weight but also that there are no hard edges or pressure points against the body.
The armour has multiple hexagonal shapes, which increases its strength, and that brings us to the second concern of bulk. Visually, it is nowhere close to as slim and streamlined as some other products, especially those that use soft armour, but that is the price to pay for the extra protection here. However, it never gets in the way or feels bulky on the body, and the impressive fit and comfort make up for this.
Getting it on and off is super easy, definitely more so than my previous armoured vest. Simply slip it over your head, fasten the rib protectors in place with the two snap-fit clasps, and then use the very convenient hook-type closures to secure the shoulder protectors down onto the biceps.
Most of the straps are adjustable, and the shoulder protectors can be removed entirely if you want to just run this as a roost guard/back protector.
This is one of the top options from Alpinestars for upper body armour, and it doesn’t come cheap. But having dealt with over a month of pain in the recovery of a very small hairline rib crack, that money seems reasonable in hindsight. But what really comes across as appealing is not just the A-10’s protection but also the amount of thought and design that has gone into making such a high level of protection so comfortable and easy to use.
Where: www.alpinestars.com
Price: Rs 23,000 (before taxes and duties)
Gavin Rodrigues
Dinshaw Magol
