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Neck Brace Effectiveness for Dirt Riders

I've been in the lookout for one but not sure what works best for adventure/dual sport riding. Any suggestions?
 
Interesting info. How much of **** is it to wear one of those?
 
Atlas is supposedly the most comfortable and protective offroad neck brace on the market.

They have a few championships under their belt.

https://www.atlasbrace.com

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I wore a HANS device for a decade while road racing cars.

It was a pain to don and can be uncomfortable to wear and limit "normal" movement, especially for old, fat guys.

The upside is we humans are an adaptable species.

Like wearing gloves or a helmet, I figured out a routine to get it on and get in the car, made a few collateral equipment adjustments to aid in comfort and adjusted posture/position to regain any limitations.

I never had to put mine to use so can't address effectiveness.
 
i were a leatt brace every ride for years now .but not when dual sport riding .my buddy has short neck he likes the atlas .
 
I started wearing a Leatt brace when they first came out. I only wear it when I ride my dirt bike and there have been a couple of times over the years that I could feel it doing it's job. I'm not saying that it saved me from death, only that during a hard get-off, I could feel it transfering the load from my helment to my shoulders. I've actually been shopping for a replacement for my old Leatt and it's amazing how light the newer ones are in comparison.

.
 
Is this report focusing only on dirt riders?

Is that the only place to wear one?
 
Last year I road with the Jorge the ER Doc on the site here, he had the Leatt and swore he would never ride without it. I started looking back then but got side tracked, need to look into buying one now, especially for the real off-road stuff.
 
Is this report focusing only on dirt riders?

Is that the only place to wear one?

There is nothing inherent to riding street that would exempt you from potential neck injury during a crash. Most people just think the risk of a crash on the street is less than on dirt, so they take their chances... But, imagine what happens to your neck if you T-bone a truck/car that might pull out in front of you... Some of the new air vests might provide a similar function depending on how they inflate around the neck. Those would be less obvious than one of the more typical neck braces.

I had a pretty nasty high side on a dirt road in Utah that made me think a neck brace might be a good idea. I was lucky that I am hard headed and was not hurt, but I definitely landed upside down and my neck/shoulders were pretty sore for a few days.
 
A quick uneducated giggle search shows a very wide price range. Will a $24 brace protect near as well as a $300 brace? And will that $24 brace protect better than nothing? Or is it mostly a comfort and weight thing?



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A quick uneducated giggle search shows a very wide price range. Will a $24 brace protect near as well as a $300 brace? And will that $24 brace protect better than nothing? Or is it mostly a comfort and weight thing?



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No, a cheap one will not protect anywhere near as good as a
brace with lots of research and engineering behind the design. The search I did came up with "neck rolls" still called braces for the $25 mark.

Those foam braces are what restrict movement and do not do near as much as the high dollar stuff. Better than nothing, but not by a whole lot.


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Interesting. So we need to hear from the mx guys to get the best brace for the buck. I got no shame in crashing and could probably get some use outa one. [emoji856]



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Interesting. So we need to hear from the mx guys to get the best brace for the buck. I got no shame in crashing and could probably get some use outa one. [emoji856]



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If I was going to cough up the money for one, I'd buy the atlas. Leatt and alpinestars both make good ones as well. I've just heard good things about comfort with the atlas compared to the others. I follow mx/so closely, just don't ride it anymore.

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Those foam braces are what restrict movement and do not do near as much as the high dollar stuff. Better than nothing, but not by a whole lot.

We called them blood sponges. :eek2:
 
Been wearing a Leatt brace for as long as I can remember. Newer models are definitely lighter and have more adjustments but mine still works.

I wear it all the time, dirt riding and dual sport riding. I considered not wearing it on a mostly road ride out to Arkansas earlier this year on my 990 with some buddies. I rode out of my garage on my way to where we were meeting for breakfast but within a few minutes it felt so awkward without it I did a quick u turn back to my house and put it on.

Like others have said, there was a short adjustment period but after that I don't even feel it anymore.

Example for me was lane changing... a check of the mirror and a look over the shoulder requires me to look up slightly to get the the chin bar to clear the side of the brace. Its now second nature.

I do appreciate the EMS stats provided in the article.

Pretty informative video done by Leatt.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JxXqKe8is0"]How can a Leatt Neck Brace save your life? - YouTube[/ame]
 
I switched from the Aplinestars TechAir to a tried and tested Helite turtle air vest mostly due to the neck protection it provides. My recommendation for street rides.
 
I would wear one, but I have a cervical fusion of C5-C7. Supposedly, it would be worse for me in a crash. Wish I could find a compromise of some sort.
 
I would wear one, but I have a cervical fusion of C5-C7. Supposedly, it would be worse for me in a crash. Wish I could find a compromise of some sort.

Really? How could it be worse to limit movement than to allow more?
 
Really? How could it be worse to limit movement than to allow more?

It's been a while, but I believe it has to do with where the fusion ends above C5 and the position of the brace. I just remember the doctor and a chiropractor telling me it would make things worse. I never asked anyone else after that.
 
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