Crash Protectors (Pads)

Are you sure they are efficient?

You surely have seen them in advertisements, because they appear in almost any motorcycle jacket or pants. Their role consists of protecting the skin from abrasion with the ground, absorbing (part of) the impact energy and protecting from hard and pointed objects. They can help in many cases, however do not expect miracles from them. If you want to be protected from injuries when falling down at moderate and high speed, then you should by a heavy car! They must be hard as well as energy absorbing, the latter explains why they are not made from steel!

Are all crash protectors identical? The answer is no. A simple thin polystyrene pad (widely used) is hardly effective. There is at least one international and reliable specification regarding to crash protectors: CE pr1621 (CE97). You can identify a CE compliant garment by looking for the CE stamp on the protectors and the cloth. It is also referred on its user instructions. This specification is still preliminary but well known manufacturers like CLOVER, DAINESE, SHOEI, SPIDI et al. have been already conformed to. However this sometimes doesn't apply to their entire product line. Check for CE stamp, if you want to be absolutely sure.

Good protectors are recognisable from their hard external face and their considerable thickness.

For those who like details: CE pr1621-1/96 specification sets for 35 KN remaining force (towards the human body), after an impact energy of 50KJ.

Crash Protectors (Pads)

Are you sure they are efficient?

You surely have seen them in advertisements, because they appear in almost any motorcycle jacket or pants. Their role consists of protecting the skin from abrasion with the ground, absorbing (part of) the impact energy and protecting from hard and pointed objects. They can help in many cases, however do not expect miracles from them. If you want to be protected from injuries when falling down at moderate and high speed, then you should by a heavy car! They must be hard as well as energy absorbing, the latter explains why they are not made from steel!

Are all crash protectors identical? The answer is no. A simple thin polystyrene pad (widely used) is hardly effective. There is at least one international and reliable specification regarding to crash protectors: CE pr1621 (CE97). You can identify a CE compliant garment by looking for the CE stamp on the protectors and the cloth. It is also referred on its user instructions. This specification is still preliminary but well known manufacturers like CLOVER, DAINESE, SHOEI, SPIDI et al. have been already conformed to. However this sometimes doesn't apply to their entire product line. Check for CE stamp, if you want to be absolutely sure.

Good protectors are recognisable from their hard external face and their considerable thickness.

For those who like details: CE pr1621-1/96 specification sets for 35 KN remaining force (towards the human body), after an impact energy of 50KJ.