check condition of your older jacket and pant armor

[Iahawk]

I wore my Bohn Armor pants (base layer with armor) Sunday and noticed that my hip armor felt odd. Closer inspection revealed my left hip armor had broken into 3 pieces. I've had this gear for about 10 years... and checked the Bohn website and they said armor life from 6-10 years is typically the limit. They said it will eventually crack and break and needs to replaced. If one piece cracks you can bet the others won't be far behind.

I just checked on my Winter AGV Sport jacket...and sure enough the shoulder armor cracked when I just squeezed and bent it to test. Crap. That jacket is also about 10 years old.

I really hadn't given the armor much thought but I guess it's time to start replacing my armor. Might be worthwhile to check your own armor for any cracking or degrading if it's over 5 or 6 years old.

[Stig / Major Tom]

I've been using KLIM Delta3Oscar pads (D3O) - the familiar orange pads - for 12 years. Still soft and pliable.
I wear the 7 pad set.
Knees, hips, shoulders, and the very large back pad.

Fingers crossed - never had to test them. Since I wear different jackets weather dependent - I have the pads in 3 jackets....mainly because I found that I was too lazy to change them, dark/morning/of, from one jacket to the other! And that is not a safe practice.....same reason I bought the BOA system ICON armored boots - too lazy to lace up a boot, so too often went riding in sneakers!



Stig

[Iahawk]

glad your D30 is still good. I have some in a jacket, too, and I recall reading something about D30 and to beware of below freezing temps with it? (cracking?)

I have 3 older jackets with regular armor and 2 base layers that are all approaching 9 or 10 years old. Time to start checking them a little more closely....and my helmet has probably aged out, too....crap....$$$$$

[Neil955i]

Got an expensive helmet (Dainese) which I've only worn a few dozen times, but which is now unwearable as all the padding has perished & turned to powder!   

Maybe need to check my old armour too!

[Stig / Major Tom]

Got an expensive helmet (Dainese) which I've only worn a few dozen times, but which is now unwearable as all the padding has perished & turned to powder!   

Maybe need to check my old armour too!

The removable for washing padding in my helmets is replaceable. Can be resized to fit snug again.
Stig

[Stig / Major Tom]

glad your D30 is still good. I have some in a jacket, too, and I recall reading something about D30 and to beware of below freezing temps with it? (cracking?)

I have 3 older jackets with regular armor and 2 base layers that are all approaching 9 or 10 years old. Time to start checking them a little more closely....and my helmet has probably aged out, too....crap....$$$$$

My D3O pads have stayed flexible down into the 20's. Haven't gone below those temps except on a couple of work commutes....down to 5°F once!
Firmer? sure - cracking?, no.

Stig

[randyo]

I rarely wear gear, no requirement in NH or ME, I do though when I will be travelling thru metropolitan traffic or visiting my brother in Vermont. Currently, I have a FG Kilimanjaro jacket, and FG Kathmandu pants my Icon BugChucker helmet, as well as a Shoei TZR, I have also saved the armor from previous gear, some as old as 25 years and never noticed any degradation when I occasionally get into the box in my closet 

[Neil955i]

The removable for washing padding in my helmets is replaceable. Can be resized to fit snug again.
Stig

And that should be a standard feature in all helmet construction.

[Stig / Major Tom]

And that should be a standard feature in all helmet construction.

Yeah, I bought the set of pads in the next size up to get the snug fit I prefer.
The set was not terribly expensive.
Stig