When it comes to protection and safety while riding a motorcycle, a helmet is the first thing that comes to one’s mind. Unfortunately, it is the only thing that comes to some people’s minds. There is a wide range of motorcycle armor out there that a biker should not only know about but also use.
We bet that you have, at some point, ignored the need for protective gear and thought that you would never meet an accident. The truth is, an accident can occur anytime no matter how carefully you ride your motorbike. In the case of an accident, your safest bet is to be prepared for it beforehand.
You must have heard many stories about a helmet or a back protector saving someone’s life during an accident. So there’s no doubt that the best motorcycle armor wouldn’t be effective for you. However, finding the best motorcycle armor can be a bit of a challenge. Therefore, we have prepared this guide to explain how to identify the best motorcycle armor to you. Also, we have compiled a list of motorcycle armor products that can be the best for you.
Best Motorcycle Armored Jackets & Shirts
1. Alpinestars Youth Bionic Action Jacket
Pros
- Great adjustability and excellent breathability
- Very lightweight
- Covers all body sizes
Cons
- The size runs small, so care is recommended while ordering
Alpinestars is one of the leading brands of motorcycle protective gear, and its Bionic Action Jacket meets most bikers’ requirements. With the new and innovative outer shell grid technology, this Alpinestars jacket gives you robust protection without weighing you down. This jacket is not only immensely lightweight but well-ventilated as well.
Being a CE certified armor with a brilliantly engineered ergonomic design, this jacket is going to protect you from many serious injuries. Also, the elastane stretch mesh that is used to make this jacket makes it incredibly durable. What’s more, the jacket can be integrated with Alpinestars Bionic Neck Supports if you want to upgrade your protection.
2. Leatt 5.5 Body Protector
Pros
- Incredible protection (level 2 CE certified back and front)
- Neck brace fitting system
Cons
- Needs to be more comfortable
The Leatt 5.5 body protector is an ideal guard for your upper body. Your front, back, shoulders, flank, and elbows will be fully covered with this armor. Plus, the 3D design of the 5.5 body protector makes sure that the armor not only fits any user well but also provides them great comfort. In addition to that, the jacket features dedicated slots so that plentiful fresh air can pass through.
On top of that, the Leatt 5.5 body protector is made from a moisture cool wicking fabric that doesn’t the protector heat up. To provide protection, the armor is equipped with the Leatt HDPE and 3DF foam. The former makes a hard, outer protective shield, while the latter absorbs impact energy. You can put your faith in the Leatt 5.5 since it is CE certified for impact protection.
3. Troy Lee Heavyweight Long-Sleeve Protection Shirt
Pros
- Comes with a 1 year manufacturer warranty
- Compatible with neck braces of most brands
Cons
- Heats up a little in hotter weather
The long sleeve armored shirt from Troy Lee Designs is the best motorcycle armor that a mountain biker can buy. The shirt is constructed from hex mesh that ensures maximum air flow. Not only that, but it also uses dual density Strata foam that offers brilliant impact absorption and protects your torso and arms. This makes the shirt perfect for riding in rocky and hard packed terrains.
Also, the shirt features an open armpit design for maximum mobility and improved ventilation. No matter which neck brace you have, the wide neck opening of the Troy Lee Designs shirt will most likely be compatible with it. What’s more, you can even remove the chest and upper arm armor if you ever have to.
4. Fox Racing Men’s TITAN SPORT JACKET
Pros
- You can wear the removable back protector separately using its shoulder straps
- The two-piece anatomic plastic chest gives great coverage without restricting your movement
Cons
- The size runs small, so care is recommended while ordering
For those who don’t know, Fox Racing is one of the global leaders of mountain biking and motocross gear and apparel. From the biking enthusiasts to the world’s best athletes, Fox Racing has served every customer well. Like all Fox Racing products, the Titan Sports Jacket blends innovation and style beautifully to make a brilliant piece of armor.
The jacket uses a highly articulated and ventilated polymer construction to give you protection with comfort all day long. It covers all your exposed areas, as your shoulders, elbows, and chest, to protect them. Additionally, with its stretch-fabric body, the jacket offers an enhanced fit to the user, and it does so without compromising the comfort. This is primarily due to the moisture wicking and highly breathable fabric used to produce it.
5. Alpinestars Bionic Tech V2 Protection Jacket
Pros
- The central front zipper makes it easy to wear and gives you a better fit
- Efficient ventilation does not let it heat up
Cons
- Slightly expensive
Being a leading motorcycle protective gear brand, Alpinestars had to be mentioned again in our list. Like the Bionic Action Jacket, the Bionic Tech V2 from Alpinestars can easily be the best motorcycle armor for you. First, being a slim fit stretchable jacket, the Bionic Tech V2 provides great comfort to the wearer. In addition, it is equipped with a flexible and rigid chest protector that is highly ventilated as well.
This solves the problems regarding mobility and breathability without taking away your protection. Also, to give you a great fit, the Bionic Tech V2 comes with flexible side wings that adapt to your body. For added roost protection, the jacket gives you additional padding on the chest, sides, and arms.
Best Armored Shorts And Pants
1. Alpinestars Bionic Freeride Shorts
Pros
- Additional protection from impact and abrasion due to hard PU inserts on the thigh and tailbone areas
- The pads are durable and will stay intact after many accidents
Cons
- The shorts run small, so you might have to return them if you don’t order the right size
To get the most out of the best motorcycle armor, you must wear the right clothes. The Alpinestars Bionic Freeride Shorts are designed to be worn under a pair of motocross pants. In this way, they can offer you maximum protection for offroad riding, skiing, and more adventures.
The shorts cover your thighs, hip, and tailbone with ventilated, bio-foam padding to protect you from road impacts. Other than protection, these technical underpants made from a lycra and mesh base give you extreme comfort and flexibility.
2. Icon Field Armor Compression Pants
Pros
- Extreme comfort due to the stretch Hydradry moisture wicking chassis
- Amazing comfort and breathability
Cons
- The knee pads can slide above the knee sometimes
When it comes to base layers, there are few brands that can rival Icon. The Field Armor compression pants are a competitive product by Icon. This modern pair of protective pants can be worn under your normal riding pants.
For your comfort and mobility, the pants use a stretch poly chassis. Not only that, but the pants give amazing protection by using aramid fiber and D30 inserts. With these inserts, your knees, back of calves, and glutes will be safe along with your hip and thighs, of course.
3. Dainese Hard Short E1
Pros
- The elastic mesh makes it highly breathable
- Keeps you cool while protecting you
Cons
- Does not cover the knees and calves
The E1 hard shorts from Dainese are designed as a base layer that you can wear under various materials. For example, you can wear these under your Kevlarjeans, casual attire, or even off road gear. Also, these hard shorts will protect the most important areas of your lower body.
The CE certified pro-shape hip soft protectors make this possible. The shorts also include soft inserts on the sides as well. On the thigh, the shorts cover the area with perforated plates in polypropylene partnered with Crash Absorb.
4. Leatt 3DF 6.0 Mens Impact Pants
Pros
- Anti-odor
- Keeps you cool and dry
- Great fitting
Cons
- Expensive for what it offers
The multifunctional 3DF 6.0 pants from Leatt are CE tested and certified to give you great impact protection. It features padding on upper hip, tailbone, and thigh areas. To fit you better, the pants use silicone printed elastic leg cuffs and a pre-shaped 3D design. With the MoistureCool and AirMesh fabrics, the pants keep you cool and dry.
5. Alpinestars Sequence Pro Shorts
Pros
- Great fit due to the elastic waist and silicone lower hem
- Strategically positioned vents efficient airflow
Cons
- The shorts do not offer full coverage of legs
- No knee protection
Designed to be worn under riding pants, the Sequence Pro Shorts offer you extra protection and remarkable comfort. With their mesh lining, perforated padding, and multi-density chamois, you get amazing breathability and protection along with great moveability. For added strength and durability, the Sequence Pro Shorts from Alpinestars use reinforced stitching.
Buying Guide
Before you go looking for the best motorcycle armor for yourself, you should know what to look for in the products. Here are some things that you need to consider while finding the right armor to wear during your bike rides.
CE Certification
The CE rating should be the first thing you should look for while buying any piece of protective gear. A product with a CE approval is immediately trustworthy, so much so that it is a mandatory quality conformity mark for various products in Europe. Not only that, but you must also check for the standard code as well.
For example, CE back protectors are indicated as EN1621-2. If a back protector has Level 2 or B2 mark, it means that it meets stricter requirements. In fact, a back protector with a CE level 2 rating is the best you can get. As far as shoulder, elbow, and knee armor is concerned, it is designated as EN1621-1.
Protection
If you want to get the best motorcycle armor, you must make sure that it gives robust protection to the right places. Here are the key areas where protection is a must in the best motorcycle armor.
Chest And Back
No matter how much the chest and back areas are ignored, it will always be a fact that they are the most important regions that need protection after your head. The reason is obvious: your torso contains your spine and vital organs. If any serious damage is caused on this region, you can lose your life. For this reason, the best motorcycle armor for you must have a great chest and back protection both. Such an armor would absorb impact energy if you ever fall off your bike.
However, you must not compromise your comfort and mobility. Thankfully, there are a number of vest-style protectors that cover the chest and back nicely and are also lightweight. Additionally, if you want some extra protection, insert-style protectors are your friends. You can simply slide one of these into an internet pocket of your jacket. And these protectors don’t even cost a lot. Also, you can use strap-on protectors to multiply your protection level.
Hips
Sadly, hips (and butt) are repeatedly ignored by motorcycle armor manufacturers and bikers as well. If you fall down while riding your motorcycle, there’s a great chance that your hips and butt are going to face the impact. It is unfortunate that most motorcycle shorts out there are more likely to offer to knee protection but no hip padding and butt protection.
Thankfully, the leading brands of motorcycle protective gear, for example, Alpinestars and Dainese, offer hip, butt, and/or tailbone protection. Remember, do not take bottom damages lightly at all. All it takes is one bad knock to take away your walking ability from you forever.
Knees And Elbows
Your elbows and especially your knees are among the most exposed areas while riding a bike. Unlike hips and the butt, these areas are not at all ignored by manufacturers. Most motorcycle armor vests and shorts feature elbow and knee padding. Many products even feature have pockets to upgrade your knee and elbow protection. Surprisingly, there are many CE certified elbow inserts out there that fit into nearly every jacket, so if you have a cheap jacket, you can upgrade its protection easily.
Fit
Most people do not think about this, but how your armor and shorts fit you matters immensely. If they are too large and heavy, they would obviously make you massively uncomfortable. More than that, it wouldn’t stay in one place during an accident, causing your body to be unprotected. Most importantly, a wrongly placed armor can even hurt you during an accident.
Additionally, a specific type of insert may not work with every kind of jacket or trousers. If you are planning to buy an insert for your clothing, make sure that the insert you are buying can fit properly inside your clothes or not. You can easily find information about inserts on the company’s website. Or, you can simply take your clothing article or armor to the shop and ask the shopkeeper if you can try it out.
Luckily enough, you don’t have to put so many efforts to get the right fit for a back protector. Some manufacturers know how important your back is, and they have a wide range of fits for back protectors. So we’re sure that you can easily find the right fit for yourself.
Of course, the best motorcycle armor for you is the one that fits you right. However, you can’t find it if you don’t even know your own size. To find out what size you are, you can use a tape measure to get a rough idea of your size. Measure the length from the nape of your neck to your waist. If it is possible, you should try the armor and shorts on before buying them. This will give you a much better idea of what suits you best.
Conclusion
Now that you have all the necessary knowledge about finding the best motorcycle armor, we wish you good luck in your search for the perfect protective gear. The above-mentioned picks are great candidates to be the best motorcycle armor for you, so we recommend taking another look at them.
Last but not least, do not delay getting the best motorcycle armor if you don’t have a good one right now. It only takes one fall from your motorcycle to do irreversible damage to your body. So make sure that your next ride is safe and secure.
Also Check: Best Neck Braces
