MaxThePanda
Race Dog
I have been gearing up for a season as a first time off road racer and Amageza participant https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=146747.0 and thought it was high time I got some proper safety gear. I've avoided neck braces for ages cause I couldn't face another piece of clunky protective gear to schlep around, but all resistance is futile.
I looked at all options, and decided to go to the original and the best - Leatt. They have a fantastic new range of 5.5 braces and protectors and I was very impressed, so I splurged on their top-of-the-range protection. It expensive, but in my mind better than the rest, and at first I was extremely happy. The fit is amazing - one hardly notices it when riding and the combination of hard and soft shell protection is a great step forward.
Unfortunately, quality control has not been that great, and I think these products may have been rushed to market.
The GPX 5.5 neck brace:
The brace has these little protective pads on the front, where the brace rests on the collarbone, and the sides where it rests on the shoulders. They are attached only by two little foam stubs that push into holes in the brace. My mate Tom also bought one at the same time as me, and he lost his pads on our first trip. All of mine have now fallen off, and that's within two months of purchase. Luckily I still have them, but look at this, the source of the problem:
The little stubs deform and can't possibly hold the pads in there long term.
Then to the Chest Protector 5.5 Pro HD:
What a wonderful piece of kit! I wore it once over my jersey, but am now wearing it under a motocross jersey. When riding you don't even feel it, and the protection is immense, including the ribs, which is rare in chest protectors.
At first I was delighted, but things have taken a bit of a turn. The shoulder pads are attached by rubber straps, so you can remove them if you don't want to use them. But I definitely do! The rubber straps fit in little slots in the chest part, and unfortunately they just pull out - and that is when pulling a jersey on, not in an accident!
I have worn this protector exactly five times:
Unfortuntely, excellent as these products clearly are, in my opinion they have been rushed to market and there are glitches in the design. Straps holding a key part of the protection can't be coming undone simply by putting it on - let alone in an accident.
I write this really as an appeal to Leatt. You're the global leader of safety products for motorcycles, and I know you want to keep it that way by making sure that IF there is a problem with design it be rectified immediately, thus keeping your very high quality standards intact, and as a loyal customer I feel that it is your responsibility to do so.
I looked at all options, and decided to go to the original and the best - Leatt. They have a fantastic new range of 5.5 braces and protectors and I was very impressed, so I splurged on their top-of-the-range protection. It expensive, but in my mind better than the rest, and at first I was extremely happy. The fit is amazing - one hardly notices it when riding and the combination of hard and soft shell protection is a great step forward.
Unfortunately, quality control has not been that great, and I think these products may have been rushed to market.
The GPX 5.5 neck brace:
The brace has these little protective pads on the front, where the brace rests on the collarbone, and the sides where it rests on the shoulders. They are attached only by two little foam stubs that push into holes in the brace. My mate Tom also bought one at the same time as me, and he lost his pads on our first trip. All of mine have now fallen off, and that's within two months of purchase. Luckily I still have them, but look at this, the source of the problem:
The little stubs deform and can't possibly hold the pads in there long term.
Then to the Chest Protector 5.5 Pro HD:
What a wonderful piece of kit! I wore it once over my jersey, but am now wearing it under a motocross jersey. When riding you don't even feel it, and the protection is immense, including the ribs, which is rare in chest protectors.
At first I was delighted, but things have taken a bit of a turn. The shoulder pads are attached by rubber straps, so you can remove them if you don't want to use them. But I definitely do! The rubber straps fit in little slots in the chest part, and unfortunately they just pull out - and that is when pulling a jersey on, not in an accident!
I have worn this protector exactly five times:
Unfortuntely, excellent as these products clearly are, in my opinion they have been rushed to market and there are glitches in the design. Straps holding a key part of the protection can't be coming undone simply by putting it on - let alone in an accident.
I write this really as an appeal to Leatt. You're the global leader of safety products for motorcycles, and I know you want to keep it that way by making sure that IF there is a problem with design it be rectified immediately, thus keeping your very high quality standards intact, and as a loyal customer I feel that it is your responsibility to do so.
