Leatt neck braces

[mike1948]

I've been considering a neckbrace for a while, and started looking around on line this week.  But my question is, can you use them with an open face helmet?  It seems to me that the jawbone would be the point of contact in an accident, not the helmet.
Would the neck collar be the only option, or are even those not suitable?  I would prefer to stick with my open face helmet if possible.
Has anyone out there tried both types?
Mike 

[Rossvickicampbell]

Oi John - I have been told I have my own airbag thanks very much !!!!   

[fatboyracing]

Mike,
I use a open face with  my leatt brace and it is fine no problem,

Cheers
Fatboy

[mike1948]

What direction of unwanted head movement is the brace supposed to restrict?  I can see an open face helmet would be supported to the rear, but what about forwards?  The chin piece on full face helmets would contact the front, but an open face would allow much further rotation - Bad?
Mike

[geraldo]

661 have a new product due november that is an intergrated neck brace/body armour - retail here in NZ will be $599.00 .

have a look here for small picture http://www.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=87401&pagenum=2#commentid2169437

this is what I am going to get , no shagging around with seperate items.

[MX125B]

I bought a Leatt when they first came out, wore it a number of times, but then i thought about it, so i don't wear it anymore. WHY?
Because they actually ( in the real world) cause more damage than they prevent. Someone crashes, breaks a collarbone and shoulder, and the ambo says lucky you were wearing a brace. Everyone talks about Baily and Chandler, ok, how man trillions of laps have been raced over the last few decades.
That's why i don't wear it anymore, haven't needed it the last 35 years.  I know guys who take over half an hour to get changed into their riding gear.
There are no proven cases. When the day comes when i know what type of accident i will be having that day, i will dress accordingly.

[Nathan S]

How many other bike riders have ended up with serious neck injuries that we haven't heard about, because they don't have the profile of Bailey or Chandler?

Personally, I got a big wake-up call after my crash last year, where (along with breaking my leg) I pulled the muscles in the top of my neck. I wasn't doing anything radical or amazing or that I hadn't done a zillion times before, but I got a big thumping.
If I'd been wearing a neck brace, I may have busted a collar bone instead. And to be totally honest, I reckon a busted collarbone would have damaged my confidence a heap less.

[CamP]

One of our well known vintage racers here in the states died recently. He broke his neck and lingered for a few days before passing away. Also, another vet racer I know personally is paralyzed from the neck down after breaking his neck this summer. I'm not going to take any chances with my neck so I won't ride without my Leatt brace.

[Husky500evo]

Reading through the latest VMX magazine, I noticed that Ken Smith asked in his Sweep Rider column why nobody makes an integrated neck brace/ armour product . Well 661 apparently makes one called the "droid", as Geraldo mentioned in an earlier post. It has only just been released on the market & I am very interested in buying one. They seem reasonably priced . My only question/complaint about them is why don't they have shoulder protection built into them ?
 http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/industry-news/2009/11/04/neck-protection-let-s-talk-about-it/5

[TooFastTim]

It's an interesting topic for somebody who lived and raced in Cape Town for over 30 years. Chris Leatt is an (ex) enduro rider and orthopedic surgeon. Apparently he & I raced at the same events for several years but I never met him. Many of my mates were friendly with him.

Somebody, earlier, posted a testemonial for the Leatt brace, considering Chris Leatt was at the same hospital (Groote Schuur, same place the first heart transplant was performed) I would be very cautious. By all means give creedance to a testemonial from an unrelated institution.

Incidently I detest body armour (shoulder pads etc) & will only wear it under duress, I will usually, if possible, wear a jacket instead. This is not to say that I won't wear a Leatt brace but that I am unlikely to experience the clash between body armour and a neck brace.

[All Things 414]

I can't believe that people can to-and-fro about the benefits of wearing braces (as if being an authority on the subject!). Just wear the bloody things if you have any care about your well-being and how much you care about those closest to you (I'm sure they'll get sick of having to wipe your arse in a very short time....). Just wear the bloody things and stop being a bunch of tight-arses....

[Tex]

I bought an EVS neck brace not long ago. I've only wore it once, and it's a bit of a routine to put on, but I'm still experimenting with a good system.

For the first few minutes, it drove me crazy. I was already a bit grumpy about the palaver of getting my gear on. After a few minutes it was fine. After a few laps I barely noticed it was there. The only minor thing was it makes a squeaking noise when it rubs against the helmet.

Tex

[JohnnyO]

One of our well known vintage racers here in the states died recently. He broke his neck and lingered for a few days before passing away. Also, another vet racer I know personally is paralyzed from the neck down after breaking his neck this summer. I'm not going to take any chances with my neck so I won't ride without my Leatt brace.

I'm with CamP, after one of our own top vintage racers was paralyzed i won't take the chance and always ride with a Leatt brace.

[CamP]

Incidently I detest body armour (shoulder pads etc) & will only wear it under duress, I will usually, if possible, wear a jacket instead. This is not to say that I won't wear a Leatt brace but that I am unlikely to experience the clash between body armour and a neck brace.

I never like shoulder pads either. I like the idea of chest and back protection though so when I got the Leatt a couple of years ago, I took an old MSR roost guard and removed the shoulder cups. Then I fashioned some leather straps from an old belt to replace the shoulder cups. I ended up with something that works so good that I'm still wearing it years later. I like having the chest/back protection without anything on my shoulders restricting arm movement.

[firko]

I've rarely worn any armour. I just hated it and thought it was a bit of overkill, it was just me, jersey, pants, gloves helmet and goggles, no need for that other shit. Then I started wearing a knee brace to protect the dicky knee and now, seeing I'm intending to do a few laps next year, I'll be wearing a neck brace. No qualms about it. Noel Clarkes s plight has bought it home to me how a simple little get off can have disasterous repurcussions.