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Impact vest/back protector for snow kiters

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Norwegianoob
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Impact vest/back protector for snow kiters

Postby Norwegianoob » Thu Nov 05, 2020 8:19 am

Hello,
does anyone have any experience regarding back protectors when snow kiting? :D My main concern is that it will get in the way of the sitting harness I'm using. Nevertheless I want some sort of protection for my back in case something happens.. I am kind of a noob..

I was looking at Komperdell's ballistic vest, which protects the torso, not only the back. Is this a good alternative or does anyone have other recommendations?

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Re: Impact vest/back protector for snow kiters

Postby Tom Tom » Thu Nov 05, 2020 8:35 am

Norwegianoob wrote:
Thu Nov 05, 2020 8:19 am
Hello,
does anyone have any experience regarding back protectors when snow kiting? :D My main concern is that it will get in the way of the sitting harness I'm using. Nevertheless I want some sort of protection for my back in case something happens.. I am kind of a noob..

I was looking at Komperdell's ballistic vest, which protects the torso, not only the back. Is this a good alternative or does anyone have other recommendations?
Hi, I have been using the Komperdell vest for Snowkiting with a regular Mystic waist harness, works great in my opinion. It extends far down also protecting your lower spine vertebrae. Hence it sits snug all the way down and ends far below the waist harness, and would sit way down in a sitting harness as well, tight and firm I believe. Love that is is soft compared to regular skiing back-plates.

I have a Comperdell Crosswolf used in like-new condition that I could sell cheap and send to Norway from Stockholm. Used to travel to snowkiting conditions, but that likely will not happen for some time. It is a size XL. PM if interested.
Last edited by Tom Tom on Thu Nov 05, 2020 9:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Impact vest/back protector for snow kiters

Postby Dave_5280 » Thu Nov 05, 2020 9:05 am

Interesting question - I think the Ozone seat harness would be fine with anything.

It’s funny that I’ve not thought much about back injuries kiting even though I broke my back falling off a ladder and it took a long surgery to repair and 3 years to heal. And I don’t recall hearing about back injuries kiting, but more head and leg trauma. But I can see the potential and some locations with hard obstructions being worse than others.

I saw a couple mountain bikers taking a break during one summer at a ski resort, wearing lots of armor including neck injury restraint devices which I think has been initially developed for motocross riding. And track bike riders wear inflatable vests and the big wave surfers also do.

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Re: Impact vest/back protector for snow kiters

Postby Herman » Thu Nov 05, 2020 10:15 am

Is this for over the harness or under the harness? I occasionally wear a Motocross style jacket over the harness while landboarding. Perfectly fine with ion B2 shorts harness but I have to fold the front of the jacket up to the chest plates to accommodate the hook of a waist harness and usually avoid that combination. I don't think it would work trying to wear this sort of hard Motocross style body armour under a harness, but I would expect it to work over most seat harnesses.

I think Tom Tom is suggesting the vest you are interested in is soft enough to wear under the harness but not absolutely sure of this.

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Re: Impact vest/back protector for snow kiters

Postby Tom Tom » Thu Nov 05, 2020 10:29 am

Herman wrote:
Thu Nov 05, 2020 10:15 am
Is this for over the harness or under the harness? I occasionally wear a Motocross style jacket over the harness while landboarding. Perfectly fine with ion B2 shorts harness but I have to fold the front of the jacket up to the chest plates to accommodate the hook of a waist harness and usually avoid that combination. I don't think it would work trying to wear this sort of hard Motocross style body armour under a harness, but I would expect it to work over most seat harnesses.

I think Tom Tom is suggesting the vest you are interested in is soft enough to wear under the harness but not absolutely sure of this.
Yep, the Komperdell sits underneath. It is a medium stiffness foam padded vest, covering spine and back, all the way down over the tailbone.
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joriws
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Re: Impact vest/back protector for snow kiters

Postby joriws » Thu Nov 05, 2020 12:18 pm

I use D3O material snowboarding full length back protector under my jacket with seat harness. Not sure but maybe it is made by Prosurf. Looks the same.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prosurf-Snowbo ... th=1&psc=1

Some friends use old school "plastic armour" -type and they usually need to put it on top of everything. I like internal more, does not collect snow between armor and your back.

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Re: Impact vest/back protector for snow kiters

Postby Herman » Thu Nov 05, 2020 5:51 pm

Edt makes a good point on the oops wrong category thread of similar name. If you are sensible enough to consider back protection you ought to be considering dove tailing it with hip protection. You never know which pad you are going to test next, but I have certainly bounced off hip pads more than back pads when landboarding. Personally I use Grit X crash shorts which have hard skinned foam pads in lycra pockets. This means you could remove the coccyx pad if there was too much over lap with a back pad. These crash shorts fit fine with waist harness and climbing harness but they are too bulky for the shorts harness.

Might be worth looking out for a system designed to cater for both. Motocross style jackets fit snug so they can be made to fit under a slightly oversized snowboard jackets.
Last edited by Herman on Fri Nov 06, 2020 1:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Impact vest/back protector for snow kiters

Postby edt » Thu Nov 05, 2020 7:11 pm

Yeah double post I replied in other post. Those little soft hip pads barely do anything the hard shell hip pads are better. Haven't tried grit x yet. If you have back protection and no hip protection it's gonna hurt when you crash. Impact vest is water kite thinking. Snow kite thinking is hips and knees.

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Re: Impact vest/back protector for snow kiters

Postby irwe » Fri Nov 06, 2020 11:17 am

I have various types of protective gear for Snowkiting/SnowWinging as we often experience hard icey conditions.

The Aexos Upper Spine Protector is one of my favourites. It was dsigned for Hockey and Football but I find it works well for Snowkiting.
I purchased the Sleeveless model. The material around the neck hardens upon impact. I find it comfortable and forget that I have it on while Snowkiting.

www.aexos.ca
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AexosNeckProtector.jpg

Dave_5280
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Re: Impact vest/back protector for snow kiters

Postby Dave_5280 » Sat Nov 07, 2020 4:29 pm



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