Full face helmets, goggles, knee pads...what do you wear?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by mtbMike, Jan 31, 2019.


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  1. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    So there was a topic over in the "Over 50" forum on MTBR where a guy came on and more or less asked if people thought about the consequences of their riding habits/style. He then went on to lambast anybody who dared to say they still push envelope and get after it. I was actually surprised at how many people ride mountain bikes but actually seem adverse to risk overall. I can only envision this people geared up like a Stormtrooper to ride their local "Hansel & Gretel" trail to avoid scraping their knee and bleeding out.

    So that got me wondering what riders are actually wearing out there. I realize some rides require different protection levels but what you you wear EVERY ride? How often do you ride in places or on trails where you wear every protective item you own? Anybody wear a full face helmet every ride for your safety?

    Me: 95% of the time I wear nothing other than my helmet & gloves, I have some "knee sleeves" I wear maybe once a month. The only time I really "gear up" with full on knee pads, elbow pads and a full face helmet is when I'd riding on shuttle or lift served terrain like Whistler or Mt Wilson. I think I'll buy a neck brace (used to have the Leatt back in my MX days) before my next trip to the Great White North.
     
  2. Danmtchl

    Danmtchl iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Bakersfield
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    2020 Trek Fuel EX 9.7
    I only wear a helmet and gloves. I have a full face helmet but only wear it for appropriate conditions. I don't even own knee or arm pads. I see people all the time in Bakersfield fully geared up to ride in the foothills, which is overkill for 95% of the riding out here.
     
  3. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    Mostly nothing and occasionally, I pay the price. I am a conservative rider through the tech zones which means I will be rolling slower through than the pack and therefore, I always choose to roll sweep (I am self employed, owner and sole operator so I cannot afford to push it and be hospitalized/disabled otherwise the money stops coming in immediately). If my ride of choice is a mostly techy ride, then I will bring knee pads. However, if its a techy trail system that I am well familiar with (El P, for example), I will wear nothing for protection. I own knee and elbow pads but there rarely get used. Full fingered gloves/helmet every ride.
     
  4. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    I wear the same thing for Hansel und Gretel trails as I do for Saint George... helmet and gloves. I've never owned pads... But I have a large assortment of cold and wet weather gear. The only time I wished that I had them? And flats? Riding Bell Trail with @mike.

    Sadly, most of my crashes are on trails that I wouldn't wear pads for anyway. :oops:
     
  5. DangerDirtyD

    DangerDirtyD iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    Chicken Nugget
    Current Bike:
    2018 Guerrilla Gravity SMASH
    C809B0AB-4B5F-4DF7-B4B4-B93460527688.jpeg I’ve been known to don a few pads for the Wicked Witch trails.
     
  6. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    I wear shorts on every ride. :thumbsup: And a helmet, jersey and gloves. I don't own pads or a ff helmet. I don't Google while riding, either. :p For the riding I enjoy doing I don't really need them.

    Of course, the foregoing pretty much guarantees a spectacular wipeout on my next run down Motorway...:oops:
     
  7. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    I wear the same thing on Joplin/Palm Canyon/Zen Trail/Noble Cyn as I do on Blackstar/Whiting/Bike Path......Troy Lee A1 helmet and gloves. I ride all the trails the same way.
     
  8. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    Don't own a FF helmet, but I do own elbow/knee pads. I bought them after one of my buddies had a spectacular wipe-out on Rock-It that required rangers to drive him out of the park. I wore them a couple of times in Aliso... then once on Joplin... and haven't worn them since. That was over five years ago.

    I don't want to act like I am tempting fate, but I just don't do the kind of high-speed technical downhills that would require them.
     
  9. konakc

    konakc iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    kc
    I have pads.. but wore them once... now i say to myself if i feel like i need pads.. i shouldnt be on that trail....but then im in the air n think oh my why didnt i put on some pads...

    I ve been enjoyin downhill more n more lately... maybe time to pad up..

    I ve been enjoyin climbs like skyline more n more lately... maybe time to tailwind..

    Not enough time....
     
  10. konakc

    konakc iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    kc
    On fully... i put on as much protectiin as possible.. bc its deadly!
     
  11. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    I wear pads a lot because it's cold a lot, I make mistakes, and I detest wound care. And bc I gravitate toward technical difficulty. Once I slid out on ice and wailed my knee into a rock, and through the pad my skin was broken and knee sore. That would have sucked without pads.

    The mental implications of wearing pads can't be ignored. We feel "protected" when we're geared up, but the truth is, the worst injuries trail riding won't be avoided with armor and a helmet. Particularly, spine injuries. I was reminded of this when I lawn-darted into a big rock last month. Skill and discretion are far better protection than anything you can wear. So, most of the time, I try to bring those along with my pads.
     
    Luis, herzalot, knucklebuster and 8 others like this.
  12. CBone

    CBone iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Antelope Valley
    Name:
    Tucker
    Current Bike:
    Intense Primer
    So ... some of you guys only wear gloves and a helmet? That might be OK for you guys but what about the rest of us? We will be exposed to your exposure ;)
    Being serious for a moment - I wear the G-Form knee/shin combo. The last few years the slightest scrape on my shin scars up. People have been complaining about looking at my scarred up legs - well my wife does.
    These pads are nice. I don’t even notice them because they are comfortable and breath well.
     
  13. MrGreedom

    MrGreedom Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Name:
    Ryan
    Current Bike:
    BH Lynx6
    I bring both my long rifle and sidearm for protection on the Floop.
     
  14. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    No jimmyhats?

    :cool:
     
  15. Dismay

    Dismay Member

    Location:
    Aliso Viejo, CA
    Name:
    Michael
    Current Bike:
    Cannondale Jekyll 2
    I wear pads when doing anything harder than 5 Oaks . I'm 53 with a bad back, so I don't feel ashamed!
     
  16. Derkderkall

    Derkderkall iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Monrovia
    Name:
    Derek Allison
    Current Bike:
    2020 Specialized Fuse 29
    Helmet and gloves,

    Also, eye protection. My smiths have 3 sets of lens, one for sunny, one for under canopy, and clear. Saved my eyeballs from branches and random trail debris and mud many times.

    I'll probably get knee pads soon,
     
  17. Redman

    Redman iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Henderson, Nv
    Name:
    Kevin
    Current Bike:
    SC OG Hightower 29'r
    I wear open face helmet, glasses, full finger gloves, and knee pads on every ride that is on dirt. doesnt matter if its flat, steep, or chunk i wear it. Most of the falls I have taken have been at very low speed and fairly simple trails. So I probably would have been fine w/o wearing anything at all. BUT, it just takes that one time you don't wear them that you're gonna get bit. I don't choose trails based on whether or not I should have pads on. And, I like to push the envelope on the downhills. The more I am familiar with a trail the more I will try to go faster. IMO you're not living if you don't scare the Sh!t out of yourself every now and then.
     
    herzalot, Faust29, scan and 7 others like this.
  18. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    I lawn darted in August 2014 while while going ONE mph as I rolled down a small 2' embankment, my front wheel turned unexpectedly and OTB I went. I fractured my C1 & C2 and my Giro helmet crushed in 5 spots. Not to imply that any other equipment would have helped me here but just showing that you can get hurt anywhere, anytime, even in the unlikeliest of spots that you've ridden 100+ times. It probably sounds crazy but after getting hurt going that slow, I ride much more aggressive nowadays than I did when I was 30.

    Life wouldn't be the same if I wasn't riding at speeds and on trails where having a full face is a good idea.
     
  19. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Crikey, man, that's a great illustration, but glad it was not worse! Preach it, Mike.

    I do know of one rider who became a quadriplegic due to a crash. He was an extremely accomplished climber/athlete. Messed up shite.
     
  20. Obsidian

    Obsidian iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Costa Mesa
    Name:
    Obsidian
    Current Bike:
    27.5 Intense Tracer
    Only gloves and an open faced helmet for me ... although as many times as I have landed on my Camelbak, I should consider that to be protection as well. I feel like armoring up would make me take more risks and I would crash more as a result.

    Just like we can get hurt going one MPH, we can also take crashes that should do lots of damage but somehow don't. I went OTB on the rock garden section of Lynx in Aliso this weekend. Landed on nothing but rocks at a pretty fast clip and rolled a few times. Tiny scratch on my knee, tiny scratch on my elbow, slightly sore spot on my ankle, mildly sore shoulder ... and that is pretty much it. I got up thinking that crash should have broken a few bones. It all just depends how you land sometimes, luckily or unluckily.
     
  21. MrGreedom

    MrGreedom Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Name:
    Ryan
    Current Bike:
    BH Lynx6
    Call me crazy, but that feeling when you crash and are thinking and reacting at light speed to minimize impact is awesome. Everytime I dust off from a crash I am impressed at how quickly my brain can tell my gangly body to tuck & roll
     
  22. Cornholio

    Cornholio iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    B
    Current Bike:
    Huffy
    Open faced helmet most days, I’ll put the chin bar on my Bell for some DH’s or at Summit (sometimes). Gloves always, sweaty hand syndrome if not. Knee pads most rides out of habit but not usually for Black Star type rides. I have elbow pads for park but I’ve almost crashed because I was trying to fix them, no more. Natural fat, super good at absorbing hits but also more of me to hit the ground.
     
  23. Stkx66

    Stkx66 iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Southern California
    Name:
    Steve
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower 27+/ 29r
    If I'm riding a new area technical unknown type stuff I will wear arm and knee pads along with my open face helmet and gloves. I too am self employed owner operator. I try to be good and conservative but sometimes I start having to much fun and I get aggressive and overconfident. I wore protection going down Motorway in the beginning but now I wouldn't. "Ride fast enough to have fun but slow enough to come back and do it another day. " I tell myself this all the time but I don't necessarily listen. :confused:
     
    Faust29, Redman, scan and 3 others like this.
  24. mountaingirl sara

    mountaingirl sara iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    So Cal
    Name:
    Sara
    Current Bike:
    Ibis Ripley
    Pretty much the bare essentials until my concussion..then I added knee pads:D which doesn’t make much sense, but whatever.
    When I get back on my mtb I’ll keep it simple again, a good open face Leatt lid, full finger gloves, mtb shorts etc.
    For me the lid is the most important piece of gear now. I like high quality, simple, no fuss gear and apparel:thumbsup: not your average female:rolleyes:
     
    Faust29, Redman, Old&InTheWay and 6 others like this.
  25. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    I still get a good laugh out of a group of you EnduroBros wearing 1/2 lids at the Oaks a while back. They were queing up to race down Cactus Trail(about a 1 min. DH)....the group starts to roll away and the EnduroBro in the back yells "wait up guys, I gotta put my goggles on". :Roflmao
     
  26. jdubb

    jdubb Member

    Location:
    Costa Mesa
    Name:
    John Williams
    Current Bike:
    2018 Santa Cruz Tallboy cc
    I’ve never worn pads or full face helmet and although I would consider myself as cross country rider, I’ve always handled the technical downhill well. (Chiquito, noble canyon, bell, Los Pinos etc)
    Have to admit that now that I’m over 50, I approach tech downhills with much more caution and much less speed,.. not sure if that’s from age or fact that I don’t ride as often/consistently as years ago.
    I like the idea of pads at Palm Canyon simply to avoid the cuts, scrapes & blood.
    Due to recent leg injury, I bought new leg pads and likely will start with them once I get back on the trail (next week;finally!!!)
     
  27. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    Maybe you meant to say "THE" Enduro Bros vs "you" since the "you" implies they are on this board. As a general rule, the members on this board come across as the furthest thing from Enduro Bros that I could imagine. Enduro Bros don't get up at 2 am to go ride, don't climb fire road for hours or have any interest in riding 30+ miles or ever discus step notion of bagging 3000' of vertical much less the 5000'+ I see posted by you guys on here.

    We have a plethora of the Enduro Bro crowd down here at Calavera in Carlsbad. They ride fully kitted up, some on DH bikes to run laps on a 1/2 mile long trail and sometimes push their bikes back up what is a simple climb on even a 6" travel bike. My only issue with that crowd is they spend too much time watching videos on Pinkbike and think it's a requirement to skid around every corner.
     
  28. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower

    Nope....some punks from the local high school. And after having multiple encounters with them....I have no problem referring to them as punks.
     
  29. scan

    scan iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    fran allas
    Current Bike:
    Scott Spark
    I didn't wear pads for several years, rarely fell, then I got a friend of mine to start mtn biking. He would crash about every other week for several months. For some reason I did too, and we weren't even riding together. Several times they weren't on techy trails at all. It seemed when you wouldn't expect it something would happen.
    I hate those nasty scrapes you can get. Once I went down on my hip and arm. Had a large scrape that I had to change the dressing at least daily for about a week, it would soak through clothing, etc.
    A friend of mine cracked his hip going down in a switchback at good speed, rear wheel gave way and he went down hard on his hip
    So now I usually wear padded liners, light elbow sleeves, and light knee pads, for those times you don't expect it.
     
  30. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Wound care, gah, that's my beef. :bang: I don't wear pads to not get injured, I wear them so I don't have to wear freaking plastic in the shower.
     
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As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


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