*FEATURED REVIEW*
One of our users Jon,
describing his "Crash Test" of the Forcefield Back protector
Hi, just wanted to let you guys know that I
recently had a chance to crash test your product and had
great success with it. I am using the Forcefield
back protector and was involved in a major two bike
motorcycle accident where I was thrown up 8 feet in the
air and landed squarely on my back. Now I am a pretty
heavy guy at 200lb but my back suffered no injury
whatsoever in the crash and was barely even bruised.
My legs didn't fare as well and bruised and sprained badly but no
major injury or breaks.
The crash was caught on camera:
CLICK HERE FOR
VIDEO
You can see where I landed squarely on my back
and bounced back in the air. The protector did an
amazing job.
I was wearing skimpy armored shorts by a different company and hurt my
hip but I am confident that if I had the Forcefield Undergarment pants I would have come out even
better. Just placed an order for them though, and the
Forcefield Undergarment armored shirt. Great product and
armor technology!
-Jon
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One of our users DJ, describes
how Forcefield products with a Johnson Leather Suit
helped protect him from serious injury durring a
crash:
On Sunday, March 29 I was riding from Santa Barbara back
to Berkeley with my friend Aaron. Just south of
Bixby Bridge on Highway One (at Hurricane Point,
nonetheless), I was coming through a sweeping right-hand
curve going somewhere above 60 mph. As I came all
the way through the curve, I was hit with an unexpected
gust of wind which
pushed me about a foot over the centerline. My
left shoulder took off the mirror of a maroon F-150
traveling about 45 mph in the opposite direction.
My left handlebar then hit her door, turning my front
wheel to the left. Because I was still leaning
over, my front wheel went under her rear wheel, and I
was catapulted through the air. After several mid-air
cartwheels I landed mostly on the left side of my head
and shoulder. I was on the ground less than a
minute before I was walking again.
The last thing I remember is seeing the front of the maroon truck. The
rest of the story has been gathered from witnesses and
deduced from damage. By this time, Aaron had
turned around and was telling me to not use my shoulder
for anything. We hauled the bike off the road and
waited for the CHP and ambulance. The paramedics,
were amazed
regarding how little I had been hurt. They
repeatedly asked/poked me to find out if anything was
wrong. I finally admitted to them that my shoulder
was a little sore and would probably have a bruise, and
that I had a scratch on my finger. Had I played it
up a little more, I could have had a beautiful
helicopter ride along Big Sur!
The bike is in trouble, but I plan to spend the next several months
rebuilding it. I believe that I am alive and
uninjured thanks partially to dumb luck, but also due to
the gear I choose to wear. As you can see from the
helmet and bike, it was quite an impact. The
jacket, however, is only slightly scuffed. It
worked amazing well
against the abrasive properties of the asphalt.
The armor that is in the knees, hips, elbows, shoulders,
and back of the leather suit is the best available.
It absorbed the energy of the impact, drastically
decreasing my chance of broken bones and organ damage.
Thank you to Johnson Leather of San Francisco, and Arai
Helmets!
Glad to be alive,
DJ
Pictures (Left to Right):
1. About an hour before the accident. I couldn't
have asked for
better last miles.
2. Helmet. Most of the impact was in an area only
covered by full-face
helmets.
3. Jacket. Stunning performance!
4. The damage is much more extensive than can be seen
here. She can't
even stand up....
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One of our users Anthony (of
the UK)
made the following comments regarding our Forcefield
Back Protector:
I was recently at Oulton Park and lost control on the
very fast Island bend causing me
to crash into the gravel at over 100mph. I was knocked
unconscious for over 2mins by the impact and don't
remember much about the crash. What I do know is that
out of all the bruising I do have there is not one on my
back!! This I believe is down to my excellent Forcefield
Back Protector.
Thanks very much it's a great product. It is very
comfortable and works very well. I have no hesitation in
recommending this product. I will now add the Forcefield
chest protector to my kit.
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One of our users Craig
made the following comments regarding our Forcefield
Back insert and shorts:
I crash-tested a Forcefield back insert and armour
shorts at a track day last season. Forcefield
armour allowed me to walk away rather than take an
ambulance ride to the hospital.
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One of our users Mardig
made the following comments regarding our Forcefield elbow,
chest, back protector, and pants:
I had sent you my A* SMX AirFlow jacket and you changed out the
elbow armour and added chest pads and a back protector. Well I
had a small accident today and the first thing that hit the ground
was my elbow. As soon as it hit I felt the armour absorb the impact!
It was almost surreal! I have only a slight bruise on my elbow -
sure beats my arm being in a sling.
I want to thank you for your craftsmanship, and your
commitment to rider safety by offering the community
Forcefield Armour. Every jacket I
get will be immediately sent to you for upgrades.
PS. The Forcefield armour pants also did their job - neither one of my
legs is in any pain.
Thank you very much!
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One of our users Fred
made the following comments regarding our Forcefield chest and
back protector:
I received the back and chest protector last
week and used both on Monday during a track day
at Mid Ohio. It was a pretty hot day with
temperatures in the upper 80's and we did seven
sessions total. This Forcefield combo has got to be
the absolute best on the market and beats all
the rest (I'm so glad I sent back the Knox and
went with your recommendation). The
Forcefield
is very comfortable, even underneath tight
fitting leathers and still gives a very secure
feeling. Once on the bike (or in the suit) one
doesn't even notice it's there :)
This goes into my book as one of the best
purchases ever.
Thank you,
Fred
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One of our users Mr. Andy Hayes
made the following comments regarding one of our
Forcefield
backs:
I just wanted to provide some positive feedback
after testing your Forcefield back protector out for
real on Sunday whilst racing at Snetterton.
I had a relatively low speed highside in the wet
which threw me head first over the front of the
bike, causing me to somersault and land flat on
my back, taking the full impact through my
Crowtree leathers and your Forcefield back protector,
which I have owned for about a year now and
never go out on track without, even when I am
rushing to get out for a race.
Although the crash speed was relatively low (I
estimate about 25-30 mph), I know from
experience that doesn’t matter with highsides as
I previously broke my collarbone and ribs,
collapsed a lung and moved my heart sideways
from a 50mph highside.
In this crash, I took the full impact on my
back, having done a full somersault (according
to the marshals, who gave me 9 out of 10) and
missed my helmet hitting the ground. The impact
knocked the wind right out of me, but despite
not having a great back to start with, I didn’t
suffer any injuries at all, maybe just a bit of
minor internal soft tissue bruising or soreness
due to the sudden stop.
I then went out on track later the same morning
and set a new lap record for our class (700cc
Streetstock with NG Road Racing club).
It was also good to know that when having my
made to measure leathers made up at Crowtree in
Lincolnshire, we were discussing body armour and
when I told them I had a Forcefield back protector,
they quite honestly said I didn’t need any more
back protection in my suit as that was the best
I could buy anyway.
I would also add that with 1 years use (in often
sweaty conditions) it is holding up very well
and is very comfortable to wear.
Thanks for the offer of a cap, you’ve already
done enough by saving me a painful injury, but
I’ll wear it around the paddock in appreciation.
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One of our users Mr. Olof Ekman
made the following comments regarding one of our
Forcefield
backs:-
"Your product has also served one of my friends well.
Maria a female friend of mine, she is currently training
for her motorcycle license. As she has not yet gotten
her own gear, she has been borrowing my back. This
weekend she had an off during a high speed braking test,
resulting in a rather dramatic high-side, which landed
her on her head and back. We took her to hospital and
did a thorough medical check, with all kinds of X-rays
and tests. She was fine. The doctor, examined the back
protector and was quite clear in his opinion, that it
saved her back. Helmet and jacket were ruined, and had
to be replaced, but the back protector is fine and Maria
will continue to use it.
Maria wishes, through me, to forward her appreciation
and thanks to you, for saving her back. If you could
pass this on to the rest of your team I would be
grateful."
Our Forcefield Back
Protector was the focus of an article in
Supermoto / Trail Bike Magazine earlier this
year (Issue 7 P80). The article text is
quoted as follows:-
"When it comes to body armour, few companies
can claim to know more than Forcefield. There's a
wealth of armour out there which comes in
all shapes and sizes, but the thing that
impresses us the most about the Forcefield gear is
that as a company they're continually
seeking to improve their products. Whether
it be the shape, the fit or the protective
qualities of the products they supply, the
Forcefield method of protection seems to work and
we reckon two products in the T Pro range
would suit super-moto use as well.
-
First up, the Forcefield backprotector;
for starters it's very comfortable and
fits snugly without restriction. But
it's much cleverer than that - the outer
skin is made from Armourflex, which is a
triangular shock-absorbing material
while perforated layers of Nitrex foam
form a differing density base. Air
circulates through the perforations when
in use 'pumping' the foam up slightly,
aiding energy absorption in an impact.
-
Secondly, the Forcefield Undergarment is
available as separate shirt and pants
and features more registered trade marks
in its construction than anything we've
ever seen, using Cordura, Tactel,
Coolmax and Lycra. It's designed to be
tough yet comfy, dealing with sweat and
keeping the body cool, even under the
most 'anxious' of conditions, ahem. And,
of course, there are pockets for T Pro
body armour in the shoulders, elbows,
chest, back, knees, shins and hip. The
Forcefield backprotector comes in sizes
S, M and L, the shirt XS to L and the
pants S to L. Verdict: Not over pricey
and money well spent."
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The Forcefield
Undergarment has been tested by experienced
riders such as Ivan Mauger (9 times World
Champion in Speedway and Long Track) he
commented as follows:-
"I’ve been busy getting ready for the World
Long Track Championship final Grand Prix
that I am promoting in New Zealand on 1st
November. I have used the undergarments
quite a few times in testing bikes and also
I had match races with Phil Crump at the
Australian Long Track GP on 18th January and
the New Zealand Long Track GP on 25th
January. So I have now also tested them
under racing conditions. I must say that
particularly with Kevlars this kind of
protection is a must and the Forcefield
undergarment was comfortable, I didn’t
realize that I had it on, very light and
everything that I want from in the way of
protection and ease of use. I would
definitely give the Forcefield undergarment
my full recommendation."
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Mick Grant TT
champion achieving 7 Isle of Man wins and a
further 9 rostrum places finishes :-
Mick Grant has been using the Forcefield
Shorts and comments as follows:- "Many
thanks for the Forcefield Shorts. As you know I
had a bad fall from my trials bike and made
a mess of the muscle in my thigh. If only I
had the shorts on before the accident the
only injury would have been my pride! I
wouldn't dream of riding my trials bike now
without the shorts, as far as I'm concerned
they are as important a part of my kit as my
crash hat. The protective padding is very
comfortable as it moulds perfectly to my
legs, so well in fact that I'm not aware of
them. The breathability makes them
comfortable in hot or cold conditions alike.
This product is a winner, again many thanks
Mick Grant." |
Jerry D. Finley
Received the Forcefield Back Protector..
Thanks much!!
Thought you guys might want to read my head-to head
comparison of a recent back-protector shoot out I
made with your Forcefield protector as one of the
challengers...
It's posted on our website and will be mentioned along
with your company's URL in our May newsletter...
Bottom line.. the Forcefield came out on top!!.. Hope it
brings you some biz.
Check it out at
http://piratesk12site.net/backprotector.htm
Again.. thanks for the fine service.
Regards
Jerry D. Finley ("Danger" is my middle name)
Captain / Pirates' Lair Motorcycle Accessories
www.PiratesLair.net
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Forcefield Back
The Forcefield back has just been strenuously tested for
Ride Magazine by one of its riders along with all the
other top leading makes of back protector, to give the
public the best advice on what to buy. They were graded
as to the following:-
Protection - impact
tests showed how much force each back protector would
absorb.
Testers verdict -
covering comfort, fit, design and price.
The results gave the Forcefield back the edge over 14 of
its competitors. It was awarded the "Ride Recommended"
tag of approval with a final score of 18 out of 20. The
road tester was said to have loved it and was quoted as
saying "It was comfortable, but reassuringly solid. The
Forcefield is made from foam with a flexible rubber-type
material to the back. A wide waistband and adjustable
shoulder straps mean getting the protector on and off
and fitting leathers over the top is a doddle. Good
impact testing score throughout."
Dave "Crasher" Cornish
Trailbike and Enduro Magazine test rider
I first started using
Forcefield
body armour during 1995 and it has quite literally saved
my neck on several occasions. The most recent was whilst
competing in the Cambrian Rally in Wales. I was aboard
the new XR650R when it all went a bit pear shaped.
Flat out in top gear the XR was flying down the fast
gravel roads on SS1. Over a blind crest the track
suddenly took a sharp right. At this speed my only
option was to slow as much as possible and wait for the
inevitable big get-off.
I estimate that I was doing around 60mph when I careered
of the track and down the boulder-infested hillside. I
was thrown over the bars and landed heavily on my back a
good 50 feet away from the bike.
Thanks to the spine protection on my
Forcefield armour, I managed
to limp away to fight another day.
Unlike most off road armour the flexible construction of
Forcefield moulds to the
shape of your body and is much less bulky than the hard
plastic roost-guards offered by other manufacturers.
This together with a full-length spine protector gives
me all the confidence I need whilst crashing TBM test
bikes to destruction!
Now with the introduction of the new vented range of
protection my only previous criticism of
Forcefield armour being a bit
on the hot side has been cured.
My Forcefield body armour
is the first thing that I pack into my gear bag. Quite
simply I won't ride without it.
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COLIN EDWARDS HAS A 100MPH HIGH SIDE AT ATLANTA AND
...WALKS AWAY
"I thought I was dead" stated Colin during a telephone
interview. The 19 year old Vance & Hines factory Rider
said that was the only thought going through his mind as
he was catapulted into the air at over 100mph after
colliding with a slower rider.
Colin a former AMA National Road Racing champ, was
dicing for 3rd place during the AMA Superbike Final when
the incident occurred. We were in the process of passing
lapped traffic in turn two, a 100mph corner. The rider I
was passing made a critical mistake. He changed his
line! He thought I was passing on his left, and moved to
his right... Right in front of me!!!
I grabbed a handful of brake, but the speed differential
was too great. The force of the impact stood my bike on
the front wheel before I was launched into the air.
When I came down to earth, I initially impacted on my
stomach/ chest area.
The excessive speeds making me tumble whenever I struck
the ground. While I tumbled my bike hit me two or three
times. Where I'm not exactly sure. (An observer reported
that Colin's crash the bike landed on him a few times as
he tumbled back first into a steel Armco barrier). I
finally came to rest and got up. I realized that not
only did I not have any broken bones, but I also had
been conscious the entire time.
"The piece of
Forcefield
body armour that helped me most was the chest protector.
With it inside the leathers everything feels tight,
nothing feeling loose. It's just a safer feeling
altogether".
The severe forces generated during the crash were enough
to dislodge the inner lining from Colin's Helmet. The
tumbling and resulting impacts trashed Colin's leathers
and boots. His gloves, which did the job, were replaced.
Colin's
Forcefield Body
Armour as designed survived the incident and were reused
in a set of new leathers.
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Reference: Body Unit
Had to respond to the receipt of my
Forcefield 8100. I put it on
and rode for the first time last evening. I can't
believe I rode without it. I have been riding MX for 35
years, and finally feel like I have the best protection
available.
Les McCaslin June 2002
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