February 2002

Body-Protector Vests: Get Third-Party Certification

First, demand the ASTM or BETA 3 standard—and then be certain the vest is certified to meet the standard.

Your vest should be snug but com- ûfortable. That means you’ll be more likely to wear it.

The first thing to realize about body-protectors vests is that no vest can protect against spinal injuries, because these are caused by severe rotation, not by a direct hit. Any vest that keeps your body still enough to prevent such rotation injuries would make it impossible to ride properly. A protective vest is meant to protect against blunt trauma, such as might happen if you were trampled or thrown against a jump.

Your safety vest must fit comfortably, because that means you will be more likely to wear it (see sidebar on page 8), and it should be designed for your particular sport and needs. An event rider might opt for…