I always ride with my Forcefield Pro L2 back proctor on (and found out how useful it was recently) but I need to buy a new jacket soon and wandered if it’s worth getting a Hein Gerick jacket with there HIPROTEC CE BACKSHOCK AIR back protector fitted so I don’t need to keep strapping on my Pro L2.
So the question is:
Which offers the more protection, jacket insert back protection or strap on back protection?

Luckily I never found out for real - I find a built in protector convenient and I'm less tempted to 'not bother' with it because it's built into the jacket I always put on in northern europe climates, whilst the strap on ones I've seen look more substantial you do need to be bothered to wear it. The upside is if you do find your full jacket too hot you could always wear a back protector under a lighter jacket. So which is best - I think if I had a big off I'd prefer a full length strap on protector rather than a bit of Hein gericke foam rubber......

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The theory is that you want your protection as close to your body as possible- In winter, I wear my (strap-on) protector even under my top fleece layer. An insert can move around which makes it a danger in a crash situation, although it's certainly more convenient.

I'd continue wearing the body armour and use the insert pocket for a water bladder (which also offers some additional protection).

I don't know what back protector you have in the HG jacket, but my previous "in-situ" protector from HG was small.

As Flood pointed out, you want the B.P. close to your body, to minimise movement, and keep it over the area to be protected. It also means that in the event of a crash the B.P. absorbs the energy as your back impacts. If it sits a few mm away you can imagine the impact hits B.P. which then strikes your back and only then starts to disperse impact energy.

A bit like falling in water from 1m, and falling in from 3 m.
If you fall in from 1m, the water absorbs the impact and it does not hurt. From 3m the water does not absorb straight away and you get a nice red bruise from the belly-flop!! (if that makes sense)

Finally you ideally want a B.P. that protects as much of you spine from C1 to as close to S6 as possible. (although I doubt any model on the market protects the whole lot.) "In-situ" protectors that I have owned don't come much below the bottom of the rib cage, or "T" vertebrae.... Have a look at what is at risk in the area below that.

http://assets.disaboom.com/Images/SC...Regions_01.jpg

I bought the BMW back protector as it was more than just polystyrene (Dense memory foam and platics plates) and it has kidney and collar bone protection too. I wear it when I push bike also.

Personally, I say live with the inconvenience of having to put on the B.P. seperately and get a full-back one....

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Grendal, I agree with Warthog - I have a Knox Aegis full back protector, and its the business.

In fact on a recent trip, the chap I was travelling with came off his bike and hurt his back, and so I let him us my back protector to help 'hold him together' :-) he was very impressed and found that he had no pain when he was wearing it (pity he did'nt have one on when he took the tumble in the first place!)

J

Given that they have more coverage and are held in place, i'd say that a separate was far better.
That said, an insert is much more practical for a long trip. I have a separate Knox one at home but left it behind and am pretty certain that I would have got rid of it after a bit from the hassle factor. Forcefield do do an insert model which would be a better option than most standard supplied inserts.

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