Body Armour Versus Armour Inserts Which To Stock

An insert is bought by a rider who already owns a jacket. It is a low ticket upgrade, it ships small, and it sells all year. A body armour jacket or a vest is bought by a rider who wants standalone protection, usually for off road riding, a riding school, or wearing under a textile jacket that has no protection at all.

They rarely compete with each other. A shop that carries only one is leaving the other customer unserved.

Inserts are cheap to carry. They are flat, light, and they come in a handful of pattern sizes rather than a full size run. Body armour is bulkier and needs a size run, which means more capital per line.

The practical answer for most retailers is depth on inserts and a narrow, well chosen body armour range: one full body jacket pattern, one chest and back vest, and a knee and elbow guard set.

• Inserts: back, chest, shoulder, elbow, knee and crotch positions, sitting inside garment pockets.
• Body armour jacket: shoulders, elbows, chest, back and often spine, on a mesh carrier worn as a garment.
• Vest: chest and back, sometimes with a waist belt, worn over or under clothing.
• Limb guards: knee and elbow only, strapped directly to the limb with quick release buckles.

Protection that is uncomfortable is protection that stays in the wardrobe. That is why ventilation and carrier design matter as much as shell material. The patterns in the Creease range use ventilated PP shells, elastic mesh carriers, high stretch nylon straps and EVA foam layers, and several use a hinged or segmented back so the rider can move.

When you evaluate samples, wear them for an hour rather than trying them on for a minute.

The insert range is described as CE approved. Standalone body armour, vests and limb guards should be evaluated on their own documentation. Ask for the certificate for the exact article, and do not carry a claim across from one product to another.