The South African protection aficionados at Leatt divide their upper body protection between hardshell and softshell products. The softshell pieces are designed to fit under a jersey like a heavily padded shirt, and the hardshell vests fit over the top similar to motocross protection. Having tested heaps of softshell back savers, I decided to give the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle look a try.
The Leatt 3.5 Chest Protector offers more coverage than its name implies. The front plates on this single-size vest cover my entire ribcage and sternum, extending below the bones to safeguard some of those vital belly-based organs. The upper two-thirds of my spine is covered, though most modern back protectors extend slightly lower than this one. The rear plate is also wider than most back protectors, leaving less ribcage exposed to skin-puncturing sticks and handlebar ends.
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