Back in 2004 I was at the peak of my crashing days, managing to fall off a motorcycle with alarming regularity. I just had to look at a motorcycle and I'd fall over.
I picked up this Forcefield after putting a rather worrying dent in my Knox Stowaway having landed on a tree-stump. Compared to the Knox, the Forcefield felt like I was wearing a fence post, it was super-rigid at first but the trade-off was that it scored well in impact tests and covered more of my back too.
It took months for the Forcefield to lose its completely slab-like feel but once it did, I could hardly notice it when it was on. I've worn it for all sorts of excursions, from trackdays and commuting to a full-on blast to the tip of Morocco and back, in winter, on an S1000RR, in a week. I've lost count of the times I've crashed wearing it, but thankfully I've not taken any big impacts, just a slight bit of hedgerow or when really lucky, a bit of Brands Hatch gravel.
In the 7 years I've owned it, it's become one of my most trusted, must-have bits of kit. However, I'm afraid to say it's now coming to the end of its life. The elastic sholder supports have perished and even though I've kept on wearing it - refusing to admit defeat - when I put it on now the back protector hangs around the backs of my knees and when I use the waist support to secure it in place, the straps fall off my shoulders after a few miles in the saddle.
It's a shame because I want another one, but I'm not sure I'm ready for the extended break-in period..
Price: £79.99
Contact: www.forcefieldbodyarmour.com
