# Body armour for petite women!



## Asterope (Mar 11, 2014)

I am getting into DH and am looking to equip my self with some protection.

I have had a search through the forums but most of the questions RE: women and body armour deal with larger busts!

I am looking for some body armour (half sleeve would be ideal) that fits a size 32B bust and a tiny waist. I guess I'm looking for something that will fit well without moving around at the waist too much. The body armour sizes I have looked at in size small should fit well at the bust but will be far too big at the waist. 

Any suggestions from ladies here on the forum? Thanks in advance!! :thumbsup:


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## jewels (Mar 17, 2004)

*jr sizing*

Rockgardn Jr. Flak Jacket

or if you can find the ladies version of the Flak-jacket, it came in small or medium. I'm 5'5" 125 lbs 34C and wear the women's med. It's a perfect fit, snug in all the right places. It's torso is short on the women's version so if you're my height or shorter, I think it would fit good. It's snug around the waist, with a double velcro strap to cinch it in good, I probably have a 29 waist. I don't find the medium 'big' in the chest at all, but fairly snug. But I have wide shoulders. Also, the lower sleeves come off, so you can wear whatever elbow pads you like. I've worn it biking and dirt biking. I find it comfortable but wish it weren't so pink. You can call rockgardn and ask if the fit is the same in the current jr vs. the older women's model.



Asterope said:


> I am getting into DH and am looking to equip my self with some protection.
> 
> I have had a search through the forums but most of the questions RE: women and body armour deal with larger busts!
> 
> ...


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

Velcro and what not can be adjusted. I've worked on numerous sets of armor taking out excess strap length, making base fabric tucks and other things to improve fit.


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## snowgypsy (Jun 5, 2011)

I'm about 5'1, 115, and I know your pain! It took me a long time to find dh specific gear that worked for me. Once I did, though I realized how many possibilities there were. Sometimes, you just have to get creative - that being said...

I've really, really loved my poc spine VD tee. The xs small fits perfectly. Really light but very burly. I feel like superman with it on.

Another great thing about being a petite lady in a big boy's world is that a lot of the youth gear fits me really well, is usually well made, and is often half the price.

I would steer clear of a lot of the women's specific dh pads. This may have changed and maybe a company is really rocking it now (if you know of one, please let me know!), but most of that gear isn't of the highest quality and is extremely expensive for what you get - usually cheaper pads in pink (you end up paying for the pink).

Some men's xs actually fits me very, very well - poc being one of them. A little big in the waist - but nothing that a little velcro and some tucking won't fix.

I love poc's gear. It fits relatively well and the customer service is amazing. short story: I purchased my VD tee at about 1/10th the price from a private seller. Turns out, the seller "forgot" to include the spine pad. I called poc to purchase said pad. The rep I spoke with said it would be easier to just claim a warranty. They shipped it to me for free overnight so I would have it for my dh race that weekend. I *heart* that man. Poc definitely got the better end of the deal though. My helmets and knee pads are now, all poc :thumbsup:


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## Asterope (Mar 11, 2014)

Thanks Snowgypsy  I have been seriously looking at the POC spine tees - just wish there was somewhere I could try one on. Online retailers here have decent returns/refund policies so I guess I could just bite the bull and buy one to see if it fits.

I already have POC VPD knee and elbow pads and have been riding with them for over a year - yeah they are a bit bulky and hot (I live in the tropics... even just thinking about riding a bike is hot!) but they are absolutely worth the little extra $$$ I spent on them over other pads as they are just so comfortable and actually work when you come off! hehehe  

I'm also going to have a sneak peek at some ladies stuff in moto shops to see if there is anything available there.


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## Asterope (Mar 11, 2014)

I'm going to re-dig this thread sorry...

Demon protectives has a range of womens D30 body armour and also has an armour vest (DS 5100 Shield Vest V2) that runs in sizes small enough to fit me - plus it has the hard articulated back.

Has anyone used armour from Demon and can you give any opinions on it? Thanks


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

Last DH season I discovered IXS. I wear the knee/shin guards and elbow guards size small. I'm 5'5" and average build (approx 135 lb) I don't wear body/chest protection so I can't comment on the fit. I really like the fit of this brand

Sizing chart









Link:

Home | iXS Sports Division


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## laine (Oct 4, 2012)

Asterope said:


> I'm going to re-dig this thread sorry...
> 
> Demon protectives has a range of womens D30 body armour and also has an armour vest (DS 5100 Shield Vest V2) that runs in sizes small enough to fit me - plus it has the hard articulated back.
> 
> Has anyone used armour from Demon and can you give any opinions on it? Thanks


Bringing this thread back - has anyone tried the Demon D30?

Any other reccos out there for someone 5'1", 115/120-ish?

thanks.


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## jm2e (Mar 26, 2012)

I use the TLD Protective Youth LS Shirt in a Youth XL size. Similar size to you.
7855 Protective Youth LS Shirt | Troy Lee Designs®
This has saved me a bunch of times on big wrecks. It's light enough that I don't begrudge wearing it. Gets hot on hot days, and is pretty hard to pull off once it gets wet (i.e. sweaty). Having Mr jm2e around is handy for removal. 
I'm sure the short sleeve version would work, if that's what you want. And I've seen good deals on the SS youth ones at moto stores. I have to say though, having the elbow pads built in is one of the best features of this piece. I've never worn an elbow pad that stays up on its own. Having them attached is like having an elbow pad girdle!
Recently switched from 661 Evo knee pads to the POC VPD 2.0 Long Knee Pads in size Medium!
POC Joint VPD 2.0 Long Knee Pads | Backcountry.com
They fit really small, so I originally ordered a small and had to exchange them for a medium. It's been really nice having the added shin protection.
Hope some of this helps someone.
mrs jm2e


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## mahgnillig (Mar 12, 2004)

Bumping this thread as I have some recent input...

I ordered the TLD long sleeve size youth L and youth XL, Fox Titan youth and Leatt 3DF youth L-XL to try on. I am 5'2", 115lbs with a 32" bust and usually wear around a size 4. I wore a tight compression shirt underneath while trying these on.

Fox Titan: they only have one youth size and it's obviously for very small kids. An 8 year old might be okay in it, but it was too small for me to even get on properly.

Troy Lee: the XL was a little baggy and the L a little snug, though the L was the better fitting of the two because the armour was held in place tightly. Pros: light weight; armour is segmented so it moves very well and is comfortable once on; lots of coverage in all areas which you can customise by removing pieces. Cons: fabric is quite scratchy on the inside; shoulder pads cover the side but not the top of the shoulders; no zip, so it was a pain to get on and off.

Leatt: the fit on this was perfect... not too baggy or too tight. The chest and back plates are one piece, so it doesn't move with you in the same way the TLD does, and feels a little stiff at first, but it's comfortable. Pros: nice soft fabric inside; shoulder armour covers the whole shoulder; zips on/off; comfortable. Cons: fewer padded areas than TLD, especially on the sides of the ribs; heavier and stiffer armour plates.

I ended up picking the Leatt after battling to get the TLD armour off for seriously like 2 minutes (this was with a nice clean shirt underneath and no sweat, so I can only imagine how frustrating this would be at the end of a sweaty ride, and I really don't need that panicked, overheating claustrophobia in my life! ) I also preferred how soft the Leatt fabric was, and the fact that it covers the whole shoulder area, not just the side. If it had the segmented armour like the TLD then it would be perfect, but I can live with the stiffer panels for the sake of overall comfort and ease of use.

I hope this helps other petite ladies who are looking for armour


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