Body Armor & Protection | MunroPowersports.com | Munro Industries mp-10080303
Riding ATVs, UTVs, snowmobiles and Personal Watercraft (PWC) is great fun, but it can also be hazardous to your health – if you’re not properly protected, and that protection can take many forms. Helmets are essential protective gear and legally required in some areas where ATVs, UTVs, and snowmobiles are ridden. But while your head may be the most important human appendage, it’s not the only part of your body that can suffer injury from impact in a crash, which is why in addition to helmets we offer body armor, boots and gloves for ATV and UTV riders. When riding a snowmobile in bitter cold winter conditions, thermal protection is of utmost importance, because of the risk of frostbite to exposed or under-protected body parts. Shop from a large selection snowmobile suits, under-layers, face masks and balaclavas as well as helmets, goggles, boots, and gloves designed to keep you warm and protected aboard your sled. A life jacket, which will keep you afloat and prevent drowning if you fall off, is the most important protective gear when PWC riding, but along with our life vest collection we also offer wetsuits to keep you warm when you’re riding at high speeds and to prevent hypothermia in cool water.
Much of the body armor that’s available was developed to help prevent injuries to motorcycle road racers and motocross racers. Advancements in body armor are an important reason for the substantial reduction in racing fatalities and why so many racers can walk away from high-speed get-offs. We offer body armor that is CE (Conformité Européene, or European Conformity) rated, the European standard that is also recognized in the U.S., which indicates the reduced level of force that is transmitted to the body upon impact and the protection level afforded while wearing the particular device. In addition to protectors and guards, we also offer braces and supports for knees, elbows, and wrists, which not only protect but also stabilize and strengthen the joint.
We offer a full complement of body armor specifically designed for dirt riding including ballistic jerseys that include full torso and elbow protection, spine protection and built-in kidney belt, which can be worn under a jersey or by themselves, as well as neck supports, race collars, shoulder supports, roost deflectors, knee braces, knee and elbow pads, knee stabilizers, ankle stabilizers and supports, wrist braces, and kidney belts that can be worn in conjunction with a jersey and motocross pants. For cold weather riding we have adventure style jackets and pants that incorporate body armor in the form of elbow and shoulder guards and a back protector in the jacket, and pants with armor at the knees and hips. These usually have a removable thermal liner, or you can wear under layers to achieve your desired level of warmth.
Boots are body armor for your feet, and like knee braces they have to provide support and stability as well as protection. Our boots have shin guards and rigid toe boxes with steel reinforced toe caps, and they feature easy to use buckles, anti-slip soles, and pivot points that allow easy ankle articulation. The off-road gloves we have on offer come in mesh for cooling or insulated and waterproof to keep your hands warm and dry, and they feature protective padding at the fingers, knuckles, and palms, abrasion resistant material construction, and adjustable gauntlets in various lengths. For eye protection from bright sun, UV rays, and insects, dirt and debris, we have a huge selection of sunglasses and goggles with tinted or clear lenses, all designed specifically for off-road riding, as well as replacement lenses in various tints, and replacement straps.
The best way to stay warm, dry and protected when riding your sled in the coldest weather is by covering up and layering. Start with a moisture-wicking base layer in a material weight that’s appropriate for the temperature you’ll be riding in. For extreme cold add a fleece mid-layer, and this layer can also be easily shed if you get too warm. Of course, the most important layer is the outer one in the form of a wind and waterproof, abrasion resistant snowmobile suit. These are available in one-piece styles, or you can go with a jacket and snow pants or bibs. Keep your head warm and protected with a balaclava or face mask – this is absolutely essential if you wear a snocross or open face helmet, which should also be accompanied by goggles with anti-fog, tinted lenses for eye protection and clear visibility even on the brightest days.
Extremities like hands and feet are particularly vulnerable to frostbite if not protected. Snowmobile gloves and snowmobile mittens are wind and waterproof, yet breathable, and insulated to keep your hands warm and protected, and many have removable moisture-wicking liners for layering that creates warmth. Snowmobile boots are durable, supportive and heavily insulated to keep your feet warm and protected. They have moisture-wicking liners and waterproof outer shells to prevent your feet from becoming wet, due to sweat from within or snow and water from without. These should be paired with synthetic/wool blend socks that wick moisture away but also provide insulation for warmth. Of course, we also offer a full complement of electrically heated apparel including jacket and pants liners, gloves and socks.
Even if you’re a good swimmer, if you fall off and become separated from your PWC you can become exhausted before you can make it back to your craft or to shore or help is able to reach you. A life jacket will keep you afloat, but not just any one will do, you need one that is designed for PWC use and United States Coast Guard (USCG) approved, like the kind you’ll find listed available. The USCG classifies life jackets according to intended use, and Type III jackets are the vest type, for PWC use and also suitable for water skiing, canoeing, and kayaking. They’re easy to put on and comfortable, and as they’re specifically designed for active use they won’t restrict movement. Our life vests are constructed from foam filled segments covered by nylon or neoprene in a wide range of bright colors and designs, with securement by nylon straps and quick release buckles. Some vests have a sewn-in D-ring to attach the PWC safety lanyard. Wetsuits are made of neoprene and close-fitting. They work by trapping a thin layer of water between the suit and your body. Your body heats the trapped water, which keeps you warm. The neoprene combined with the warmed layer of water helps you retain body heat to prevent hypothermia when you’re in the water, but a wetsuit can also help to protect you from wind chill and water spray when you’re aboard your boat and riding at high speed.
