Accident/TechVest??????????

old abe

Well-known member
Lost a local rider from my area due to a accident in Wis.. I'm not sure if he was wearing a "TechVest", or not. Traveling at 40/50 mph, he was thrown off the sled due to a dip in the trail, and his sternum had impact on a tree. His sled stayed on the trail. It sounds like one of the aorta's was severed due to impact. Dead immediately. This is a terrible question to ask, but could a "TechVest have prevented this??? I realize this is some what of a loaded question, but I had to ask it. Serious thoughts only please. I just can't get comfortable in any vest I have tried. And I bought a large enough coat to be able to wear a vest. May God Bless all his family, and friends to their loss. Peace be to them.
 

srt20

Active member
I have a vest/airbag that I wear out west. It goes over my coat. IDK if they have anything that goes over the coat for trail riding, but I would assume somebody does?

I never wore one until I took the handlebars and ski of my ribs. Didn't break anything but was sore. Its more comfy than my backpack/airbag.

I don't wear anything trail riding. But hitting a tree at 40-50, I don't know how well the TechVest would do?
 

sweeperguy

Active member
661 core saver vest has good reviews for comfort. Bought one for myself, haven't used it yet. Seems like it should be comfortable enough in use. Does have protection over sternum/chest, as well as some spine protection if you were to be flung and spun into something.
POLARISDAN wears one, says he feels much safer with it on. I think he also stated he wouldn't ride without it.
 
G

G

Guest
Hard to say. I have had a Tekvest for years. They are a Kevlar affair I believe. It might help in deflecting something like that and it might not. If it is like a helmet it is only good to about 30 mph. After that things get iffy. A tekvest and a helmet are most useful for sliding type get offs. I don't think there is anything out there that will save you from hitting a solid object at speed. If it is your time to go you are going to go. Years ago a friend of mine fell off and slid head first into a culvert. He was going about the same speed as your friend. He was wearing a helmet. Didn't matter.
 

POLARISDAN

New member
yes credit whitedust for the 661 tekvest..just ordered and recieved another one for my older son and the guys that are riding with me if they want it..absolutely comfortable, dont know its there, and absolutely will not ride without it..
 

Skylar

Super Moderator
Staff member
I'm not sure if it would have prevented it. I've been wearing a Tekvest since 2003. At the time it just made sense to me to wear one. February 2004 up north of Phoenix I came into a corner a little to hot to avoid the groomer that I did not see until it was too late. Not sure of the speed I hit the blade at, but, fast enough to launch me over the bars. I hit it at an angle, trying to slide to a stop. I was very very lucky, I suffered a cracked rib, and a severely bruised right thigh. In my opinion that tekvest prevented any other serious injury. I've heard people say, I don't ride like an idiot, I don't need one. Well, accidents happen. :)
 

dfattack

Well-known member
myself and everyone that rides with me have a tech vest. we wear it under our coats. Not sure if it would have prevented the death of the individual in the accident you discussed but it surely wouldn't have hurt the situation. Only could have helped.
 

whitedust

Well-known member
yes credit whitedust for the 661 tekvest..just ordered and recieved another one for my older son and the guys that are riding with me if they want it..absolutely comfortable, dont know its there, and absolutely will not ride without it..

Yep Dan now wears a 661 core protector with spine protection too. We all preferred 661 because it breaths where all plastic tech vests do not. I like to move around a bit in the saddle and duck low hanging branches on the trail and the 661 allows me to do that. I also wrap my back thing around the hokie belt that comes with the core protector gives me super lower back support. No way to tell if 661 would have prevented a certain after the fact injury but it does have chest protection and would have given your buddy an improved odds of survival. Without vest protection it is skin and bone vs the rest of the world not good odds imo. To me the best $100 to 150 you ever spent on sleddin. I'm very sorry for your loss!

- - - Updated - - -

Lost a local rider from my area due to a accident in Wis.. I'm not sure if he was wearing a "TechVest", or not. Traveling at 40/50 mph, he was thrown off the sled due to a dip in the trail, and his sternum had impact on a tree. His sled stayed on the trail. It sounds like one of the aorta's was severed due to impact. Dead immediately. This is a terrible question to ask, but could a "TechVest have prevented this??? I realize this is some what of a loaded question, but I had to ask it. Serious thoughts only please. I just can't get comfortable in any vest I have tried. And I bought a large enough coat to be able to wear a vest. May God Bless all his family, and friends to their loss. Peace be to them.

Buy now!
 

old abe

Well-known member
Sklar, I can remember when that happened. If I am correct, it was a Yammy??? As my wife, a nurse, and I were told of how the accident happened, we could not believe anybody was not killed outright. Very fortunate you were. I think someone was looking out for you?????

POLARISDAN where do you purchase the 661 vests?????????
 
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whitedust

Well-known member
Sklar, I can remember when that happened. As my wife, a nurse, and I were told of how the accident happened, we could not believe anybody was not killed outright. Very fortunate you were. I think someone was looking out for you?????

POLARISDAN where do you purchase the 661 vests?????????

Dan didn't shop around much... search the internet for sixsixone core protector with spine protection. I have seen it for as low as $75 and as high as $150 over the years. Usually can have it within a week. The sizing runs a bit small so don't be afraid to go a size larger.
 

old abe

Well-known member
Dan didn't shop around much... search the internet for sixsixone core protector with spine protection. I have seen it for as low as $75 and as high as $150 over the years. Usually can have it within a week. The sizing runs a bit small so don't be afraid to go a size larger.

Tried find a source online a couple months back, no luck. We'll try again Pete. If you find a source let me know. Thanks.
 

Hoosier

Well-known member
Dan didn't shop around much... search the internet for sixsixone core protector with spine protection. I have seen it for as low as $75 and as high as $150 over the years. Usually can have it within a week. The sizing runs a bit small so don't be afraid to go a size larger.

How far down does the sixsixone go? Say a couple inches above belt? I tried a tek vest on once but it seemed short on me (long torso). I'm finally going to order something in the next week as I'm going riding starting on the 11th. I'm thinking I'm going to order a couple different vests to try out even if I have to pay some shipping to send back. I'm not sure why but I keep procrastinating on this...

Demon is another brand I've seen. Tek-vest seems to be most popular. I like that it's made in the US/Canada too.
 
no way for the 661, might as well ride without a vest....spend the extra money and get a techvest. may be a little uncomfortable at first, then you get used to it and wont ride without it....kinda like a seatbelt when the laws were made.
 

wirev

New member
Have ridden with a a Tek-vest for 4 years now. It's the hard type and I love it. Helps keep me from slouching. Also keeps me warmer at 0 or -0. I don't know that I have it on. Took a short cruse [10 miles] the other day without it and felt naked. Rev
 

whitedust

Well-known member
How far down does the sixsixone go? Say a couple inches above belt? I tried a tek vest on once but it seemed short on me (long torso). I'm finally going to order something in the next week as I'm going riding starting on the 11th. I'm thinking I'm going to order a couple different vests to try out even if I have to pay some shipping to send back. I'm not sure why but I keep procrastinating on this...

Demon is another brand I've seen. Tek-vest seems to be most popular. I like that it's made in the US/Canada too.

Mine comes down to my hips covers my lower back & like I said then I wrap my back thing around the attached belt. Soooo many tech vest choices today but not so much 10 years ago. As you can see sixsixone has many choices including pressure suits. To me no vest is going to help if I hit something at high speed but for the low speed offs, getting whacked by limbs and branches all the protection I need. I have seen bullet proof vests offered too so just depends on personal choice and what is comfortable for you without having to purchase a larger jacket. Most can fit the core protector with spine protection under existing jacket without throwing off internal temp but different for everyone. Me I feel naked with out my core protector would not ride without it and resonable price to boot.
 

brad460

Member
I know a certain person who launched an RX-1 off a cliff along the Denali hwy Alaska near the Arctic man location- He sailed approx 300ft onto a bunch of boulders. Hit his chest on the handlebars/dash so hard it bent the bars, the steering post and cleared off the dash- broke six ribs. Without the Tekvest I know we would have been carrying up his dead body. Instead he got a ride to the Glenn Allen hospital and recovered...

I need to get back to wearing mine!
 
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