EVS Vex Chest Protector and RC3 Collar - Thrashed

When it comes to chest protectors and shoulder injury prevention equipment, I'm as picky as they come. If I'm out on my quad in either a race situation or just for some play riding, I want to be as comfortable as possible. The Vex chest protector and RC3 collar from EVS have proven to be a perfect combination for me. First off, the Vex chest protector is relatively "vanilla," meaning it doesn't have a lot of extra parts or wild graphic designs. With three color options (blue, red or black) for you to choose from, your selection should be relatively easy. The clear hard-shell plastic chest and back protection pieces have a very comfortable fit that are extremely low profile so can be worn either under or over any jersey. The pieces also feature molded foam padding along the edges for extra rider comfort, and both have straps allowing for plenty adjustability for almost any body type.

Being a bigger guy I have a hard time finding protectors that don't rub me the wrong way or just make me feel uncomfortable. With the Vex this was definitely not the case. After a few changes in the strap positioning the Vex felt like a perfect fit to my body. The fact it comes from a protection company that doesn't make a full line of MX gear is nice as well since you can wear it with any brand without looking like a goon. Without having tested its full functionality, knock on wood, the chest and back pieces seem as if they would provide adequate protection for my rib cage and spine if I'm ever in a situation where it was needed.

Now in regard to the RC3 I'm sure my review could stir up quite a bit of controversy. This isn't a piece that is designed to replace the popular and controversial Leatt-Brace, but it is designed to minimize the likeliness of collarbone and neck sprain injuries. The thermal formed-rubber collar is designed to fit on the open collar of most chest protectors. In theory, if you ever take a good fall that forces your helmet toward your shoulder, this collar will take more impact than your bones. Additionally, it minimizes the space between the bottom of your helmet and shoulder area to minimize whiplash-style injuries.

To ensure that the collar stays properly in place, it features thermal formed-rubber connectors that will attach to chest protectors so long as they feature adjustable straps for the chest and back plates. This minimizes the collar moving while being used as well as another piece of floating equipment in your gear bag. Putting the collar on is a snap since the front had an easy-to-open hook-and-loop strap to keep it snuggly around your neck for a comfortable fit. In the style department, it is very much like the Vex how it is only offered in the basic three colors (red, blue and black).

I took five minutes to install the RC3 and went out on the track for a moto and loved it. I never felt like my head was restricted from turning in either direction but could feel a difference in the amount of free space between the bottom of my lid and the top of my shoulders. Did this make me feel like nothing would happen to me? Absolutely not, but I did feel that my safety level was higher than if I didn't have this piece of equipment. With pricing at $79 for the Vex chest protector and $45 for the RC3 collar, you can get two pieces of safety equipment for the cost of one similar design chest protector by another popular company. -Eli Madero

Bottom Line: The vex is a great-fitting chest protector at an even better price compared to the competition.

Bottom Line: The RC3 Collar is an inexpensive piece of safety equipment that fits comfortably and can minimize the possibility of a painful injury. EVS: www.evs-sports.com; 310/637-5000