INTERESTED IN SAFETY? Then read on.
In this Newsletter we are going to talk about Body Armour and more specifically FORCEFIELD Body Armour.
reasons. To put all the testing and articles down here would take up just too much space. What follows is a short run down, but if you want all the test data and articles just contact us and we will get them to you. How does it Work? Forcefield armour harnesses energy, slows it down and manipulates it into a lesser force, before it hits your body. This is what all armour should do but independent tests prove this not to be so.
Nitrex This patented technology allows protection evenly across it surface. Most hard shell/plastic protectors will perform differently across its surface. You never know where the impact will strike!
Many activities that we are involved in carry certain risks. While we can’t always protect ourselves from every eventuality it makes perfect sense that we should do as much as we can to reduce injuries. It is for this reason we believe that only the best available products are good enough. This is why carry such products as ARAI Helmets and FORCEFIELD Body Armour. The technical reason and safety of Helmets and Body Armour are not always obvious by just looking at them. You need to know what makes them better. When it comes to products like helmets and body armour “you can’t judge a book by its cover”. It’s what you can’t see that often makes the difference. We hope that this article goes someway in explaining some of these
So, crumple zones/honeycomb type systems are good for body armour? Well, only as far as one impact goes. After the initial impact the protection they afford is greatly reduced as the honeycomb cannot recover to its original shape. We all know that with motorcycle accidents it is never just one impact. Repeat Performance Multiple impacts are not good for the vast majority of armour on the market. Forcefield armour has been designed to withstand multiple impacts. FORCEFIELD use a special product that they have developed – NITREX. This product can absorb multiple impacts and then return to its original form. It virtually lasts for years. Most armour types deteriorate after an impact making it un-usable and ready for the bin – but not Forcefield.
Perceptions: Hard Armour As it is hard, it protects, right? Wrong! It has very little ability to absorb, or slow down the energy of an impact. It is widely used as it is cheap to manufacture and it plays on the perception of ‘because it’s hard it must be doing a good job’. This is just so wrong. It is also sweaty, uncomfortable and can crack, causing further injury in a crash. To back this up you can use a modern day example of a crumple zone on a car, designed to slow the impact energy down. Protecting the people inside the car.
Our research shows that people do not throw hard armour/honeycomb types away after a crash (as they should); instead they carry on using it - yet now it is not fit for purpose. Take it a step further - in a serious high speed crash where multiple strikes take place in the same incident, normal armour is getting weaker, at the time you need it to be strong. Forcefield armour is as strong at the end of the crash as it was at the beginning. Giving the wearer the best possible chance of escaping injury.
PO Box 10-393, 128-134 Maui St., Hamilton 3241, New Zealand. T: 07-849-4392. F: 07-849-4114. E: dold@dold.co.nz. W: www.dold.co.nz/
Testing Standards: CE standards. Forcefield pride themselves at passing the CE test at Levels other companies can only dream about. FORCEFIELD Body Armour is subjected to CE type examination testing and certification by SATRA - A European Notified Body (reference number 0321) for personal protective equipment (PPE). We understand a lot of manufacturers claim figures, many of which cannot be substantiated, or proven. Here at Forcefield we are different.
Approved to EN1621-2:2003 & EN340:2003
Our new Pro Sub 4 Back protector, has smashed the competition by independently passing at 3.38 kn the world best performing back protector! Again Forcefield have pushed the boundaries of protection standards.
If you would like to see just how good Forcefield is, go to the following link for a short video.
Is all armour CE Tested? We know of many sub standard protectors on the market.
FEATURES:
ImportantIf a product is called a guard, pad, or shield, the chances are it has not passed the CE test and cannot lawfully carry the CE mark as a protector. More than likely it will have a CE mark as it passes as a toy! These should not be sold as protection, they do not pass the standards, and do not perform.
The CE test standards are regarded as the world’s most in-depth and rigorous standards. From day one, FORCEFIELD have guided and in some cases been pivotal in pushing standards further and making sure product in the market place continues to improve. This is something they are extremely proud of, and will continue to work with.
An important point to add is that every single piece of Forcefield armour passes the CE test, it is widely known that in some cases other manufacturers would pass one piece of armour, e.g. the coccyxes in a pair of impact shorts, yet all other armour in the short would be cheap and sub standard. As the garment had one piece of armour passed, it would carry the CE label.
What is the CE test? In the case of the back protector..... A force of 50KJ (about the same force of a house brick dropped from 2 metres) is applied to a back protector, and the transferred energy (e.g. the force that hits your body) is measured. The CE level 1 test is passable at equal to or less than 18kn. The Level 2 test, gets harder- and must pass at equal to or less than 9kn.
So that’s a brief run down. As I said above, if you want more information let us know and we will get it to you.
http://www.youtube.com/wat ch?v=IMhgUiSpL5s
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The worlds first Motorcycle back protector to transmit less than 4kn when subjected to the standard CE test
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Removable & washable outer cover
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CE Level 2 Protection Highest Possible
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RPT (Repeat Performance Technology)
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Comfortable and non restrictive
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Flexible
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Breathable
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Moulds to body shape
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Adjustable waist and shoulder straps
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Multi Sport use
PO Box 10-393, 128-134 Maui St., Hamilton 3241, New Zealand. T: 07-849-4392. F: 07-849-4114. E: dold@dold.co.nz. W: www.dold.co.nz/