Knox Aegis Review
Tried and tested, quite literally!
I had always been told that after buying a good set of leathers and a helmet, a back protector was THE most important piece of protection you could buy. To my detriment I ignored this advice and after a fall on my first track day, let's just say I rather regretted that decision. So after a lot of shopping around and trying on various types I decided on the Knox Aegis back protector.
Features
Let's get the manufacturer spec sheet out the way first. The core protection from the Knox Aegis back protector is made up of a clever honeycomb structure which greatly reduces weight while at the same time maintaining the strength and toughness of the back protector's core. The spinal protection (known as plates) is made into movable segments, this ensures that it moves freely with you as you bend and twist on the bike while the waist and shoulder straps keep the Knox Aegis tight to your back at all times.
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From a comfort point of view, the whole of this motorcycle back protector has been made breathable and with a nifty venting system, air flow it kept at a maximum. It has also been designed to have a very low profile meaning it should fit easily under you jacket or suit, but should also stop it feeling like you're wearing a rucksack.
Why I love my Knox Aegis
Even for someone like me that always tries to resist sales pitches, I was initially impressed with the jargon and feature list surrounding this back protector, but I didn't buy it purely based on the spec sheet the manufacturer threw at me.
I was after two things from my back protector, the first was a nice tight fitting that covers the whole of my back, and the second was a seemless feel, both of which the Knox Aegis delivers brilliantly. Using the Knox sizing chart to get the correct size, the Aegis covers all of your spine from the nape right down to just above your coccyx (the 'Race Style' covers your coccyx too), and being reasonably wide it covers nearly the entire width of my 6ft, 12 stone frame, and with the feature list I described above coupled with it's light weight the Knox Aegis just tips 'barely noticeable' on the scale, and at no point does it become annoying or restrictive.
The Test
The reason I love my Aegis the most though is that it has been tried, tested, and it did exactly what it was supposed to. I had a 70mph coming off at Paddock Hill bend at Brands Hatch and even after quite a few impressive acrobatics moves, I was left with none of the nasty bruises I sustained in my first off. My Knox Aegis performed just how it was suppose to and when all was said and done, it didn't have a mark on it.
Conclusion
So to sum up; it's tough, comfortable, light, inconspicuous, durable, and in real life scary crashes it works brilliantly, what more could you want from a back protector.
I'm not going to preach at you on the importance of a back protector, but if/when you realise that it is important, the Knox Aegis should be right up there on your list of candidates.