The new Knox Defender Elite armoured shirt aims to give riders a higher level of safety along with being more comfortable and easier to live with.
You’d expect to find Knox EC-approved armour at the shoulders and elbows. But the Defender Elite also features a full length Aegis back protector. The Aegis is CE certified the the top Level 2 with a honeycomb plate design and ‘inclined cell wall technology’. The flex channels allow the spine section to sit comfortably around your back, which is important if you’re spending most of your time crouched over on a sports bike. In addition to the armour plating, there’s also a layer of EVA foam to cushion your spine, and an adjustable and removable soft polyurethane kidney section.
And there’s more protection at the front with a lightweight, adjustable and removable CE-approved chest protector. All of the armour can be removed when it’s time to wash the Defender Elite, including the back protector which can just be unzipped. So there’s no excuse for a stinky undershirt.
Also keeping you from becoming too sweaty and stinky is the arrownet mesh used around the shirt to let the air flow freely. And there is breathable moisture-wicking Carvico bi-elastic micro mesh on the sleeves and side panels. The shoulders and elbows also get some abrasion-resistant stretch panels to let you move about comfortably.
The armour all features a low profile to help the fit under a tight jacket or racing suit. And you get a soft leather collar to avoid any rubbing on your neck as you move around.
The Knox Defender Elite Armoured Shirt is available in sizes S-XXXL in Black and Grey only, and will cost you £249.99. That’s not cheap, but it’s competitive when you add the cost of buying an armoured shirt and a quality back protector together, and potentially having to faff around to get them to work together comfortably. Quite a lot of motorcyclists we know refuse to ride even short trips without full armour, which is understandable as some of them have had big accidents within just a mile or two of home (switching off when you’re in familiar surroundings is a common problem).
Armoured motorcycle shirts seems to have got a lot more popular over recent years – if you use one, or have tried them and decided to stick with armour inside your jacket or suit instead, let us know in the comments. It’d be great to know more about what kit you rate and what you hate…
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