Riding a motorcycle or a dirt bike both are risky. Yes, they give the thrill and adventure, but you cannot deny that riding motorbikes is dangerous and accidents can happen at any time. Safety gears are available in the market to prevent riders from injuries. These gears protect the riders and minimize the severity of an accident.
Roost deflectors and Chest protectors are some of the safety gears that motorbike riders use safety. Some people think that both the deflectors and protectors are the same. But they are made for different purposes!
So if you’re one of those who are confused about roost deflector vs. chest protector, you’re at the right place. After reading this guide, you’ll know about their purposes and finally can decide to choose one of the ones for your safety.
What is Roost Deflector?
A Roost deflector is a protective gear that deflects any type of dust, dirt, debris, and even rocks. When riding a motorbike, dust and debris can easily make your clothes dirty. A Roost deflector is used to protect your dress from dirt and debris.
However, roost deflectors provide little to no protection against accidents. They are just protection gear for the upper part of your body, minimize light cuts, and protect against dust. They are a thin cloth or equipment that provides little protection to the upper part of the body. They are comfortable and lightweight. So they don’t hinder riders’ movement!
While searching for Roost deflectors, you can come across another term like “roost guard.” So what is a roost guard? Well, both of them are kinda same. Roost guards are also lightweight like deflectors and allow free movement of riders.
Many riders avoid wearing safety equipment as most of those hinders movability. But that won’t be the case for Roost deflector or roost guard.
Simply put, both roost deflectors and guards were designed to protect the chest area from dirt and debris. They never ever provide any protection against accidents.
According to some riders, roost deflectors are mostly liked by them as they’re aesthetically good looking, have a nice design, have airflow channels, and are overall good.
How to Size for a Roost Deflector?
Here’s how to find a right-sized roost deflector-
Take the measuring tape and measure the length/width of your chest. Start measuring from under the arms. Note the size and buy a roost deflector based on it.
However, say, for example, you’re between Medium and Small size; we recommend you select the small size. The reason is, roost deflectors should be tightly fitted with the body. But you should also consider good fit and comfort.
What is Chest Protector?
A chest protector is worn on the upper part of the body covering the chest area. It protects against both dirt, debris, and injuries. Unlike roost protectors, chest protectors are solid, and their main purpose is to provide better protection to motorcycle riders.
A chest protector protects the chest and the shoulder, and the ribs. If you look closely, a chest protector comes with shoulder guards and belts on the lower side to protect the ribs. They ensure both the external and internal are safe when a rider faces an accident. Chest protectors provide all-in-one protection to the chest, ribs, shoulder, i.e., whole upper part of the body.
Now come to the comfortability. Most of the protective gears are tight and hinder body movement. However, chest protectors don’t have any issues like this. Even the shoulder pads on the chest protectors let the users freely move their hands.
Typical motorcycle riders do not only use chest protectors. Rather they’re also used while riding a dirt bike as well. Dirt bikers are more injury-prone, and safety/protective gear is necessary. So there’s a dirt bike chest protector for trail riding as well for a safe riding experience!
Chest protects rigid and heavy compared to regular roost deflectors. But roost deflectors are thin, and they protect against dust. So when it comes to roost deflector vs. chest protector for proper protection, chest protectors are the clear winner!
How to Size for a Chest Protector?
To have the perfect protection against injuries, choosing the perfect sized chest protector is necessary. Chest protectors come in different sizes. Basically, chest protectors are measured and selected depending on your height and chest measurement.
- Take a measuring tape
- Find the distance from throat to waist. Take the measurement up to your naval.
Besides this, there are ready-made chest protectors available in the market as well.
- For adults, the length is 17 inches
- For Intermediates, the length is 16 inches
- Finally, the length is between 12 to 15 inches for young boys and kids.
Wearing the right-sized chest protector is important for getting better protection. That’s why we always recommend measuring your own size and selecting the chest protector based on that.
How Should a Motocross Chest Protector Fit?
Chest protectors are safety gears for motorcycle riders. They’re also used by dirt bike riders as well. The main purpose of using them is to get protection against injuries and accidents.
A chest protector should never be tight or never too loose. Before getting a tightly-fitted chest protector, remember that if it’s too tight, it’ll limit your movability and comfort. Moreover, if the protector is shorter in height, it won’t protect the ribs and below part of the chest. Again, if it’s too loose, the protector will try to come off the body, which will be a hassle for the rider.
So choose chest protectors that are comfortable to wear, have shoulder guards, have a proper length, and fit perfectly!
Conclusion:
Whether you’re riding a bike as a hobby or you’re a professional motorbike racer, there’s no alternative to safety gear. You cannot control or know when an accident will happen, but you can always be prepared for it with the right and proper tools.
Both roost deflectors and chest protectors are safety gears for motorbike riders. Roost deflectors protect the bikers from light cuts, dirt, and debris but not against heavy injuries. In contrast, chest protectors provide riders with a hefty look and solid protection. It’s now your all to choose one between roost deflector vs. chest protector!
