Any new products/thoughts on how lessen the impact to the rib area

[mac]

Unfortunately, just added my self to the rib injury group this weekend; not something to strive for! LFF, -35, off 3 ball, some slack, lean locked into the wake, cracked rib, O’Neill Revenge outlaw type vest. I read a few of the “rib” threads, but really wanted to know if anyone has found a product/something to wear that will absorb the initial impact when you are laid out with your ribs so vulnerable? I have heard pros/cons of thicker or thinner vests…flexible/not enough protection vs thicker/too stiff so something has to give. Any thoughts or experience? Seems there would be an impact gel type product that could be worn or inserted into the side panels of your vest that would absorb the initial shock? Definitely, do not want to repeat this injury!

 

Signed, frustrated Mac for the next 4-6 weeks of healing/no skiing(:

[9400]

Once you heal, you may think about it a set or 2 but as soon as you occupy your mind with skiing, you won't give it a second thought. I bought me a thicker vest the first time I did but I hated it, don't waste your money.

[oldjeep]

Might be worth looking into D3o armor inserts. My GS racing suit uses D3o inserts and they work very well, the stuff is a gel that stiffens up when impacted - although I think it is more designed for a sharp impact than something more spread out like hitting the water.

 

Otherwise, I think that Radars X vest seems to provide me a lot of protection when hitting the water. It isn't super thick but is uscg and has more padding than a comp vest.

[rawly]

I wear a Coast guard approved vest which has helped my ribs out a few times. I'm trying to eliminate motion in my skiing so I have no problem with the added padding. The flotation is nice as well.

[Beans]

I wear a Radar Decibel Impact vest and I've had a couple of slams at 36 mph (although not at -35) where I hit the first wake, bounced over the whole rest of the wake, and landed in the flat on the other side where I know that that vest has definitely protected me from more serious rib damage. It's really compartmentalized padding which gives it nice flexibility, but the pads are really thick and float well so it still gives good protection. The one downside is if you go OTF, sometimes the vest unzips. (There are no buckles)

[Ed_Obermeier]

The Radar X vest has thicker side panels than any other vest I've tried. My main ski bud used to crack ribs at least once a season, since getting the X vest it hasn't happened since. FWIW.

[jvillarw]

I broke two ribs last weekend in a hard fall. I was thinking to use a barefoot suit (10 to 15 mm) and a high impact vest (as Radar X-CGA) to protect my ribs. What do you think? Thanks.

[nzwaterski]

I have just retired my old best it was a mid 90s. Neil pryde impact vest . Came with a back brace/ kidney belt. And also was made with a honey comb mesh had lots of big impact crashes over the years. It finally feel apart and couldn't find anything close. Not sure if they are still made. It was a very expensive vest but I certainly had my moneys worth

[mwetskier]

latest invention opportunity ripe for the plucking the rib cage air bag deployment system. Get gator1 on it!

[BraceMaker]

I've been meaning to make a prototype of this.

Insert panels of thin sas-tec material into the front panel of the vest.

 

http://www.sas-tec.de/en/protectors/special-products/

 

This is the product used in MC pads, when warm it acts supple/flexible, when impacted or cold it acts rigid/hard.

 

Thin panels on the chest would let the vest move, particularly in a dry vest on a warm day. Once on and conformed and you dip into the water it would act firmer, crash with a good rib impact and it would act rigid.

 

This is on the agenda, but it has been awhile since I've hurt my ribs.

[skialex]

use an Eagle vest, they are not as flexible as Oneil's (which is a good thing for protecting your ribs) and they are the most comfortable to ski in it. Try a size that has a tight fit on you, to give more support to your ribs!!!

[Gloersen]

Neil Pryde Impact vests use mesh dispersion. They do work (help diminish the impact) but the mesh will rub upon the inner/upper arms causing chaffing, unless you have handle control technique like D. Miller.

 

e.g.,

Neil Pryde Impact Vest

[SkiJay]

@Mac Like @9400, I bought a thicker vest after my second rib injury, and didn't like it enough to stop using it, money wasted. Instead, I learned let go sooner, and brace for impact by clutching my arms to my chest—elbows tight to ribs, fists to collar Bones, eyes closed.

[Wac]

@mac, Just like @nzwaterski and @Gloersen I picked up a Neil Pryde impact vest after I broke my ribs in the same type of -35 fall after 5ball. The honeycomb mesh and more rigid padding under that, seemed to give me the confidence that I was safer after I healed. There used to be a wakeboard vest, maybe liquid force, that had similar mesh rib protection as well. The mesh did rub on the inner parts of my arms by my elbows, but a simple long sleeve heater shirt in the spring, followed by a long sleeve rash guard in the summer, worked like a charm. All this happened about 10 years ago... as I've gotten older, I'm trying not to take bad falls. Skiing is more fun than recovering for 6-8 weeks as only a driver for my ski partners. :-)

[Brady]

Under Armor football gel rib protectors will do the trick. I doubt the water hurts as bad as catching a high pass over the middle of the field with lurking linebackers. They don't get ruined in the water either.

[DW]

@mac: chest protector commonly used in motox and snowmobiling. Just an idea & I have not thought through combining with a vest.

[Waternut]

Out of curiosity, where on that vest did you crack your ribs? Did it happen to be over the zipper?

 

I've cracked ribs twice with a USCG approved paddling vest and once with the Radar X vest which is also USCG approved. What I've learned is that it's not so much the wake hit or slamming into the water that breaks the ribs but the drastic padding change that create pressure points in the vest that causes it.

 

My paddling vest was not a good choice for aggressive skiing. It was the abrupt change from 1" thick padding to nothing at the top/side of the vest where I would crack my ribs. With the Radar X vest it was right in the pocket where your arms lay which is also lots of very thick padding surrounded by nothing by fabric in the middle.

 

I've been wearing my Radar Decibel vest for over a year now and have taken some pretty nasty falls. I even slammed into the wake coming out of 1 ball at 34mph and 32 off one day. No cracks ribs yet (knocks on wood)... I believe the decibel vests has very small padding and small gaps between the padding preventing serious pressure points.

[prettig]

http://www.mysticboarding.com/products/men/impact-floatation-wakeboard/majestic-d3o-impact-vest/#color_000000

 

Mystic has a D3O vest ! But wakeboard vest, so not sure if ok for slalom ? (slalom vest shorter ?)

D3O is really an interesting impact material.

 

 

[Chef23]

@prettig wakeboard and slalom vests are usually pretty similar. I don't see any reason why that wouldn't work for slalom. I generally try to give it up before I get in to one of those hard crashes into the wake though.