Wednesday, 2 September 2009

Knox - the technology behind racers


Keith Amor is one of many leading UK racers with good reason to be grateful for recent advances in impact protection. Amor crashed out of the Ulster Grand Prix as he tried to seize the lead on the final lap of the Supersport 600cc race. This had been a frantic contest, with up to 9 riders fighting it out for the lead in one of Ireland’s most famous road races. Fortunately, Keith escaped relatively unscathed, apart from mild concussion, thanks to modern body armour.
“Wearing the Planet-Knox back protector gives me the confidence that if I do crash I have the best protection available,” comments Keith. “The protector is lightweight and very comfortable. I had never been one to wear a back protector for my racing as I always found them too bulky and uncomfortable - that was before I tried Knox”.
The Knox Contour used by Keith is one of the latest generation of Level 2 back protectors, made to the toughest current European standard. Not only does it absorb 33% more energy from an impact than is required by the CE standard, it also covers far more of the back than is specified, including the vulnerable coccyx at the base of the spine, providing valuable extra protection. Another reason for the Contour’s popularity with racers is that it is incredibly light, at just 600 grams, thanks to extensive use of inclined wall honeycomb cell technology. Unlike traditional foam rubber materials used by many manufacturers, honeycomb cells act like mini ‘crumple zones’ absorbing massive amounts of energy as they deform. This honeycomb is engineered and formed in a 5-layer mould to follow the contours of the spine for a precise figure-hugging fit beneath race leathers.
“I now won't get on a bike without my Knox back protector; I’m really happy with its performance and how comfortable the product is, you just don't know you are wearing it” adds Keith.
This race specification technology is not expensive; the top-of-the-range Contour race sells in the shops for less than £100 and models are also produced to suit road riders.
Call 01900 825825 or visit http://www.planet-knox.com/
Racing images by Alan Armstrong Photography

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