Komodo Advanced Armor Jacket
Posted by Dean Devito
Sunday, 20 June 2010

Komodo Advanced Armor Jacket
By Dean Devito, Associate Editor
Photos By Jarred Anthony

You always have on enough gear until you crash, and since we never know when that is going to be riders need to do our best to emulate the Boy Scouts…that is to always be prepared. If you’ve never read the acronym ATGATT, it means All The Gear, All The Time.

Easy enough, right?? But then summer arrives, and with its high heat and humidity riders can get a bit lazy with the gear they choose to wear. This is especially true during off road rides as crawling through the woods challenges even the toughest deodorant and often riders choose to leave their armor at home. Based out of Texas Komodo knows a bit about hot summers and wants to change how riders balance protection versus comfort.

They have crafted their Advanced Armor Jacket to do just that, and begin with CE level 1 armor on the chest, elbows, shoulders and forearms, as well as CE level 2 protection for the spine. All hard shell armor is lined with a soft padding to increase comfort, and the chassis of the jacket is a light stretchy nylon material that flows air easily while holding the CE armor in place snugly against the rider.

There are straps on the chest and forearms, as well, that allow you to further customize the fit and hold the pads in place more securely in the event you decided to do your own soil testing. A wide Velcro kidney belt holds the back protector where it should be and anchors the jacket on the rider.

Like most back protectors on the market, it easily bends forward with the rider, but Komodo has added a bit more here as their back pad sports a hinge in the lower back area so it can bend laterally as the rider moves. This is a nice feature when it is attached to the Advanced Armor Jacket as it allows for a greater range of movement while still remaining in place.

The back pad is also easily removed with two zippers and can be used by itself underneath any piece of riding apparel. This is a nice feature that adds to the value of the jacket. However, the lower back hinge allows the back pad to shift when it is removed from the Advanced Armor Jacket and worn underneath another piece of gear.

Komodo states that the rider’s jacket will keep the back protector in place. While this may be true for tighter fitting track apparel I found that when worn alone underneath looser street jackets, like my AeroStich Darien, the back protector can often be felt leaning one way or the other. It is still over the spine and ready to absorb any impact, but it makes wearing the back pad more awkward than needed. It seems adding shoulder straps could have rectified this, but they are absent on the Komodo back protector.

On the trail wearing the jacket underneath an off road jersey or a large T-shirt is remarkably more comfortable that wearing a full riding coat in the heat and is more than likely increased protection from what you are wearing now. The armor is well placed, and the nylon chassis flexible enough that the CE pads don’t bind up and move with you. For all of the armor, the jacket does a good job of staying out of your way when you wear it. When the weather cools back down, it can be worn underneath your jacket, as well, so you can still have CE approved protection underneath your climate control or foul weather gear.

Despite being primarily considered as an off road product, the biggest surprise is how much use this jacket has received behind the fairing FJR. It is functionally as cool as a mesh jacket, but with the advantage of CE armor in all impact areas. Additionally, it can be easily can be crammed into a saddlebag when off of the bike.

Due to the odd looking arrangement (think Robo-Cop in black) some may over look this as a viable option for street work but it is some of the most stout impact protection for warm climates. It isn’t as confidence inspiring as a good ol’ perforated leather jacket, but the coverage of the impact areas is good enough that for in town duty it offers a considerable level of protection. Obviously the light nylon would not hold up in a slide, but the armor is abundant enough that riders should feel confident enough in this jacket’s ability to be effective in hot weather duty. Summer gear always seems to be a compromise, and Komodo is banking on the desire for wearable impact protection when the mercury rises.

The jacket lists for around $135, and for that you get a crash protection that can be worn by itself, underneath your off-road jersey when it is hot or layered beneath a jacket when it is cold. You also get a quality made CE approved back protector that can be worn with anything you already own. Head to Komodo's website to learn more.

PROS

• CE approved armor everywhere
• Fit allows for use underneath gear
• Good hot weather performance
• Good Value at $135

CONS

• Back protector moves side to side when used alone
• Styling may not suit everyone

THE VERDICT

Wear it alone in the heat or under a coat in the cold, it is proven CE certified protection all over in a lightweight, breathable & affordable package. Even though it squeezes on your tummy a bit you’ll look tough as nails.