If you're a big guy like me (6' 9" & 240 lbs), you'll find the biggest size of this armor is still on the tight side. I wrestled between this & about 4 other armors like it. I don't have any particular reason why I chose this one, but if you're a big or tall guy like me, & want to make this type of armor work for you (for OR or summer-road rides), then this review is for you.
(1) Don't put your hand / thumb through the end of the sleeves. Just wear it like a normal "shirt". This'll allow more movement / flexibility in the armor & make it more comfortable for you. Besides... even for a tall guy like me, when I push my hands all the way through, the part that would normally be wrapped around your hands acts like a sleeve-end, & butts up right next to your gloves. (check the pic that has the red arrow to see what I'm describing here)
(2) Loosen all of the straps, but leave enough tension to keep them from unbuckling. This took a bit of finagling, but I finally found a combo that worked for me. You'll have to tinker with this too, but if I can do it, so can you.
(3) Yes, the forearm pads want to ride on "top" of your arm (in a weird position), but you can twist the pads to the under-side of your elbow (where they're supposed to be; see the pics), & tighten ONE of the 2 straps to keep it in place. Why only 1? Because you'll find that if you tighten them both, it'll likely be too tight for your arm, & ALSO because those plastic tighteners will "squish" between your upper & lower arms, anytime you fold your arms, which is very uncomfortable.
(4) Wear this armor UNDER your shirt. Yeah... I've found that it is FAR less restrictive (& a LOT more comfortable) being right against my skin. I can then just choose whatever shirt I want to wear over it.
(5) Wear the waist belt high. Ya don't really have a choice with this one. I'm an athletic guy, but the belt just doesn't want to stay around my waist; I suppose b/c of way I ride, b/c of my height, or both. So, instead of fighting to keep it down, I just wrap it around my upper waist, so it doesn't start riding up on its own & become uncomfortable.
Given the lack of armors like this for guys my size, I decided to do what I had to so that it'd work. (1) Because I wanted something other than my normal riding jacket so I could ride cooler (since I'm warm-natured anyway)... & (2) Because I wanted this type of armor for the option of wearing something other than my normal riding jacket (if it's being cleaned or if I just want to wear regular clothes).
Whatever your reasons are for wanting this armor, I hope this review will help a big & tall guy find a way to make this work for them. Happy trails!
| Manufacturer | GuTe Trade |
|---|---|
| Brand | Gute |
| Item Weight | 2.3 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 24 x 5 x 15 inches |
| Item model number | 10 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Manufacturer Part Number | MJACKET-2XL-F |
