Evs Ballistic Jersey

EVS Ballistic Jersey

Armored underwear

JUST LIKE DUSTIN HOFFMAN’S HAPLESS character in The Graduate, if you want off-road body armor, ya gotta get into plastics. In the case of the EVS Ballistic Jersey shown here, make that nylon and foam and elastic and plastic.

Sort of like one-stop shopping for upper-torso protection, the company’s BJ2 model is basically a zip-front, vented-nylon underjersey with foam impact panels at the front, back, shoulders and elbows/forearms topped by .08-inch-thick plastic shields. Also included is a sewn-in, velcro-cinched kidney belt. It’s available in men’s sizes M-XXL, in your choice of red, blue or black.

Our BJ2 was most appreciated on dual-purpose rides, worn over a cotton jersey for comfort. Its advantage over larger, MX-style chest protectors is that it can be worn under a trim-fitting enduro jacket, so you look less like Darth Vader’s dirty cousin at lunch stops, gas fill-ups, trailside tinkles, etc.

No major get-offs to report, thank

goodness, so the EVS’ ultimate crashability remains untested, but one medium-speed slide-out proved the worth of the articulated elbow/ forearm padding.

About our only complaint, really, is that despite its perforations and various cooling slots, the BJ2 can get a little steamy under a jacket in hot weather. For the protection afforded, though, a worthwhile trade-off.

DETAILS

EVS Speed Protection 2900 Airport Ave., Ste. F Santa Monica, CA 90405 800/229-4387 Price........................$139

Ups Elbow/forearm guards secure with velcro to prevent rotation in a crash Short-sleeve and non-kidney-belt versions available; youth sizes, too Good way of adding protection to non-armored street jacket

Downs Worn next to the skin, can get a little uncomfortable on long rides (hint: Band-Aids over the nipples help) Unfortunate, post-Lewinski model nomenclature