Kevlar underwear

[toaster]

Here's an idea that's occupied my thinking recently:

A lightweight pair of undershorts made with a breathable fabric that is assembled with no seams in the crotch but has a layer of Kevlar fabric sewn on to the outer quad area and across the hips and buttocks.

If you crash wearing these under your cycling short I wonder how much extra protection they would provide?

[WadePatton]

Diamond Gusset makes jeans--yep right here in the South--with Kevlar panels for bikers*. So yeah, a bit of Kevlar in the bibs would be a hide saver. Now who's going to do it? And who is going to pay the price?

And what if the speed you retain from not shredding arse compounds the injuries faced when that final obstacle halts ones momentum?

*in my lexicon biker=motorcyclist, cyclist=my kinda peeps.

[regularguy412]

Years ago, I remember a similar device worn inside the shorts on the hip. Seems like they were called 'Skidz' or 'Skins'. I think they were made from some kind of semi-stiff plastic and sort of conformed to your hip. They didn't really save your shorts, but they were supposed to save your flesh. Prolly a wise investment for those racing crits all the time. Not sure if they're even made any longer.

Mike in AR:beer:

[flickwet]

my kids sometimes wear impact shorts when snow boarding, they preserve movement and do a good job of protecting them from impacts on rails and boxes they would probably work well for crits and downhill mtb, also my daughter wears impact shorts for softball a lightly padded Lycra short even a better comprise for cycling being lighter and allowing for an even greater range of unrestricted movement.