Being made of soft flesh and breakable bones, the human body is fragile and so needs to be protected from damage in a variety of situations, including in the workplace and when at play.
As well as being fragile, we humans are also vain. The hard acrylonitrile butadiene styrene liners of both the First Base 3 Beanie bump cap (1) and the AirPro Baseball bump cap (2) are covered by an outer surface resembling a stylish hat. This encourages a high level of wearer adoption and acceptance over more traditional protective options.
Riding a motorbike can be dangerous due to the combination of speed and the necessary balance and bike handling skills required. The feet are particularly susceptible to damage both through everyday riding, with toes scraping on the road when starting and stopping, and in the event of a crash where the legs, ankles, and feet are at risk of breaks and trauma. A good pair of boots can help protect the feet from serious injury. The Sidi Vertigo Motorbike boots (3) have an interchangeable nylon shinplate to protect the shin, and a scuff pad on the toe, as well as the TecnoVR closing system patented by Sidi, to provide micro adjustment via a nylon thread passing through two lateral holes to wrap the whole boot systematically and snugly around the calf.
The head is also particularly vulnerable during a motorbike crash. The AGV AX8 Dual Evo Carbon helmet (4) has an outer shell made of carbon fibre composite, which is light in weight yet both strong and tough. The inner is made of expanded polystyrene (EPS) with four different densities to provide optimum protection across the skull.
Used in the Sells d3o Pro Negative Limited Edition Goalkeeper Gloves (5) and the Race Face Flank d3o short liner (6), D3O has intelligent molecules that protect against injury. The molecules flow with you as you move but lock on impact, absorbing and dispersing energy before instantly returning to their flexible state. The material is used in the ball punching zone at the back of the hand in the gloves, and the panels of the shorts to protect the hip during a fall whilst cycling.
