Most body armour is designed to sit below a mountain bike jersey, so the tighter it is the less obvious it will appear. Protection Unfortunately, this vest bounces around a little while running, but we did not experience rubbing or chafing. Aside from the chest strap, the Henkelion Vest is not adjustable – you cannot change the weights or adjust the size in any way. This is fine if you only plan to add a little extra weight, but if you plan to expand your weighted workouts, you will be limited to the weight you have. Still, for a simple vest at an entry-level price, the Henkelion is a comfortable choice suitable for a variety of workouts. But if you're looking to up your game and increase your weight load, the TRX Weight Vest is highly adjustable and offers great weight distribution.

The compression fit is just that, nice and tight, but once you’re in it’s actually very comfortable and we didn’t experience any rubbing or chaffing. The fabric design also helps regulate temperature well, providing insulation when it’s cold and controlling heat build-up when it’s hot. A tight fit will reduce the amount of movement from the pads, while making the body armour less obstructive to your movements.

Analysis and Test Results

Very comfortable for long workouts, minimalist design & breathable, easily adjustable waist and shoulder straps Downhill riders tend to wear body armour to prevent injury. Craig Mercer - CameraSport / Contributor

Some body armour will have more pads than others to protect your ribs, kidneys, hips and coccyx. Weight Trail armour is usually the easiest to wear, with less padding and therefore more breathability for longer days in the saddle. Padding is constructed from D30 impact-hardening polymer along the spine panel and shoulder pads, which feels supple and flexible when riding but hardens to provide protection upon impact. It’s lightweight and comfortable, but be aware that it doesn’t offer the higher Level 2 protection that other body armour items here do. It has an off-set full-length zipper plus an elastic waistband which we found was effective in preventing the vest from riding up. The fit is comfortably snug, despite being described as a ‘compressive’ fit, so you don’t feel squeezed while wearing it.

Gun buying guide

Ion Scrub Amp Protection Vest 6. Ion Scrub Amp Protection Vest Best for breathability and low weight for low-level protection

The Ion Scrub Amp Protection Vest has a pull on design, lightweight feel, impressively breathable fabric and protective padding that follows the body’s contours. Not all body armour offers the same protection, with brands creating discipline-specific body armour to cope with varying demands. Despite providing a serious amount of cover all around the body, the 100% Tarka vest doesn’t feel restrictive when riding, nor bulky. It’s comfortable, and comes in at a great price for the finish quality and protection offered. Alpinestars’s vest is well cut with a close fit and no awkward zip placement or sharp edges, but I felt the material is slightly ‘shinier’ and harder, and doesn’t feel quite as soft against skin as POC’s cushy fabric.CE Level 1 is rated to transmit a maximum force of 18kN, with no single value exceeding 24kN upon impact. All body armour sold in the EU is certified to Level 1 or Level 2, which indicates the amount of force the padding can absorb.