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How is the KAN body protector different?
First we have to understand the role of the Body Protector (BP) Note Body not as they are sometimes wrongly called back protectors!The KAN’s job is to help prevent injury to joints and internal organs in the event of a riding accident when thrown from a horse or kicked. It does this by absorbing and spreading the forces involved.
Newton’s third law of motion states: “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction” i.e. push a ball and it rolls away, the more energy put into the push the further the ball goes. The other thing to remember is that energy can’t be destroyed only changed.
When falling from something there is the energy from gravity accelerating the person’s weight (mass) plus the energy given by the thing they fell off (bike, horse etc) - this energy has to go somewhere when landing.
We use a knife to cut because the energy we put into the cutting stroke of the knife is transferred to a very small area, (the sharp bit of the blade) whereas if we used a spoon the energy would be spread over a large area. If when falling from a horse we hit for example a tree trunk or fence, the energy is transferred into a small area causing greater damage than if we fall onto flat ground.
The KAN takes that energy and helps absorb and spread it to give you the best protection available today.
How does KAN perform so well?
Most BP’s are made from PVC Nitrile foam, which is made of lots of closed cells (bubbles) this means when it is hit it deforms locally absorbing some of the energy, but is permanently damaged. However, the KAN incorporates the advanced “smart foam” technology that has been developed by leading motorcycling body armour manufacturer Knox. The material is a unique Polyurethane foam mixture that has both closed and open cells which compress on impact, allowing the energy to be both absorbed and spread. Its chemical properties mean that it can be moulded to shape which provides several design advantages to the wearer:
• it provides support yet is lightweight and flexible, it doesn’t restrict movement in any way
• the wearer can breathe deeply which will reduce heart rate and maintain oxygen levels in the blood stream, optimising riding performance
• a curved shape is stronger than a flat shape, this feature of the KAN increases protectivity as well as making it more comfortable to wear
• the shoulder protection on the KAN is relevant to the point of shoulder and collarbone and does not rely on the arm to hold it in place
• the foam edges at the front are actually anchored in place over the sternum and cannot be separated without unzipping
Knox’s foam will not be affected by increasing temperatures (unless extreme) unlike PVC Nitrile foams, which soften in heat.
An air vest is designed to help provide protection by decelerating the rider and cushioning impact, however it has poor concussion protection and cannot absorb shock. Therefore if you are wearing an airvest it must be worn with a BP to give you the correct impact protection. The KAN is compatible to wear with all air vests presently marketed.
