Can you wear back protection with a normal jacket?
Short answer: yes. You don't need a motorcycle jacket to protect your back. You can wear a strap-on back protector under any coat, or use one that attaches inside the jacket you already own.
Why this question comes up
Most people who ride a scooter in the city wear their everyday clothes: a coat for the office, a rain jacket, a bomber. Those jackets have no pocket for a back protector, so the usual insert sold for motorcycle jackets doesn't fit them.
The two ways to do it
1. A strap-on back protector under your jacket
It straps to your body with shoulder straps and a waist belt, and your normal jacket goes on top. It doesn't depend on the jacket at all. The trade-off is that you put it on and take it off as a separate piece, and you carry it with you when you arrive.
2. A protector that attaches inside your jacket
This is how Nutsh Kit works. It hangs from the loop inside the collar, the one you use to hang the jacket on a hook, which most jackets have. Adjustable straps keep it against your back while you ride. When you take the jacket off, the protector comes off with it.
How to check if your jacket works
- Look for the hanging loop inside the collar. If it is there and firmly sewn, the jacket is a candidate.
- Check the cut. A jacket with a little room in the back sits better than a very fitted one.
- No loop? Use the protector with your backpack instead.
What to ask of any back protector
- The standard. EN 1621-2 is the European standard for motorcycle back protectors. It has two levels, and Level 2 is the higher one.
- The right size. Back protectors are sized by the length of your back.
- That you will actually wear it. Slim, flexible and breathable is what makes the difference on a daily commute.
Where Nutsh Kit stands
Nutsh Kit uses a SAS-TEC viscoelastic foam insert, made in Germany, that is CE Level 2 certified to EN 1621-2. The complete Nutsh Kit is built to EN 1621-2. It comes in three sizes, S, M and L, and it is coming soon on Kickstarter.