We like having as much protection as possible and the ability to remove unwanted sections like the articulated back panel.
We’re fortunate enough to get set up in the freshest gear time and time again for our testing duties. With so many fresh pant/jersey/glove combos and such pressure to wear the latest and greatest full-matching suits, our dirt riders often find themselves without a matching chest protector. As one of my favorite pieces of protective equipment, riding without a hard external layer around my torso leaves me feeling insecure and vulnerable. Since we can’t very well wear a Fly Racing unit over Fox duds, the obvious answer was to look for an acceptable alternative that fits under the jersey. There’s plenty of body armor available on the market, but one that caught our eye was the
Thor Motocross Impact Rig SE.
The Scoop
We’ve seen test riders with under armor that are roughly equivalent to a set of football pads, so something sleek was desirable. Also, I don’t personally like the hard, articulated back panels that are often found on this type of protective wear, nor do I prefer a kidney belt for most forms of riding. The Impact SE comes with both, but with provisions to remove them. Simple YKK zipper and Velcro closures have the accessories on or off literally within seconds.
The relatively low-profile of the Impact Rig is a welcome feature.
Polyurethane shoulder, elbow, forearm and chest protectors are backed by molded bio-foam panels. All the protective pieces are held together on a micro-mesh suit that slips on like a jacket and zips closed on the left side. The zipper base is a little scratchy and annoying, but nothing too horrible. However, I was pleased to find that the micro-mesh is light enough to be cool in warmer weather and also acts as enough of an under layer to retain a bit of body heat during cold riding. Keeping the back panel and kidney belt attached add to heat retention.
Overall, protection has been great for both motocross and off-road applications. However, we do have a couple issues with the overall fit. I’m a fairly average, or at least proportionately sized guy at 5’11”, 185 lbs. The Large/X-large fits well when trying it on, but out on the trail it moves around a little too much. Wearing the kidney belt helps cinch things up, but since I choose to remove it, the fit is a little larger than I originally thought. Wet-weather riding further exacerbates the problem. When the Impact Rig gets wet it droops even further, though the hard armor is never out of place enough to substantially affect coverage. The adjustment straps are well-placed and useful, but the SE is missing one vital set of nylon webbing. The shoulder pads need a way to be held up, especially when wet and many of the fitting issues would be solved.
The Sentence
Adjusting the unit to fit was simple and stayed put. However, it needs one more set of straps to help keep the shoulder cups and sleeves held up high, especially when wet.
When we have the opportunity to wear a traditional chest protector, we still like the standard body protection. However, when we need to keep our protection out of sight, the
Thor Impact Rig SE is a useful tool. Exterior protectors don’t include elbow guards and kidney belts, so having everything together in a one-piece suit really makes staying protected a simple affair. I can’t wear individual elbow guards because keeping them strapped in place to my forearm creates terrible arm pump. Having them stitched onto a sleeve allows me to leave them loose around my arms yet still have the added protection. Overall the Impact Rig SE offers a lot of usable features. Make sure to try on the right size and then enjoy quality safety at a reasonable price.
Watch the Video. 
Buy it Now: Thor Impact Rig SE - $139.95
Find More Thor Motocross Products Here.