G-Form MX Spike Chest and Back Shirt body armour review

The G-Form MX Spike Chest and Back Shirt body armour is a vest-type chest and back protector that uses removable plates. The vest itself is well-made and easy to use, and it benefits from a breathable and comfortable material. The armour plates are flexible and non-restrictive, although the back plate is on the heavier side and does retain heat a little more than expected. Overall, the armour provides a comfortable, non-restrictive and secure offering with plenty of protection for the inevitable crash.

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G-Form MX Spike Chest and Back Shirt – Technical Details

The protection on offer comes courtesy of a RE ZRO material, which has a bunch of features making it ideal for mountain bike armour. First off, the open design of each armoured pad promotes ventilation, keeping temps cool and allows the pad to flex to your body to keep things comfortable. The material itself deals with impacts in an interesting way, using the behaviour of ‘shear-thinning’, the material’s viscosity decreases (softens) to absorb impact energy. This is the opposite of the likes of D3O, which hardens upon impact. On the environmental front, the RE ZRO material is fully biodegradable and 100% recyclable.

GForm MX Spike Armour _6.jpg, by Ty Rutherford

This armour uses the RE ZRO material as a full-length back plate, too, which offers CE 1621-2 Level 2 Back Certification and a chest plate offering CE 1621-3 Level 1 Chest Certification. Both plates are fully removable from the inside, allowing the vest to be washed on a low, 30-degree heat.

G-Form wraps this armour in a vest which features a full-length front zip and uses an adjustable elasticated band around the chest to keep the armour secure. The vest itself uses a thin, breathable and moisture-wicking fabric to keep the armour comfortable. For those who use a neck brace, the shoulders have integrated elastics to keep it secure.

GForm MX Spike Armour _3.jpg, by Ty Rutherford

The MX spike chest and back shirt is only available in the black colourway and comes in four sizes, ranging from S-XL, which covers chest sizes from 32” (81cm) up to 50” (127cm).

G-Form MX Spike Chest and Back Shirt – Performance

First impressions of the armour were notably around its weight. Upon closer inspection, the chest pad is reasonably light, however, the thicker and larger back plate has some heft to it. This extra weight isn’t noticed when riding, and I actually found it to provide some mental comfort knowing that it’s literally got my back. Although the armour pads are hard to compress, the honeycomb-like design allows them to be surprisingly flexible, and whilst riding, they proved not to be restrictive in any way.

GForm MX Spike Armour _2.jpg, by Ty Rutherford

The vest material is thin and airy, providing lots of breathability, along with all the internal seams being finished well. It’s a comfortable garment to wear against the skin, even after a full day of sweating. I found the back plate to not be as breathable as expected, although there are plenty of holes to let the heat out, I found it to hold onto the heat, and it ran hot whilst climbing on an eBike. For uplifted / chair lift days, this won’t be an issue, but something to consider when choosing full back plated armour if you intend on pedalling.  

GForm MX Spike Armour _4.jpg, by Ty Rutherford

Sizing appears to be as expected. For the test, I had an XL, which, according to the size chart, was a little too big, and it felt it. Having said that, the armour remained secure, having enough adjustability and stretch to still fit me comfortably. Getting in and out of the armour is super simple with the full-length front zip; it’s no different to putting on a shirt.

G-Form MX Spike Chest and Back Shirt – Verdict

At £220, the G-Form MX Spike and Back Shirt certainly isn’t small money, although it could be argued that the comfort and protection on offer is worth the investment. Of course, there are other options on the market worth considering.

POC’s VPD Air+ Tee offers slightly more protection with the incorporation of shoulder pads, and although it’s a little more bulky than the G-Form armour, it’s actually a little lighter. I enjoyed the comfort on offer but found the back plate to not be the most secure – check out my full thoughts here. Another option on the lighter end of the scale is a purely back protector from Bluegrass using D3O armour. This comes in at £200 and was praised for its comfort and fit, but the breathability of the back plate wasn’t great. Check out Liam’s thoughts on the Bluegrass Seamless Lite body armour. 

The G-Form MX Spike Chest and Back Shirt body armour is a well-thought-out offering, providing solid chest and back protection. The armour plates are flexible enough not to restrict movement, yet plenty tough enough to withstand a hit. The back plate is a little on the hot side, and it’s not the lights, but on the whole, the armour is breathable enough to be comfortable for a day of shuttling trails.

• g-form.com
• The reader’s guide to off.road.cc’s review scoring system

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