I started a thread about self-sufficiency but now I'm wondering about personal safety. The right helmet, gloves, boots and the other stuff. I suppose all of it is important but how much of a role does your 'sensible gene play'.

As long as I keep it real, then my DT175 handles things well. In fact, all of my 'get offs' have happened at zero to less than walking pace. At this stage of my riding career, I will go around 'shit'. I will U turn. I do 'not tackle really tough stuff'. I slow down.

So my question for the forum is that if I don't have to prove anything to anyone then what is the minimum personal gear recommended.

Like I said elsewhere, my boots are just a stout road riding style, but I reckon they have saved my feet and lower legs from a range of personal injuries. No question, good boots make sense, even in easy riding situations.

One low speed fall I had near my house, I live on a farm, resulted in a blow to the back of my head. No question, a helmet is a fantastic idea.  I am glad I was wearing mine.

But body armour?

Should I be getting that after i graduate from my chook chaser?

This is ignorance asking, so please be gentle with me.

Thoughts please.

Pete.
Copy and pasted from your other post.

Big can of worms there Pete.I personally think speed and competencesy have nothing to do with it. As there are other riders animals and unforseen obstacles in our sport. And the also ever present stuff ups.I wear even on a kids day,helmetGogglesGloveBody armorKnee bracesNeck braceBootsPants and jerrsyOver the top to some, but to me the ground is the ground and it hurts.Like people that wear full leathers on their high performanc road bike, but then jeans, open face helmet and vest to ride their Harley because the other road users won't hit a rider wearing a stupid skull mask?Open gace helmet would worry me as ive had to attend to a bloke on a ride thats helmet broke when his face hit the trail. Very very not nice.Al

Ps. Body armor for me surprises me when replaced and i see the gouges out of the back plates.....

Al,
I have continued your point about gear here in this thread.

I get what you're saying in my head, but in my heart. I wonder if all that safety gear does mean you push the personal safety envelope. I have no actual experience apart from my own to call on here but my other thing is sailing, and I rarely wear a lifejacket even when racing. The conditions can be really narley and still no lifejacket on for me.

And then, it reaches a point, where the lifejacket is put on, no question, and i crawl up to the front of the boat to change the sail. The thing with sailing is it is hard to just stop - the conditions are still the conditions even if you have stopped racing.

Surely for trail riding you can, just stop. Even park the bike and walk out of there. Where is the envelope if no one wins? I wonder if the gear itself promotes risky behaviour?

I'm not trying to be controversial here. I still would be interested in the minimum required for modest riding styles.

As i said Pete, big can of worms 

You wear a seat belt in the car? You might be sitting still, but the car that hit you isn't.

Im sure lot's of peopl think i go over board. But i can tell you I've seen plenty of slow speed injuies out on the trail. And they are generally on lower level rides with slower riders tgat make simple errors and thought they rode so slow and carefully they didn't need body protection. So after their knee reco they come back to riding all geared up, but carrying a buggered knee.

Only my views.
Al

As Al has said. What he has is pretty much the standard gear. Knee and Neck braces are more of a personal choice. As I said before, attend a Daylesford ride and see what others are doing. If you really want to do more riding then you will need to invest in some good riding gear. I have always bought the best gear I could but waited until the shops are having a sale. I have never worried about a neck braces. Also, with helmets I have a strange shaped head so went to the shop and just tried them all until I found one that fitted comfortably. It was not the best name brand but at least it is comfortable.  Unfortunately with the helmet I use for my adventure bike the only one that was comfortable was a top quality one. 

ps, and most of the really serious injuries I have seen have been at lower speeds. At low speed you tend to just crash on to the ground and break bones instead of sliding. 

so does AMTRA set expectations around personal safety gear?

Al,
The point of a forum is to get personal views so don't apologise for having those. Maybe, what I need to do is ensure I only participate in rides suited to my personal 'self-preservation' gene.

Dr. Peter wrote:
No. You wear what you want.

I wear what al wears, every thing.
I’d never go riding with anything less

I also buy the most expensive stuff I can afford

If I forget any of these after driving 2 hours to a ride I’ll go back home.

Helmet
Googles
Gloves
Neck brace
Full body skins
Kidney belt
Knee braces
Boots
Pants and jerseys
Body amour

It doesn’t matter what speed you fall at it’s how you fall, some of the worst Injury’s iv seen have been from slow speed or Amost stationary, my old man spiralled fractured his tib and fib doing less the 20kms an hour

But there’s no law about what to wear so wear as you see fit and comfortable

I think Dr Peter is having fun with you fellas, he can't be serious.