What are the facts?

All that being said, what exactly are these protective devices worth? Where are the facts? What do we know? How do we educate ourselves?

We’ve accepted the fact that it’s virtually impossible to test every feasible crash, but with modern technology, years of controlled experiments and hundreds of busted helmets from slamming dummies into walls and dropping anvils on cadavers (there’s a pretty picture), there’s still plenty that we have learned. A number of studies have shown that these devices can offer certain amounts of protection in certain situations.

At www.Leatt-Brace.com click on Products and then Testing and you will find a brief summary of their basic test procedures and the results. At the end, you will also find information on where to find the full detailed publications of these tests.

More on the Leatt Brace

A spread in the 2009 EVS product catalog is dedicated to explaining the design, construction and basic concepts of their device. On the RC Evolution page of the site (www.EVS-sports.com), click on Development and then Testing for a comprehensive overview of their research.

Alpinestars, as we’ve seen, makes it a point to get its research and information in front of as many eyes as possible. The BNS comes with the Safety Critical Information packet which explains (in nine different languages) their concept of protection. Using charts, graphs, illustrations and plain language analogies (even photos of the cadaver testing) they make it as simple as possible to understand.

More on the Alpinestars Bionic Neck Support

As we all know, plenty of testimonials and endorsements are also available on the internet everywhere we look, but if you’re after facts, and facts alone, it’s important to push aside the conjecture and recognize science from opinion.

Enter the Competition

It’s a simple economic fact that where there’s demand, there will be a supply. So it comes as no surprise that we now have a multitude of neck protection devices on the market. Of course, there are two sides to that coin, as well.

“In any arena, quality competition is a good thing,” Leatt’s Patterson commented. “It’s not a bad thing. Quality competition breeds the ability to always innovate and do new things.”

“Would it be really easy for me to say, ‘I could make a lot more money if there were no competition?’ Yeah, that’s probably true.” Rietdyk of EVS said. “But that’s kind of standing in the way of evolution. [The neck brace] is an evolutionary piece. It’s an evolution for us, but it should also serve as an evolution for the other people in the industry.”

But for the sake of protecting ourselves, how do we distinguish “quality competition” from opportunism?

“I think that there are some companies out there that are jumping on the bandwagon and maybe putting out something that is price point relevant for a certain consumer base,” Collins commented. “Just the same as any helmet manufacturer or motorcycle manufacturers at this point, there’s going to be somebody who wants to replicate it cheaper or get it out faster. It’s unfortunate because the concern is the misconception of neck protection – what is does. One of our goals is to come out and say, ‘Here’s what it will do but here’s what it won’t do.’ And I think some of the others are putting it out there with nothing; no information and just saying, ‘Here you go.’ Kinda playing on the misconceptions, saying, ‘This one is this much money, but this one’s only this... So I’m going to take this one because it seems like it’ll do the same thing...’

“I think for us, the best thing we can do is continue to educate people on the Alpinestars product and maybe how to tell the difference between our product and some of the others when it comes to the technology put into it.”

Representatives from SixSixOne and EVS disagree with Collins’ notion.

“I don’t really see anybody being irresponsible in the market place,” Cole said. “The companies that are in this category are viable companies with good, strong resources and I think that competition is healthy. I think all those companies are reputable and they’re going to challenge each other to really drive the technology forward and take it to the next level. And who wins? The rider.”

“I think that the companies that are trying it are reputable for the most part,” Rietdyk agreed. “I think that there’s almost no opportunistic companies in our field. There are elements of [the designs of other neck braces] that I don’t agree with. But they all have a decent solution with some level of benefit to the user.”

Being the first to the market, Leatt and company definitely feel that other companies are standing on the shoulders of their research trying to make a profit.

“The problem right now in my opinion, you got guys out there that are taking the Leatt Brace that are saying, ‘We want to make something similar to that’,” Patterson said. “And I don’t think they really, truly understand what they’re making.”

Yet according to Patterson, the competition has been somewhat beneficial to the Leatt brand.

“What it’s doing for Leatt right now, the competition that we’re seeing is only driving [our] sales up,” Patterson said. “I’ve looked at every single one of those products; I have put every single one on. I am not a medical professional, I’m not a biomechanical engineer, but I consider myself to be very knowledgeable in this, and I have not seen one that is anywhere near what the Leatt Brace is.”

An interesting fact in this race for dominance is that no company has a patent yet. Each and every patent from Leatt, Alpinestars, EVS and SixSixOne is pending. It hasn’t stopped threats of lawsuits and making public comments about “taking action” against other companies. Patterson openly commented about “ongoing battles that we’re having with Alpinestars.” Who knows how the chips will ultimately fall, but once the patents are settled, we can sit back with a bowl of popcorn and watch the legal knock-down, drag-outs commence.