Leatt Body Vest 3DF AirFit Test

We test Leatt's new AirFit Underprotector

The Leatt Body Vest 3DF AirFit is a lightweight, $199 body protector that was designed to ride under your jersey and provide a high level of agility while allowing the fullest range of motion available. In simple terms, it’s made out of a stretchy material that lets you twist and bend your body when on the bike. The fact that there is no arm coverage is a good thing in that it doesn’t restrict arm/shoulder motion at all. The vest itself is surprisingly comfortable, as the chest and back padding ride well on the body, and there are also side adjustments for a tighter fit if needed. I sweat a lot when I ride, and the vest’s moisture-wicking AirMesh fabric just seemed to spread the sweat around. This was a positive in that I stayed cool at speed because I was wet, but on the downside the vest can feel super hot and stifling in warmer weather.

The beauty of the Leatt AirFit's sleeveless design is that it allows for a ton of mobility from the rider. Many chest protectors restrict arm movement significantly, but not this one!Photo By Pete Peterson

Even if you’re a track rider who does not wear a Leatt neck brace, this is a great body protector. I ride mostly off-road, so I deal with a lot of roots, rocks, and trees. I typically like to wear a chest protector that has rib, shoulder, and bicep protection due to the environments I like to ride in. The AirFit vest does not provide protection to those areas, so I was a bit more cautious on the trail when riding around branches at speed. The vest has padding on the chest, the back, and the hips, all of which do a great job with impact protection in low-speed crashes (I didn’t test the high-speed crash factor, but I trust the CE rating). Since this is a Leatt product, I assumed it would work well with my Leatt neck brace, but I didn’t find that to be true. With the vest on, I found that my Leatt neck brace didn’t sit properly on my shoulders—it pushed the back of the brace up into an awkward feeling position. While riding with both the vest and the brace, the brace wanted to bounce around on my shoulders and up to the bottom of my helmet. When I would brake down a hill or go into a turn, my brace would bounce to the bottom of my helmet and the back would get caught on the upper portion of the back padding in the vest; my brace would then hold my head forward in a not-so-convenient position. I tried to solve this problem by having another rider take a look at it while I was fully geared up, and we couldn’t find a quick and easy solution. The best way to stop your brace from bouncing around would be to buy a neck brace securing strap.

Our test rider like the fit and feel of Leatt's AirFit vest, but he didn't feel that the underprotector mated well with his Leatt neck brace.Photo By Pete Peterson

Overall, the Body Vest 3DF AirFit definitely is a top product for weight and agility; it allows freedom of movement and provides solid protection. Given that it doesn't guard against branches, trees, and such, it may be better for a moto rider, but it all really comes down to personal preference. —Justin Wilkins

Rated 88

Style 19/20 Comfort 8/10 Function **45/50 **Wash/care 8/10 Price 8/10