One thing as Motocross and Off-Road racers we can agree on, Roost hurts!

Sure it might not be as bad when racing on sand, or some rockless loam, but those races where hard pack clay is on the cards, or any form of foreign object that can be thrown off a rear tyre, be it small pebble-sized stones, large rocks, or sticks and bark from added mulch, some form of roost protection is a must.

For some reason, I spent a couple of seasons going without any roost protection; occasionally, I would throw on an old foam-padded vest on that was well past its used by date, but after spending a little time sitting on the back wheel of a few 450s in the Vets class I decided to reach out and see if I couldn’t get myself a little protection.

The good people at Fly Racing Australia sent me out both the Revel Race Roost Guard, a traditional-looking over the jersey roost guard that comes with a plastic exterior with a dual-layer foam inner layer on both the back and the front designed to mould to the body for a perfect fit, and also the Barricade Zip Vest, a foam-based zip-up roost protection that contains a breathable open mesh front to help maximize airflow.

My original plan was to run the Barricade Zip Vest for motocross races and the Revel Race Roost Guard for some Off-Road / Enduro races, with the thought that the plastic outer shell on the Revel Race guard would give some added protection when in close proximity to trees and bushes.

Like most things, however, things don’t always go to plan. Needing the correct numbers on my race gear for motocross, it turned out it was easier to set up the Revel Race Guard for MX and run the Barricade Zip Vest under my Fly Jersey for the Off-Road events.

The good news was over the past 18 months, we have managed to race motocross events in both guards while all our Off-Road racing has been done in the Zip Vest.

Heading into this back to back comparison, I was 100% confident that I would end up preferring the Zip vest over the more traditional style body armour; I have always felt more comfortable and less restricted in a thinner padded roost protector compared to a roost guard that has always tended to feel bulky and move around while riding.

In some ways, this did turn out to be the case, as there is no doubt that the Barricade Zip vest that includes back support fits very snug to the body and does not move at all while riding.

The one downside to this is, while the vest is vented, being that it does wrap right around your body, the airflow is a little restricted, and being naturally hot bodied, I certainly noticed the additional heat that would be trapped on longer rides.

The padded protection in the Barricade vest is top-notch, keeping my body well protected from welts and bruises on even the rockiest of tracks. After a year of having both of these roost protectors in my gear bag, it is my go-to now on cooler days or if I am just riding short motos at local club days.

Fit wise the Barricade comes in two sizes, Small/Medium and Large/X-Large, with my size the bigger size was the go, with the Barricade fitting snuggly and really was no different than wearing a well-sized undershirt while riding, with no movement restriction whatsoever.

The Revel race roost guard ended up being a very pleasant surprise for two main reasons, firstly the fantastic fit due to the triple-layer construction with the Biofoam inner layer of the protector wrapping itself around the body firmly, which ensured the whole protector sat in position for the entity of every rider or moto.

With the adjustable waist and shoulder straps, it was a two-second job to get the Revel race guard to fit perfectly, and once in position, I have not needed to adjust again.

In contrast, the large vents around the outer plastic moulding, ensured maximum airflow, especially when paired with a set of Fly Racing Kinetic Mesh gear set.

While I do not run a neck brace, the Revel Race guard allows adjustment to suit various neck braces, which is another excellent little advantage to this roost protector.

While I am fortunate to have both in my gear bag and can choose which one to throw on depending on the ride, if it was a choice of one over the other, surprisingly to myself, I would have to lean towards the Revel Roost Guard. With both offering great protection and fit, I felt the Revel Roost guard provided a little more airflow, especially on the warmer days or longer rides, and a little added protection with the outer plastic layer.

Add to the fact that the Revel is also slim enough to run under your jersey if that is the way you want to go; it is probably a little more versatile than the Barricade vest, though it will take up a little more room in your gear bag.

Overall you can’t go wrong with either option, and with the Fly Revel Roost guard coming in at $199.95 and the Barricade at $99.95, having both in your arsenal is an affordable option to ensure you have the protection and comfort you are looking for in any riding situation, be it a weekend cruise with your mates, or lining up being the gates at a local MX state championship.

Revel Race Roost Guard

PRODUCT DETAILS

• Revolutionary BioFoam® chassis attachment system eliminates injury-causing plastic rivets and utilizes soft plastics and TPR rubbers without high points that could injure in the event of an impact
• Air channels molded into the BioFoam allow hot air to escape
• CE rated protection created using a triple layer, high density memory foam in between the outer plastic and the BioFoam that is in contact with the user.
• Triple layer construction (as opposed to a single thick layer) allows layers to move relative to one another further improving impact performance
• Full upper torso plastic roost deflector
• Neck brace compatible design: simply slide underneath the plastics or remove the plastic panels on the chest and back depending upon on neck brace design
• Adjustable shoulder straps for a custom comfortable fit
• Removable thermoformed soft BioFoam chassis for increased comfort and easy washing
• Easy-to-use waist belt buckles integrated into the chest plastic
• Multiple vents for maximum airflow
• Low-profile design can be worn under jersey
• CE tested and certified as impact protection: EN1621-2 Level 2, EN14021 & Me-int 097

Barricade Zip Vest

PRODUCT DETAILS

• Perforated EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) foam padding in the chest and kidney areas
• CE approved flexible E3T™ memory foam back protector
• CE tested and certified as impact protection: EN1621-2 Level 1
• Flatlock stitch seam construction for added comfort
• Body contoured front area to fit best in riding position
• Highly breathable, open mesh
• Removable chest and back padding
• Center zip on chest makes for easy on and off
• Slim-fitting
• Triple layer construction (as opposed to a single thick layer) allows layers to move relative to one another further improving impact performance
• Full upper torso plastic roost deflector
• Neck brace compatible design: simply slide underneath the plastics or remove the plastic panels on the chest and back depending upon on neck brace design
• Adjustable shoulder straps for a custom comfortable fit
• Removable thermoformed soft BioFoam chassis for increased comfort and easy washing