Leatt GPX Neck Brace / Fly Racing Valor Review
The Fly Valor neck brace is a relabeled Leatt GPX Neck Brace, so this review applies to both.
I have been putting off this review of the Fly Valor / Leatt GPX neck brace because I wanted to see how well it worked firsthand… by crashing. Fortunately, it took me a while to test the neck brace thoroughly, so I should count myself lucky.
By now, I think I’ve tested this neck brace enough to know that it works by:
- Jumping a 30-foot dune the wrong way and waking up half-buried
- Running into trees
- Falling down a mountain
- Getting clotheslined by branches
- Getting bucked off my bike, going over some ruts on a logging road, of all things!
I’m sorry. I’m still mad about the ruts because I wasn’t even doing anything fun when they happened!
So Does This Neck Brace Work?
I Don’t know…
The crashes I experienced were either life-threatening, or they weren’t, and I’ll never know, but considering I’m here to report on it, I’d say the neck brace did its job.
Neck braces are a piece of gear that can be had and not needed, and I would rather have them.
I could end this Leatt neck brace review by telling you to get a neck brace, ANY neck brace, no matter the price, because it will always be cheaper than a life in a wheelchair or worse.
Now that my personal opinions are out of the way, I can get into WHY the Leatt GPX neck brace works.
If you don’t want to keep reading my Leatt Neck Brace review, I won’t take it personally, but before you go, look at your neck brace options! → https://amzn.to/3Co6HrY
Leatt Protective Neck Brace Technology
My uncle-in-law uses the same basic foam neck roll he’s used for 30 years. While it’s better than nothing, compared to the Leatt GPX neck brace, it looks like something you’d find in a medical supply store.
Leatt started making neck braces to eliminate deaths caused by neck injuries (You can read more about Leatt here). While a simple foam roll will save your neck from injury, it can only do so much. Leatt neck braces work with your helmet to eliminate as much hyperextension as possible.
The problem with making a neck brace work with helmets is the seemingly unlimited helmet options. For example, I have helmets from various brands (Fly, 2 HJCs, Icon, and Fulmer). None of these helmets fit the same on my head or with the brace, so If I need to use anything other than my main helmet, I need to adjust the rear member of the neck brace.
This may seem like an inconvenience, but when the brace and the helmet work together, the brace will be comfortable and ready to do its job. If you ride with a chest protector, as I do, that’s another thing to adjust. You can see in the pictures how armor will change the way the neck brace fits. But again, LEATT HAS YOU COVERED!
Leatt GPX Neck Brace Fitment
Leatt makes chest protectors work with their neck braces. As you can see, my chest protector is NOT Leatt (they don’t make one big enough), but it still works.
I’ll admit that when I first started riding with this brace, it was uncomfortable, and I didn’t like it, but once I made adjustments to the brace (and my riding habits), I got used to it, and now I feel weird without it.
The Leatt neck brace is also designed to work with you. It comes with different spacers to adjust the size and angle wedges to adjust the rear thoracic support. So, instead of just sitting on your shoulders, the brace works with your body.
For example, the front support is split so it won’t push on your sternum but is arched enough to protect your collarbone from an impact. On the back, the rear thoracic member rests between your shoulder blades. The front and back supports keep your neck from moving laterally, protecting you from another type of neck injury.
Leatt shows do all of the research and development, paying off when you can walk away from an otherwise life-threatening crash.
Leatt and Fly Racing Relationship
I have been trying to get the details on Leatt’s arrangement with Fly Racing for some time, but as of this writing, they have not returned my calls. So I guess I’ll tell you what I think of their relationship.
From what I can tell, Leatt struck a deal with Fly to get more neck braces on the shelves. That’s obvious. But I’d like to think this agreement arose from Leatt’s already established commitment to rider safety, and they wanted to get as many neck braces on as many riders as possible. That may be the case, but partnering with Fly would also send sales through the roof.
By selling braces with the Fly logo, Leatt Neck braces gained much more exposure. Leatt sells safety gear. Fly racing sells EVERYTHING! So, by leveraging Fly’s brand recognition, Leatt was able to do what they do even better: save lives.
Shop For Leatt Neck Braces → https://amzn.to/3Co6HrY.
I keep saying it and meaning it; there is no reason not to have a neck brace.
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