Got to test the B-wear vest today.

[Ollie]

Going thru an area that I know is full of mines.
I was going real slow and taking it easy.
There was no warning, no pitch to the right or left. The front end didn't dive in. I was just going about 3mph.
The sled pitched over so fast I still had my hand on the throttle when the rotten tree trunk hit me about 6" under my right armpit.

The impact was hard enough that it knocked the wind out of me and threw me back over on top of the sled, which was now laying on its side.

When I could breath again I was amazed that I had no broken ribs. I am sporting a really cool purple bruise.

I have zero doubt that had I not been wearing the B-wear, I would have come off that mountain in an ambulance.

My hand is resting on the part of the trunk that hit me. It is about an inch think and 8" long.

Just because you don't do extreme riding doesn't mean you won't need a vest.

 

[Supplicate]

After the stuff I was doing friday night, I am going to start wearing it every ride. Gotta get it all adjusted up better though.

Good to hear it worked as advertised though.

 

[OCDsledder]

Good to hear that your OK.

Just like Avy Beacons, alot of people still think that the other guy needs one but not them.

 

[Ex-Member]

holy crap dude... that sure could have ended up a lot worse.

I got a tekvest a while ago, hoping I never *need* it... my rodeo armor is the reason i'm still riding today. Body armor = good thing.

 

[tudizzle]

Been slack'n on getting one and now I just ordered one...Thanks for getting me off my arse!

 

[Ollie]

holy crap dude... that sure could have ended up a lot worse.

After I realized what had happened I looked at what I had hit and it really did scare me to think what could have happened. We were about 25 miles from Albany and there was NO-ONE else around. The wife and I would have had to figure out how to get out, if getting out was even an option.

When you break a rib, ANY movement is a whole new depth of pain.

 

[Bagger]

Glad your ok.

Glad to hear your ok, Ollie. D and I are both sporting Bwr's this year, after my wreck last year.

By the way, if you ever find yourself back somewhere and can't get out, don't even hesitate, call me. I'll come running.

I'll be happy to ride your sled out! Bagger

 

[phatty]

so thats what a dragon looks like tipped over eh? glad to hear you ok!

 

[F-Bomb]

Wow

YIKES Ollie! I'm glad to hear that while bruised you aren't broken or worse.

Last weekend we went to McCall. A large group of friends (12 sleds) took off for a rip. My girlfriend and I didn't go as we had a new motor to break in, a new prototype NYTRO to test, and it was her very first time on a sled. We got back at 4:30 and the other group didn't. We waited until 6 well after dark. We ride alot as a group so I new they were stuck in a hole somewhere. I figured that if someone was seriously hurt a rider or two would come out and seek help. We didn't know where they were riding so we loaded up and headed to town.

As it turned out they did get into a bad spot and someone did get hurt. Only three riders out of twelve didn't have a vest on and guess what? One of them got a 4" diameter tree limb up through the sled A arm and stabbed him right in the middle. He was buggered up bad and they thought they would have to extract him as he was really in bad pain as they assumed broken ribs. The problem was it was almost dark and life flight would have no luck getting into this bad of a spot. He turned into super man and they fought their way out. They made it back to the hospital for a CAT scan at 8pm. He turned out to have the grossest 4" out hemotoma just inside of his lowest rib and a buised pancreas but basically got very lucky. Needless to say he would have been fine if he'd had worn a vest. He's OUT OF COMMISSION NOW for a short while but will have a BWEAR on the next time he rides he will be sporting a BWEAR vest. I bet the other two will as well. Man oh man can you imagine being SKEWERED? I've actually picked arrow sized branches out of my vest over the years. OUCH.

So many people have ridden for years without vests and done fine. This guy is an excellent rider and really never ever thought about needing a vest. "VESTS ARE FOR RACERS" is what most think in the recreational world.
Even more of a near tragedy on this story is that I've taken to packing around inventory with us. I HAD FIVE BRAND NEW BWEAR VESTS IN THE TRAILER!