You spend a lot of money on a motorcycle jacket because you want to feel safe while you enjoy the ride. After more than 25 years at Bohn Body Armor, we’ve learned that most jackets are really just shells that hold your gear together. Even the most expensive jacket won’t help if the protection isn’t where it needs to be when you hit the ground, which is why we focus on lightweight, comfortable gear you’ll actually wear that keeps the armor in place.
The biggest mistake riders make is wearing a jacket that fits too loosely, allowing the armor to shift or rotate in a fall. If your elbow pad slides to the side of your arm, you’re essentially hitting the pavement with no protection at all. A snug-fitting system keeps the armor in place, giving you peace of mind so you can focus on the road ahead.
Rider wearing All-Season Airtex armor keeps SAS-TEC protection snug and in place, giving safety without bulk.
The secret to staying safe isn't finding a thicker jacket; it is about how you hold your armor against your body. Once you understand how physics works in a crash, you will see why the way most jackets are built is a major problem.
Top Recommendations for New Bohn Riders
All-Season Airtex Armored Shirt
This is our most popular choice for riders who want to stay protected without looking like they are wearing a bulky suit. It uses a soft, stretchy fabric to keep CE-Level 2 SAS-TEC armor tight against your shoulders and elbows. You wear this under your favorite jacket or even a regular denim shirt, and it provides invisible protection that won't move. It is perfect for the daily commuter who needs to look normal at work but wants a high level of safety on the highway.
Cool-Air Armored Shirt
If you live in a place where the summer heat hits 90℉ or higher, this mesh shirt is a life-saver. It is designed to let every bit of breeze through to your skin while holding SAS-TEC armor securely in place. Most riders find that traditional jackets are too hot for summer, so they end up riding in just a t-shirt. This shirt solves that problem by giving you breathable protection that is so light you might forget you have it on.
All-Season Armored Pants
We often forget about our hips and knees, but they hit the ground just as hard as our upper bodies. These pants fit under any pair of jeans or work trousers and feature 5.25 x 12 inch knee and shin SAS-TEC armor. Because the Lycra™ fabric is so flexible, you can move freely on and off the bike without the "stiff" feeling of typical riding pants. They even include protection for your tailbone and hips, which are areas often ignored by standard gear.
3 Truths About Motorcycle Gear (That Might Surprise You)
Truth 1 - The Initial Hit is the Real Danger
Most people talk about "sliding" down the road, but the first impact with the ground is what usually causes the most trouble. This sudden hit sends a shock through your bones and joints that can cause serious damage before you even start to slide. You need gear that prioritizes managing that impact energy with high-quality materials like SAS-TEC armor rather than just focusing on how long the fabric lasts on the pavement.
Truth 2 - If It Wiggles, It Fails
If you can reach inside your jacket and move the elbow pad around, that armor is not going to work in a crash. When you fall, the ground pulls at your jacket and forces it to twist around your body. Unless your armor is held tight against your skin, it will simply rotate out of the way, leaving your bare joints to take the hit.
Truth 3 - If You Are Hot, You Are At Risk
When you are sweating and uncomfortable, your brain slows down, and you stop paying attention to traffic. Heavy, thick gear that doesn't breathe makes you tired and irritable, which leads to mistakes on the bike. Staying cool and comfortable with flexible gear isn't just about luxury; it helps you stay sharp so you can react faster to hazards.
Why Integrated Armor Fails the "Tumble Test"
When you watch a crash in slow motion, the rider rarely just slides in a straight line. They tumble, bounce, and spin. This is where the armor in your jacket usually lets you down.
Most motorcycle jackets designed with armor often have extra space between your body and the armor. That extra space allows the jacket to feel comfortable while you are standing in a store, but it is a safety hazard as the armor might not be in the right place when you hit the pavement.
As riders tumble, loose armor shifts away from joints. Bohn Armored Shirts keep SAS-TEC protection snug and secure.
As you tumble, centrifugal force and friction pull at the heavy fabric of the jacket. Because the jacket is not attached to your skin, it rotates. The 5 x 12 inch elbow/forearm SAS-TEC armor that was sitting on your joint a second ago is now tucked into your armpit or hanging off the back of your arm.
The silver lining is that you don't have to get rid of your favorite jacket. You can simply remove the loose pads and wear a Bohn Armored Shirt underneath. Our shirts use a snug fit to ensure that the SAS-TEC armor stays exactly where it belongs, no matter how much you tumble.
The Problem with "One-Size-Fits-Most"
Many gear companies build jackets for an "average" person, but very few riders actually fit that mold. If you are 4'9" or 6'10", you know the struggle of finding gear where the pads actually line up with your joints.
If a jacket is too long, the elbow pads end up down by your wrists. If it is too short, they sit on your upper arm. At Bohn, we believe that proper fit is a safety requirement.
Bohn offers sizes 3XS-5XL with tailored cuts, ensuring SAS-TEC armor sits perfectly on every rider’s joints for real protection.
That is why we offer a massive range of sizes from 3XS to 5XL. We also have specific cuts for Tall, Short, and Big riders. Our gear is designed in the USA to fit the diverse body types of real riders. When the 5.25 x 12 inch knee and shin SAS-TEC armor or the 5 x 8 inch shoulder SAS-TEC armor (or 6 x 9 inches for our larger sizes) is perfectly centered on your joint, it mitigates impact damage much more effectively.
The Science of SAS-TEC Armor
We use SAS-TEC armor in all of our products because it behaves differently than the hard plastic or cheap foam found in many jackets. SAS-TEC is a "viscoelastic" material. This means it is soft and moves with your body while you are riding, but it disperses acute impacts across the entire protector when hit.
Imagine a piece of putty that you can stretch and mold, but if you hit it with a hammer, it spreads that force across the entire body of the putty. It spreads out the energy of the crash across a wider space so your body takes less force.
SAS-TEC armor is soft while riding but disperses energy on impact, reducing injury. It can last up to 10 years with multiple hits.
Another benefit is that SAS-TEC armor has a lifespan of up to 10 years. Many other types of armor become brittle or lose their ability to absorb shock after just a few years. Plus, SAS-TEC can handle multiple impacts, whereas some "one-hit" protectors need to be thrown away after a single drop.
How Layers Change Everything
A lot of riders think they need a different jacket for every season. They buy a heavy leather one for winter and a mesh one for summer. This gets expensive, and it often means you are wearing gear that doesn't fit perfectly because you are trying to layer sweaters underneath.
The Bohn system changes this by making the armored layer the one that stays closest to your skin. You wear your All-Season Airtex shirt with its CE-Level 2 SAS-TEC armor, and then you put whatever you want on top.
Bohn’s All-Season Airtex shirt keeps SAS-TEC armor snug against your skin, letting you layer any jacket without sacrificing protection.
If it is 40℉ and raining, wear a waterproof shell or a warm coat. If it is 75℉, wear a light windbreaker or a flannel. Your protection stays the same because it is independent of your outer clothing. This gives you the freedom to wear what you want while knowing your SAS-TEC armor is locked into place.
Why Comfort is Not a Luxury
I hear from riders all the time who say they stopped wearing their "safe" jacket because it was too heavy or it scratched their neck. If your gear is in the closet, it provides zero protection.
We use Lycra™ in our armored shirts and pants because it is incredibly soft and wicks sweat away from your skin. It doesn't have itchy seams or heavy zippers that dig into you while you are tucked over the tank.
When you feel comfortable, you are a better rider. You can turn your head easier to check your blind spots. You don't get as tired on a 300-mile day. By making our gear lightweight and flexible, we ensure that you will actually use it every single time you pull the bike out of the garage.
The "Invisible Protection" Philosophy
Most motorcycle gear makes you look like a racer or a space traveler. While some people love that look, many of us just want to ride to a restaurant or a friend’s house without feeling like we are wearing a costume.
Because Bohn gear is so thin, it offers invisible protection. You can wear our armored pants under your favorite pair of jeans, and nobody will know you are geared up. You can wear our armored shirt under a regular jacket, and you won't look like a linebacker.
Bohn gear offers thin, invisible protection - armored shirts and pants fit under regular clothes so you ride safely without looking bulky.
This is especially helpful for commuters who don't want to carry a giant, heavy jacket into an office. You can simply take off your outer shell, and you are left wearing a comfortable base layer that looks like athletic wear.
FAQs
What is SAS-TEC armor?
SAS-TEC is a high-end foam that is soft and flexible while you are moving but disperses impact forces across the entire material when hit. This material is excellent at absorbing impact energy and is used in all Bohn products. It is reusable and has a lifespan of up to 10 years.
Does Bohn gear come in different sizes?
Yes, we offer one of the widest size ranges in the industry, from 3XS to 5XL. We also have specialized fits for Tall, Short, and Big riders to ensure the armor pads, like the 5.25 x 12 inch knee and shin pads, sit in exactly the right spot.
Is Bohn armor CE-certified?
All of the SAS-TEC armor we use is CE-certified. We primarily use CE-Level 2 for the back, shoulders, and elbows to provide the highest level of energy absorption, while remaining thin and comfortable under your clothes.
Can I wear Bohn gear in the winter?
Absolutely. Our All-Season Airtex line is great for year-round use. Since the armor fits under your clothes, you can simply put a heavy, windproof coat over your Bohn shirt to stay warm while keeping your invisible protection in place.
What if I am between sizes?
Our Lycra™ fabric has a lot of stretch, which makes it very forgiving. However, for the armor to stay in place, you want a fit that is snug but not restrictive. You can always call our office in Mooresville, NC for help with sizing.
How do I wash my Bohn gear?
It is very simple. You just remove the SAS-TEC armor pieces from their pockets and toss the fabric shell into the washing machine. Air drying is best to keep the Lycra™ and mesh looking new for years.
Does this gear protect against road rash?
Bohn shirts and pants are designed primarily for impact protection. While the fabric provides a small amount of abrasion resistance, we always recommend wearing an abrasion-resistant outer layer, like leather or heavy textile, over your Bohn gear for high-speed riding.
