661 pro pressure suit users
 

Hello, I am new to this forum and I'm in the market for upper body protection. I'm looking at the 661 pro pressure suit but don't have any nearby that i can try on. I'm wondering if any of you have used them, looked at them in person, tried them on. I live in a hot climate and need something that vents fairly well. Also, I used 661's sizing chart and i'm a 39" chest which is right in between a medium and large. I'm 5'7" and 160lbs. I was able to try on an 05 pressure suit (red/black trim) in size large and it was a little big and had adjustments to snug the upper chest and shouler area up. I looked at the pro pressure suit on 661's site and it appears to not have any adjustments. I emailed 661 asking about the sizing and they said the pro version fits a little smaller. Took a long time for a reply though, and i want to order one right away. Hopefully someone can help. Thanks for reading.

Mike

Hi, I am a 661-sponsored racer and own the '05 Pressure Suit. Sounds like my build is very similar to yours, except that I am 6'-1" and am in the 160-170# range. EDIT:>> I am wearing the Medium 05 and it is still on the roomy side. I have all of the adjuster straps cinched up as far as they go. So, if the 06 Pro runs a little small for the rated size, the Med. should finally fit like a glove.<<

If you want to be sure, call the toll-free number: 1-888-520-4888 and ask for Sean (that's pronounced "seen" rather than "shawn"). He's VERY knowledgeable about the PS - - he helped me fit right for mine - - as he races with one too.

And you're gonna get a lot of flack from other posters "Get Dainese"..."Get RockGardn" etc. Pay no attention - - you're going with the BEST. Call Sean and good luck ! http://www.aimcomm.com/users/dminor/images/thumb.gif

Thanks for the help and advice. I'll give Sean a call tomorrow so i know what size i'll need. If your chest is a 38-39 like mine i guess a medium would fit. They are supposed to fit tight like a glove anyways aren't they? Guess you just don't want them to tight so that they are uncomfortable. Thanks again.

I'm a 39. They should fit only snug enough so that the hard-shell pads don't slip around when you're rag-dolling down a slope :). With the new cut-aways in the Pro model, there's even less chance of joint areas binding - - although I never encountered that with my 05.

I agree - other than the fact than my 05 pressure suit makes me feel like I'm wearing a garbage can lid for chest protection and the sleeve length on the XL would be better suited for a 7 foot orangutan, I have hardly any complaints.

For a little more money I would also recomend the Rockgarden Flack Jacket

I personally like the hard shells w/protective foam underneath on the chest area rather then just protective foam. I have had branches go right through armor (661 Pressure suit) with just the padding and have landed on a few boulders with shard edges that left some pretty good stingers through the foam only protectors.

I have also hit branches and boulders with the Flack Jacket (worst was a 25' fall onto some boulders chest first) and walked away with out even a bruise.

Just my preference and experience.

DBD:beer:

I was considering the 661 PS as well. Ended up getting the Rockgardn Flack Jacket. It does take a while to get used to (think Homer Simpson's anti-bear suit) but I'm satisfied with my decision. Feels like I could hit a brick wall.

That's what I like about the 05 and above Pressure Suits - -and why I held out buying one until that redesign: the chest area has a hard-shell insert just for the reasons you stated. (People who don't like it can unzip it and remove it.) I was all set to buy a hard-shell Defender, but Sean at 661 talked me out of it, as he said the parts have a tendency to shift around a lot more if you do get 'rag-dolled.'

I had set of Easton hockey pads before, because, at the time, they were much more substantial than any of the bike/moto gear. I took my PS one more step, though, for racing real rocky courses. I have velcro straps that let me add Defender shoulder caps to help add more hard armor to the tops of my shoulders and collarbone:
http://www.aimcomm.com/users/dminor/..._resampled.JPG (photo by Jonathan Lomber - reproduced by permission)
They cover the gap left by the PS shoulder caps being so far outboard. Looks a little doofy, I know, but that all disappears under the jersey anyway :).

My only issues with 661 (and some others too) is they are made for short fat people. At 6'5 and 270 I am a big guy, and the jacket is massive in the gut, tight in the shoulders and the kidney belt protects my middle back.

I found that some of my earlier 661 gear was outsized for me (medium arm/elbow guards that I swam in, etc.), but they've gotten much better in the last two model years. I can't speak to someone of your imposing size, but I'm a relatively scrawny 6'-1" (I prefer 'lanky' :) ) and I definitely use all the full reach of the velcro to cinch up the kidney belt, but things seem to hit up and down in the right places.

Plus, the Pro PS that rosscopeeko is looking at has even better spine armor with the extension to protect down to the tailbone.

Ok, just called Sean from 661 and even said that i'm right in the middle of a medium and large for the pro pressure suit. He said the pro version definitely fits smaller than the pressure suit. He's 5'10 175lbs and said the large fits him perfectly. He said the pro version has the chest adjusters just as the 05 pressure suit does. He did say that he can't get the zipper done up on the pro version in size medium on himself. Sean recommended a medium for me because he thought the sleeves might be too long on a large at my height. I'm 5'7" and 160ish + pounds. He also noted that the arms are tight and are built for skinny racer type guys and my arms aren't all that small. I might have to wait a bit and ride without one until i can get out of town to try one on. Wish i could hear from another Pro Pressure suit user.

Sorry I couldn't be any more help. That's the trouble with a brand new product - - not enough out there yet for a good review. Depending on your location, see if there's a motorcycle shop that might carry 661 that you can try on. Most MXers are still using hard shells, but more and more are switching over. Good luck!

The sizing does seem to shift a bit. My large '03 (yellow) suit fits me pretty well, but the next year (red) in the same size seems to fit quite a bit bigger.

No worries Dminor you helped me a great deal. I'll call all the local shops in my area but i know they won't have the pro suit in stock. I was only able to find one motorcycle dealer with pressure suits in stock and they only had two. All others just say they will order in for me. Oh well, that's what you get when you live in a smaller city of 85,000. Thanks again to all who offered suggestions.

Ok, went to a local bike store today and they had 05 pressure suits in stock so i tried on a medium. Fit like a glove. They special ordered a pro pressure suit in and sold it today. What a rip off here in Canada, $510. The store owner said that she highly recommends the Dainese over the pro version for the $ value because it's cheaper. I tried on a large Dainese with the hardshell chest protector and man was it tight. I actually thought it was too tight. The store owner said the pro pressure suit was made of the same material as the Dainese in the body, but the arms are the cheaper mesh material found on the regular pressure suit. I'm still leaning toward a pro pressure suit and i think i'm going to go with a large. If the sizing of that Dainese is any indicator of that material type and stretch i'd rather have it a little larger than smaller.

Check bikroom.com. They carry 661. And at 510$ I would buy dainese.

Ok, i thought i would help out anyone who is looking at the 06 661 pressure suits by telling them what i found out from 661. I ended up ordering a large pro pressure suit since they fit small. I was told by a 661 employee who uses the pressure suit that he wore an 05 medium and is now wearing an 06 pro pressure suit in large because of the size difference. It sounds like all 06 pressure suits have slimmed down in sizing this year compared to last. If any of your are looking at getting a pressure suit like me let this info help you in terms of sizing. I'm a 39" chest with average to big arms, 33" waist and i'm going for a large pro pressure suit. Just remember that the newer models have shrunk a little in size.

jesus, seriously. They have gone daineise. That sucks. Looks like I am going to rockgarden for my next armour. Freaking tiny people making tiny stuff for more tiny people.

The arms have always fit small, I had to cut a slit in mine in order to fit my arms in (and out). I used to love 661 because their chest back and shoulders fit me fine, only the length was off.