ION bike products’ new Scrub Amp body armor promises to deliver the protection you need for enduro, freeride & other aggressive all-mountain riding, without the extra bulk of conventional hardshell armor. MTB protection has already seen huge boosts in comfort and rideability with the advent of soft, flexible viscoelastic armor, but Ion’s new padded Scrub Amp shorts, vest & long sleeve jersey hope to make riding protection even more seamless…
ION Protection Scrub Amp low-profile MTB body armor
Ion has been producing lightweight, well-ventilated protection for mountain bikers for many years, coming to the trail from the water, wakeboarding protection & wetsuits. Most of that had been focused on knee & elbow pads reinforced with ‘smart’ viscoelastic SasTec pads – and their pads that I reviewed three years back are still some of the most comfortable I’ve ever ridden. But now they have introduced the integrated Scrub Amp body armor, with unobtrusive SasTec protection stitched right into two close fitting shorts, a vest & long sleeve jersey.
The idea of seamless, integrated protection boils down simply to something like… forget about your protection, just focus on riding.
Ion Scrub Amp Protection Long Sleeve jersey
The 190€ Scrub Amp jersey packs in almost all the protection you would get in a more rigid MTB armored jacket, but without the feeling of the hulk riding around in a set of football shoulder pads. The jersey fits snug like a long-sleeve synthetic baselayer, which it is actually – using a lightweight vented but not transparent mesh for the patterned portion. But the tougher polyamide/nylon black panels hide five SasTec pads sewn in, remaining flexible until they become rigid to absorb & dissipate an impact’s force.
The back of the jersey has a removable Level-1 SasTec & Expandable Polypropylene back protector, while the arms get a newer “very flexible & super-thin” SAS-TEC padding to bring Level-1 protection to your elbows and shoulders. A long side zipper makes it easy to get in & out while maintaining a snug fit, plus, it even adds a couple of standard rear jersey pockets to carry small items on your ride. The LS jersey/baselayer comes in all black or this black/white pattern, and can be worn on its own or under a loose fit long-sleeve jersey.
Scrub Amp Protection Vest
The 140€ Scrub Amp vest features the same construction as the long-sleeve jersey, just pared down to the essential protection. Designed specifically for riders who don’t want to wear a protector backpack while riding, this armored vest has the same removable Level-1, lightweight Expandable Polypropylene SasTec back protector that is good for multiple impacts while retaining breathability.
For the vest, Ion also adds some high-density memory foam under the two rear jersey pockets so you don’t get poked with a multi-tool when you tumble down the bikepark. The vest comes in the same AOP black/white pattern, or all black.
Scrub Amp Protection Short & Short_Plus
For the Ion protection shorts, there are two versions – the 140€ version with a chamois pad and a 120€ version without – both available in the AOP pattern or black. Both otherwise share the same form-fitting mesh & nylon construction as the tops, integrating their own lightweight protection.
Both pairs of shorts sew-in five shock absorbing SasTec pads on the outside of each hip, each thigh, and over your tailbone just below the waistband. The slightly more expensive Plus shorts get a premium dual-thickness SQlab chamois pad for long days in the saddle.
Ion Scrub Amp body armor – Availability
All of the new Scrub Amp Protection is available now direct from ION, as well as updated versions of their K-Traze (pull-on) & K-Traze Amp (zip-off) knee pads, E-Traze pull-on elbow pads, and knee-high protection BD-Socks v2 to stop pedals from chewing up your shins.
