Slow down and ride within your ability is a great suggestion Sled Dog.........BUT, what about the guy coming down the trail towards you who is not playing by the same rules?
Regardless, any way you slice it, wearing the equipment that was intended for the individual sport would be my suggestion. Alot of time, research, and engineering goes into testing the equipment out (whether be Tek Vest, hockey pads, MX pads) in the arena in which it is intended for. Some may say $2-300 bucks for a Tek Vest is way overpriced for what it is, however, others that may have gotten into an accident and the Tek Vest saved them from injury (or worse!) will tell you it is the best $2-300 bux they ever spend). Better spent money than the $300 high performance skis, better money than the cool billet wheels (cha-ching!), better than the mods that made them go faster (which can be thousands of dollars sometimes). Can you really put a $2-300 price tag on one's own protection or piece of mind?
But the good point made is some protection is better than none. If it was just you that you had to worry about on the trails, I would say sure, you might be ok without wearing a vest or some sort protection. But the truth is there are alot of yahoos (just read the local papers during snowmobile season about the accidents and deaths. And let's not forget all the incidents that go unreported) that do not play by the same rules of safety that you or I do.
It is just like having insurance for your sled.. You pay alot of money for something you may never ever use. But the moment you need it (ie sled gets stolen or damaged...or ya get stopped on the trail at a check point..hahaha) you are thankful you have it. And sometimes it is just about piece of mind knowing it is there if you need it
With that said, whaddaya think Rich? Did I hear something about group buy?
--Steve (O.C.)