The Demon FlexForce X V6 impact top is heavy duty, expensive, and overkill for a lot of riders. That’s the point.
This is not the kind of armour you forget you’re wearing. It’s built for people who crash while learning, pushing progression, riding park, or riding MTB and want to get back up without paying for it all week.
If you’re cruising groomers, you probably don’t need this. If you’re sick of bruised ribs, sore shoulders and dialing things back because it hurts, this starts to make a lot of sense.
I’ve ridden and taught in this enough now to know where it shines and who should actually spend the money. That’s what this review is about.
Full Review
I’ve ridden and taught in the FlexForce X V6 across normal resort days, progression-focused sessions and situations where falling was part of the plan. Not every day, and not casually. This is the kind of armour you choose deliberately.
The first time I saw it in person, my honest reaction was laughter. There is a ridiculous amount of padding on this thing. Shoulders, ribs, elbows, chest, back. It looks like something you’d wear if you were fully expecting to hit the ground hard repeatedly (which I often am).
That impression didn’t really change when I put it on. It feels serious. You know you’re wearing armour. It has a sort of Robocop appearance without layers, but somehow manages to blend in quite well under a jersey or jacket.
After riding in it, and especially after taking a few proper hits (particularly on my MTB in Whistler last summer), it started to make sense.
1. Comfort & Fit
For something with this much padding, the fit is better than it has any right to be.
I’m 5 foot 10, around 200 lbs, and wear a large in this. That’s also my normal size in jackets and tops. Bascially, the sizing feels true. It’s snug, but it’s meant to be. The armour needs to sit close to the body so it stays where it should when you crash.
Once it’s on and adjusted, it doesn’t shift. The shoulder and elbow pads stay aligned, the rib and chest padding doesn’t float around, and nothing rides up when you’re bending, sitting on lifts, or hiking. That alone puts it ahead of a lot of bulky protection.
Comfort is obviously relative with gear like this. You are aware you’re wearing armour. But the articulation through the ribs and abdomen makes a big difference. You can twist, bend and reach without feeling locked up. Arm mobility is better than it looks when you first see it.
Breathability is decent for the amount of coverage. The lycra and mesh do their job, but on warm days you will feel it. This isn’t something I’d throw on for spring slush laps unless I had a reason – like when I was trying (and failing) to learn backflips. For colder days, park sessions, or high-consequence riding, it’s completely manageable.
The short version is that it’s as comfortable as full upper body armour gets. Certainly far more wearable than you’d expect given how much protection is packed into it.
2. Protection
There is a lot going on here. Shoulders, elbows, ribs, chest, back, lower back. All the places that normally end a session early are covered.
The back protection is the standout. It spreads impact well and takes the edge off hard landings that would usually leave you riding stiff for the rest of the day. It doesn’t feel like a hard slab, but it definitely changes how much punishment your spine takes.
The rib and side padding might be the most underrated part of this top. Side slams and awkward tumbles are where a lot of injuries come from, and this is exactly the kind of armour that stops those hits from ruining your week.
The chest protection is removable, which I actually like. I tend to keep it in for park riding, learning new tricks, and biking, and take it out occasionally on mellower days. It’s proper impact protection, not just padding, and having the option makes sense.
Shoulders and elbows are well protected without killing mobility. You can still move naturally, but when you catch an edge or go down awkwardly, you don’t get that sharp, bone-on-snow hit that lighter protection lets through. The hard, plastic outer-layer feels pretty bulletproof.
This is absolutely more protection than most skiers and snowboarders need. But if you’re crashing regularly as part of progression, it lets you keep riding instead of backing off because everything hurts. For mountain biking, this level of protection is extremely smart.
It doesn’t make you invincible. You still feel impacts. But it turns big, session-ending hits into something you shake off and keep riding from.
3. Durability
For how much you pay for this, durability matters.
So far, the FlexForce X V6 has taken a proper beating without showing signs of giving up. The stitching around the high-impact zones has held, the mesh hasn’t stretched out and the padding hasn’t shifted or gone soft.
I’ve crashed in it on snow and on a bike, packed it into bags, layered it under different shells and generally treated it like gear rather than something precious. Nothing has loosened or felt compromised.
The zips are solid, the elastic hasn’t lost tension, and the padding still sits exactly where it should. That’s reassuring.
Long term, this feels like something you buy once and keep using, but I guess time will tell.
4. Tech Features
The core of this top is the mix of D3O and XRD. They’re doing slightly different jobs.
D3O is used in the main impact zones like the back, shoulders, elbows and chest. It stays flexible while you move, then stiffens on impact to spread force. This is why the armour doesn’t feel like hard plastic when you’re riding but still takes the sting out of proper hits.
XRD is added in key areas to back that up. XRD is a high-energy absorbing foam that compresses on impact and dissipates force rather than rebounding it straight back into your body. In real terms, it’s there to deal with heavier, sharper impacts and repeated hits. You notice it most in the ribs and side zones, where cheaper armour tends to feel thin or non-existent.
Coverage is extensive, but the important part is that it’s articulated. The rib and abdomen padding is segmented so it moves when you twist or bend, instead of acting like one stiff block. That’s a big reason this is wearable at all.
The side zip entry sounds minor, but it matters with armour this substantial. It makes getting in and out much easier, especially when you’re layered up or tired at the end of the day.
The removable chest protector is another sensible choice. I keep it in for park riding, progression and biking, and occasionally remove it on mellower days. It’s proper impact protection, not decorative padding, so having the option is useful.
The X-Connect system is worth explaining clearly. This top can physically connect to Demon impact shorts, creating continuous protection from your shoulders down through your hips without a gap at the waist.
In crashes where armour normally rides up and leaves your lower back exposed, this keeps everything where it should be. It’s one of those things you don’t think about until you’ve had it happen. Snow/ice burn freaking sucks!
Ventilation comes from a lycra and mesh construction. It’s not lightweight armour, and it’s not pretending to be, but airflow is managed as well as it realistically can be for this level of protection.
5. Any Downsides?
Yeah. A few. And they’re worth being clear about.
First is the obvious one. This thing is bulky. Even though it moves better than you’d expect, you are never going to forget you’re wearing it. If you want something subtle or low profile, this is the wrong product.
Second is heat. The ventilation is good for what it is, but it’s still full upper body armour. On warm spring days or during high-output riding, you will feel it. This is not something I reach for unless I have a reason.
Third is the price. This is a serious investment and for a lot of riders it simply doesn’t make sense. If you’re not crashing regularly or pushing progression, you’re paying for protection you’ll never fully use. Obviously if you have the spare funds though, this is a moot point.
Finally, it’s overkill for some people. That’s not a flaw in the product, but it will be a dealbreaker for plenty of skiers and snowboarders (less so with MTB riders – most will benefit from solid protection). You need to actually want this level of protection.
If none of that puts you off, you’re probably the right audience.
6. Pros & Cons
Who These are For
This is for riders who accept that falling is part of progression and want to keep pushing without constantly nursing injuries.
If you’re learning tricks, riding park, teaching, coaching, or progressing aggressively, this kind of protection makes a real difference. Same goes if you ride MTB – most mountain bikers would benefit from the protection provided by Flexforce.
It’s also a solid choice if you’ve had rib, shoulder, or back issues in the past and don’t want one bad slam to take you out for weeks. This is the sort of gear that lets you ride harder, more often and with less hesitation.
If you know you crash, and you’re honest about that, you’ll get the value out of this.
Who These Are NOT For
If you mostly cruise groomers, ride mellow terrain, or rarely hit the ground, this is possibly unnecessary.
It’s also not for people who want low-profile protection they can forget about. You will feel this. You will notice it. That’s the trade-off for the coverage.
And if you’re put off by price, bulk, or the idea of wearing full upper body armour, there are lighter options that make far more sense (such as the Ghost back protector with some Zero RF D3O impact shorts). You don’t need to buy this just because it exists.
This is a deliberate choice, not a default one.
Final Thoughts
The FlexForce X V6 Impact Top is not trying to be subtle, and it’s not pretending to suit everyone.
It’s expensive, bulky and unapologetically protective. But if you are the kind of rider who crashes as part of learning, it does exactly what it’s supposed to do. It takes hits that would normally end a session and turns them into something you shake off and ride away from.
I don’t wear this every day. I wouldn’t want to. But on days when progression matters more than comfort, this is the kind of armour that lets you commit without holding back. I would never have landed my first backflip or tamedog without this little beauty!
If you need this level of protection, it’s worth the money. If you don’t, you’ll know pretty quickly that it’s not for you.
Personally, I love mine. Hope that helps.
Demon Flexforce Impact Top FAQs
That matters because it means the protection is tested to a real standard, not just “thick foam that feels reassuring.”
If you cruise groomers and rarely hit the ground, you do not necessarily need full upper body armour like this.
If you are progressing, riding park, teaching, or crashing regularly, it can be worth every penny.
It is not a lightweight trail jersey protector. It is proper protection, built to survive heavy impacts.
For reference, I wear a large at 5 foot 10 and 200 lbs, which is also my normal size in most clothing.
If you are between sizes or plan to layer underneath, sizing up usually makes life easier.
I tend to keep it in for park days, progression sessions and biking, then remove it occasionally when I want a little more comfort on mellow days.
Under a normal resort shell with a bit of room, it blends in better than you’d expect. Under a slim fitted jacket, it can feel tight and look bulky.
If your jacket already fits snug without armour, you may need more room.
Ventilation is decent for full armour, but on warm spring days or high output riding, you will feel it.
On colder days, it’s completely manageable.
The point is simple. It helps stop your armour riding up and leaving your lower back exposed during crashes. If you fall a lot, it’s genuinely useful.
Do not throw it in a hot wash or a dryer. Heat is not your friend with armour padding, elastic, and mesh.
