If you are looking for a motocross neck brace for your kids then you have come to the right place!
There are some really awesome youth motocross neck braces available on the market this year and parents are really spoiled for choice in the neck brace department.
So I decided to send out my junior test riders to test the below neck braces and let me know which ones were their favorite.
If you are looking for a motocross neck brace review for adults, click here.
#1 Leatt Youth GPX 5.5 Junior Neck Brace – $300
Leatt is the very best neck brace technology in the world hands down in my opinion.
Leatt have the most experience in the neck brace field and they are the company who invented the neck brace for motorcycles in the first place.
The Leatt Youth GPX 5.5 Junior Neck Brace represents the very finest in neck brace technology that money can buy and is first on my list.
The Leatt Youth GPX 5.5 Junior Neck Brace is the very best for a few reasons.
Firstly, its made of a high strength, flexible plastic (polymide resin) that is strong enough to handle and absorb big impacts but flexible enough to move with the natural body movements of a rider.
Secondly, this neck brace has the greatest adjust-ability features out of any other neck brace on the market with 4 adjustment settings (surefit) on the front chest mounts and 6 on the rear thoracic struts.
This level of adjust-ability means that not only can you fit the neck brace perfectly, you can also adjust it to meet the developing shape of a child.
Also, the shoulder pads are perfectly positioned so they don’t rub up on the riders collarbone which can be a real nuisance with other neck braces.
The other great feature of the GPX 5.5 is that in addition to the release clip at the side of the neck brace, it also features a safety screw on the other side to be able to release the neck brace in the even of an emergency.
Also, as another safety feature, the Leatt rear struts are designed to break away at a precise level of impact so the strut doesn’t cause further injury to the riders neck. Very nice!
The GPX 5.5 comes with a body strap to keep the neck brace firmly in place on the riders shoulders.
Leatt Youth GPX 5.5 Sizing Chart
Yes, this chart is rubbish so here is the interpretation –
Youth size = 29.5 – 32.5 inches around the chest.
If your junior rider is larger around the chest than 32.5 inches, then you will need to buy the small/medium model.
If you are looking for the very best in neck protection for your junior champ, the Leatt GPX 5.5 is it!
#2 Leatt Youth GPX 3.5 Junior Neck Brace – $200
The Leatt GPX 3.5 is the model that was built before the 5.5. Although it is older than the 5.5 model, it still has huge amounts of Leatt built safety and engineering in it and is great value for 200 bucks.
The GPX 3.5 is made from the same Polymide resin materials as the 5.5 model and is tough as hell.
Although the front chest mount and the rear thoracic strut don’t contain the same amount of adjustable features, the rear thoracic strut can be adjusted to suit a wider or narrower back mounting position to get the fit right.
The brace contains plenty of padding for good comfort levels and the neck brace comes with a chest strap to keep the neck brace firmly in position on the rides shoulders.
My junior test pilots highly recommended it for its comfort and lightweight features.
Leatt Youth GPX 3.5 Sizing Guide
Youth size = 29.5 – 32.5 inches around the chest.
If your junior rider is larger around the chest than 32.5 inches, then you will need to buy the small/medium model.
#3 Atlas Prodigy Youth Neck Brace – $242
I really like the Atlas Prodigy neck brace and it ticks all the boxes for comfort, adjust-ability, safety and flexibility. They also look like a million bucks and the kids love their look and graphics!
The Atlas Prodigy neck brace will give you 6 different mounting positions on the rear thoracic struts to give you the perfect fit and flexibility to adjust when your junior rider changes shape over time.
Also, the Atlas Prodigy is the exact same design as its older brother (the Atlas Air for adults) in that the 2 rear sides of the neck brace are connected together by a rubber tether that flexes up and down. This is called ‘split flex frame’ technology.
This split flex system allows the brace to flex with the natural movements of your body while you are riding. Nice!
I think this level of flexibility is a great idea because we all know how much our bodies move around when we ride, and a neck brace needs to move with the body effectively to maintain its safety qualities.
The Prodigy also has chest mounts that are slightly flexible that ensure a snug fit. It also comes with a body strap to secure the neck brace down firmly onto the shoulders.
Overall, my test pilots really liked the Atlas Prodigy for its comfort and they also told me that they couldn’t even feel it on because it was so light.
The atlas Prodigy was also my junior test pilots first choice because of the crazy bright colors and graphics that are available they they thought were super cool.
Atlas Prodigy Youth Sizing Guide
Youth………….. 29″ – 33″ Chest
If your junior champ wants the Atlas Prodigy but is smaller than 29 inches around their chest, go with the Atlas Tyke ($180).
The Atlas Tyke is a smaller replica of the Atlas Prodigy but with a bit less adjust-abilty in the rear thoracic strut.
Atlas Tyke Youth Sizing Guide
Youth………….. 24″ – 28″ Chest
#4 Budget Option – EVS Youth R4 Neck Support – $100
The EVS neck braces are known for their simple, light weight design and comfortable fit and the youth R4 neck support is no different.
Weighing at at only 0.85 of a pound, the EVS youth R4 is one of the lightest youth neck braces on the market right now.
The Youth R4 is very comfortable to wear according to my junior test riders and the rubberized edges provide good comfort and reduces pressure points around the shoulders.
Getting in and out is simple with a seat belt like clip at the front that releases on a push button system.
EVS Youth R4 Neck Support Fitting Guide.
Another point that I like about EVS neck braces is that it is a ‘1 size fits all’ approach which is great for kids.
EVS recommends that the Youth R4 will fit kids up to 5’3″ and under 105 lbs
Also, the rear strut of the neck brace has some adjust-ability to get a good snug fit for the back
If you are looking for a cheap motocross knee brace for kids that fits a wide range of kids sizes, you can’t go past the EVS R4 Youth.
Overall, the EVS R4 Youth protects against all 4 types of neck injuries (axial compression, hyperflexion, hyperextension and lateral hyperflexion)
My junior test pilot reports that it doesn’t fit as well as Leatt or Atlas but it is still comfortable and he had no problems with it.
#5 Leatt Youth Neck Brace and Chest Protector Combo -$229
If you are tired of making sure that the neck brace and chest protector work together, get yourself the Leatt Youth Fusion Vest 2.0 Junior.
This Leatt youth neck brace and chest protector combo is a complete neck and body armor solution from Leatt.
The body armor is not just a roost deflector! Everything from Leatt is certified for impact protection and the Leatt Youth Fusion Vest 2.0 Junior is no different.
This rig offers complete certified impact protection for the front, side (flank) back and shoulders as well as a Leatt trusted neck protection as well in an ‘all in one’ setup, very cool!
Certified impact protection means that the body armor has been tested by impact robots that smash the hell out of the armor. So it can take very hard hits to the front, back and sides and protect protect the rider from damage (which a simple roost deflector can’t do).
The neck brace closely resembles the GPX 5.5 with adjustable Thoracic struts, collarbone cutout areas on the shoulder pads and a polymide resin chassis that is permanently fixed to the body armor. No body strap needed!
My junior pilots report that it is comfortable to wear and is also a huge time saver to put on and take off when compared to putting on separate neck brace and body armor.
Unfortunately we started with a size that was too small and had to move up one size to get the right fit. After that though they reported it to be comfortable to wear and it definitely boosted their riding confidence.
Leatt Youth Fusion Vest 2.0 Junior
Take your time with getting this sizing right. The measurement is taken around the riders waist and there are 3 model sizes to choose from.
Small/medium …….. 21 inch – 25.5 inch
Large/Xlarge ……….. 25.5 – 29.5
XXL …………………………. 29.5 – 34 inch
Conclusion
Which model of kids motocross neck braces do you use for your junior champ? Let me know in the below comments and if you likes this article, please give it a share on social media.
Happy riding!
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