A Resurgence | Atlas 2.0 3

Like any sport, motocross has evolved drastically since its inception in the early 1900s. Motorcycles, tracks, riding styles, and everything involved have steadily improved. The evolution of safety equipment was paramount and continues to be at the forefront of the sport's priorities.

You can listen to CEO and inventor of the Atlas neck brace discuss Atlas 2.0, the history of their neck brace, and more below. 

Neck braces became a prominent piece of safety gear for motocross riders in the early 2000s when Leatt introduced their first braces. The brace was designed to protect against extreme forward, backward, and sideways movements. It was found on both professional and amateur riders and was quite popular for a while.

Brady Sheren, inventor and CEO of the Atlas neck brace, is a former professional motocross racer who competed in the Canadian nationals and five seasons of Supercross events up until 2009. Brady and his partner, Brad Mclean, were co-founders of Matrix Concepts, where Brady helped design and engineer numerous products. With experience with CAD (Computer-aided design), he began to design his own brace and founded Atlas Brace together.

The first new product Atlas launched is the Traction boot. They took features typically only found in more expensive boots and were able to position it at $199 retail point, offering a great value for racers and weekend warriors. They are confident it is the best sub-$200 motocross boot available. They also released the youth version of the Traction boot, starting at $139.99.

Over the next 12-24 months, they plan to launch several more products, starting with Peewee and Youth Charger Chest Protectors, a shoulder and ankle brace, followed by a new line of adult body protection, starting with an all-new Defender. All protectors will be available in various configurations, CE levels, and price points.

As Atlas continues to expand into new product categories, the company remains committed to its original philosophy of creating innovative, rider-focused products while maintaining a neutral-branded approach that allows it to be worn by anyone regardless of gear brand preference.

"We are passionate about safety for the youth and want something to offer everyone. I want these kids to have a good experience."  - Brady Sheren

As for the future of the neck brace, Atlas believes it's a fundamental piece of safety equipment. There has been a decline in popularity in recent years, but to recognize why, we need to understand some of the history of neck braces.

Brady designed a neck brace because he wore the Leatt and other braces during his career but believed improvements were necessary. He loved the safety aspect of the neck braces but hated their execution because they weren't usable from a rider's perspective. He was a top Canadian motocross rider and finished fourth in 2008 at the Toronto Supercross and knew what was needed out of protective equipment while riding at a high level, so he went to work.  

The first neck braces were rigid and designed to not move at all, which was counterproductive to how people ride. Brady said, "We were in the era of scrubbing jumps and a lot of movement on the bike. You need something to promote that. The biggest problem was solving for the motion, which is why we came up with the split in the back of the frame." That design allows it to move up and down with the shoulders and mimic movement.

During the design phase, they felt they had some insight into problems with other braces by working with biomechanics engineers involved in injury lawsuits filed against other companies. This led to improvements such as the front suspension, which would catch the helmet and slow down the speed of impact. "Our goal was to keep things in motion while controlling the motion and reducing forces," said Brady.

It took three years of development before Atlas introduced its first brace, but the influence of that brace can be seen in every other company's braces today. They all look similar to the Atlas' design, which is a win for Brady. He said, "I wanted to make the sport safer. If a customer likes Leatt better, go buy that. I'm just happy to see you wearing something. I didn't do this for the money. I care about the sport and the riders."

Over the last twenty years, the use of neck braces has declined. They were all the rage for a few years and almost disappeared overnight. Riders at the pro level weren't wearing them nearly as much, and riders at the local level left theirs at home in the garage. Brady had a couple of thoughts when asked why the decline may have occurred. Leatt's first-generation brace was touted as the 'greatest thing ever,' but it wasn't that great. That may have hurt people's reaction to the product. It took so much time before they got good that people soured on the idea.

Another contributing factor is the loss of pros using them. Having riders such as Ryan Villopoto, Chase Sexton, Jason Anderson, Walker Fowler, and others wearing the braces helped promote them. Atlas has won 31 championships at the highest level of racing, but many riders have stopped wearing them over time due to retirement or restrictions on team and gear deals. That has been a big hurdle.

There is also a belief by some that a neck brace could cause certain injuries, including breaking collar bones. Brady discussed this and said, "It's similar to seat belts. It took 30 years to get seatbelts into law. If you look at the data, they obviously help more than hurt. Yes, there are potential ways you can still get injured, but that's not normal use. The database shows it's overwhelmingly in favor of neck braces. In 20 years, there have been zero world statistical data ever produced. Only positive data from several sources. The seatbelt moment for neck braces is here. You have to consider whether this is better and by how much."

So, how does Atlas return the neck brace to the forefront of riders' equipment choices? One way was to 'engineer their way out' of the mindset that is currently in existence. They released their Vision collar a few years ago, where they removed the front and rear shelf, so it's only built up over the shoulders. The collar handles the compression forces, which are the deadliest. Those are what explode the vertebrae and allow shards into the spinal cord. The Vision protects against that and allows a full range of motion. One of the biggest complaints with neck braces is being unable to see up or down. That has been removed with the Vision, but Brady said the product hasn't had the mass adoption they expected. He believes people who don't wear a brace simply prefer taking the risk, like driving without a seatbelt because it’s more comfortable.

When asked what he would say to someone who is unsure about an Atlas brace, Brady stated, "Gravity isn't going away, and people are going to hit the ground. We have to prepare ourselves for that."

The reality of injuries is a factor all motocross riders are aware of. How you choose to protect yourself or your child is an important decision and should not be taken lightly. We all want the opportunity to throw a leg over our motorcycles tomorrow, so we wear the protection we believe is right for us. Atlas wants to be a factor in your choice, so visit AtlasBrace.com to see all they have to offer.