First Impressions
The Bengio Bumper is a really simple piece of kit so it's rather underwhelming to look at. There is a choice of White, Chrome & Black available, but it's still essentially some high density foam with a fibreglass shell. It appears to be of a quality you would expect for something at the top end of the rib protector price range.
Bengio Bumper, available in White, Chrome & Black
The fibreglass seems to peel away from the foam. But has not gotten any worse in over a year of use.
General Use/Observations
I bought the Bengio as my OMP "Carbon" rib protector had given up and was not providing enough protection on rough tracks.
It was initially hard to say how good the Bengio was, as I already had ribs that were still healing. However, since my ribs have repaired, I have not had a single problem in over a year!
It comes in 7 sizes, which is pretty comprehensive. I went for a Medium as I am not the largest guy in the paddock and could have probably gone down a couple of sizes. The contours/radius of the fibreglass tighten as you go down in size as there is not much movement/flex in it.
I would 100% recommend trying this on before you buy it, even if you can get hold of a fellow racers at the track.
Simple double loop fastener to tighten the protector.
If the protector is too large, the fibreglass panels will pull together at the front, but it also means that when you sit back in the kart the whole rib protector moves forward, leaving a gap between the chest and the front of the protector. This is because the fibreglass panels radius is too large.
I made the mistake of buying one that is too big and it does leave a slight gap at the front. It has to be said though, that this does not effect the efficiency of the rib protector. It still feels comfortable to wear, but I do find myself slackening the double ring fastening when I get out the kart at the end of a race.
Back protection
When wearing the protector under your race suit, be sure to check that any seat bolts are not rubbing excessively against the rib protector. As the fibreglass is so hard it can tend to wear your suit if you have some awkwardly places seat/ballast bolts.
I personally have had no issues with this, but have heard stories of other racers who have. My suit is an AlpineStars K-MX1.
Summary
Besides sounding like a kids fair ground ride, this is a great product which puts function over form. It takes the concept down to basics without any strange ergonomic enhancements and still feels comfortable to wear. If you get the right size you will be very happy with the purchase. Just be sure to try this on the get the best fit. I would also recommend trying on each of the sizes which feel comfortable when sat in a kart.
With no injuries in over a year, and that being the number one goal for this product, I have to recommend it highly.
Pros
- Excellent protection
- Simple
- Good quality
- Hard wearing
Cons
- Sizing correctly is essential if you want to be 100% comfortable (Not so much of a con, than a point to consider when buying)
