Absolutely Insane!! Leatt's Greed Might Have Cost Lives! 

The same thing happened to me in 2013 but fortunately I wasn’t paralyzed. I had the 1st gen Leatt and was riding in the sand dunes and got high sided and ended up getting spit off the bike and flew backwards and landed on my back. The part of the leatte brace that sticks up ended up catching the sand like a scoop and pushed the brace into my back, breaking my T-2,T-3,T-4 and then the brace broke in half and rolled down my back breaking my T-10 as well. I called Leatt to discuss how to prevent this in the future and if they could do anything to help me out like with even a new brace and they refused and wouldn’t even do that. They just told me it probably saved me from being completely paralyzed. I strongly disagree with that considering the sand was soft and it was the force of the hard brace pushing into my spine but hey… I guess it’s still possible I could have broke something without it but I really think it was highly unlikely given the scenario. The main reason i didn’t push litigation is because it would be hard to prove but it’s pretty obvious to anyone who looks at the situation. Anyway Brad I’m sorry that happened to you. Thanks for sharing your story and I wish you the best!

Ryan Hughes’ cheque is in the mail 😂

I had same thing with my back in 2012. T2-t8 is fused together now. An it was about a month before that crash I stopped wearing it because I thought it could happen. The t4-t5 exploded an pushed bone pieces near my spinal cord. Less then 1/32 was a piece of bones on my spinal cord. Was strapped to a bad for 5 days before they could find the drs to do the surgery. They flown drs in from diff parts of the country to do it. 21 hours of surgery. After a few months I got back on my feet. God bless u man. Happy ur alive.

RYNO told us all they were bad news im goin with the ryno power thoughts on that one

Something happened to me in 2014, but it wasn’t a Leatt. It was another huge company that drastically changed their neck brace the following year.

Thanks for making this. I was about to buy a Leatt MTB helmet

I ended up having a career ending injury that caused so much suffering, pain depression and complete life changing trauma that is like nothing else you can imagine it too!! 😅

Had a T5T6 fractures from my first gen leatt brace in November. Wasn’t even that bad of a crash.

I love the smx and the plate coloring

i know another person who is paralyzed and the drs attribute to his leatt brace, this was years and years ago

can somebody knowledgeable please talk to me. i have the new generation leatt, i crashed a few years ago with it and very badly sprained the back of my neck. I don't know if the brace did that or not, but what I'm asking if I should get a different brace or not wear one at all, ive heard all about them causing injuries and paralyzing

There is a lot to unpack here and as a person who loves bikes and wants to do it as safely as possible, there is way to much bullsh** online about something so important as rider safety. First thing is that Leatt should have done better. ALOT better. Each incident should have been investigated (as in properly investigated, by engineers) and findings made public. Leatt should have done better for the riders. I suspect as a growing company they were unprepared to face what what obviously coming. Second each incident has his own unique circumstances/dynamics but I think it's a safe assumption that a large majority of crashes that would break your spine by pressure on your back from the rear neck brace support, would destroy the same person's neck if the brace was not there. From just scrolling the comments, it's clear there are indeed circumstances where the design of the brace have lead to serious injury that otherwise would not have happened (rear scoop catching the ground is one, twisting of the brace another). Both of these can be designed out of it, and hopefully have, but again it should have been dealt with properly. Third, and most importantly, there is now hard statistical data, showing that a rider is safer using a neck brace. In the end of the day each person decision is it's own but I would like to see LESS disinformation online on something so important.

I got folded on a a star neck brace and broke my back maby it helped but i do believe i may have been better without not shore but i don't ride with them At end of the day it makes your spine stiff in space and i was told if they fussed my spine no more riding

Jantz Grodzicki, Brandon Mays, Brandon Winfield…

I love the content. Just be careful throwing abound these accusations some of these guys have backers with bankers that can break you.

I don't notice any of the pros wearing the see things anymore.

My cousin is an Alpinestars medic. She advises against them.

Great interview!

i had one i shit canned it after a month

If Leatt sues, they open themselves up to discovery in court when all internal communications can be made public. That would likely open them up to huge lawsuits. If they threatened to sue me, my response would be “bring it on!”

My brother in a wheel chair cause the bullshit leeatt brace. But nobody cared unless u rich

Spot on. I've asked to to talk before now when can we talk about 6D and what thay used to garente

This is really bad reporting, I have 2 degrees in biomechanics and physiology. This brqce does not affect the movement of the upper thoracic or the cervical spine. Or EVERY pair of football shoulder pads would be removed in the country from all manufacturers. Same concept of neck restraint in the rear

My dear ortho friend (doctor for 30 years) who also rides, TRULY believes its caused more SHOULDER DISLOCATIONS than we could ever imagine

I don't see ANY of the pro riders wearing this stuff!! So i think they know something!!!

Those things also broke a lot of collar bones

How many LONG time leatt reps are in industry? That should tell you.

I'm glad I saw this, I'm older now and have been riding for fifty years now a days I replace safely gear more often and I was definitely considering Leatt for neck brace and helmet, no way in Hell I will ever purchase anything from that company...

do the ama let you ride with a 10 year old lid , NO ...so why dont the ama ban these its old and poor tech !! leatt make some great gear but that shits me they wont recall and destroy these products

Leatt had rusting D rings on their high end helmets and would refuse to initially warranty anyone because they claimed it was a user maintenance issue. They got exposed and shamed by an aussie channel (cross training enduro). And even after that, they still tried to dismiss my claim, blamed the rusting on me, but when they finally agreed to replace, they wanted to replace my top tier carbon helmet with a 3rd tier ABS heavy mellon helmet. Lukily my store took their replacement helmet and gave me a credit and i bought a way better helmet. Leatt is a trash company i will never support.

His crash sounds very similar to mine. I completely shattered my C6 and a quadriplegic 23 years that brace transferred the energy down lower. I’d give anything to have had that brace on. I’ve would have been thanking God to be a paraplegic. And he should be thanking God every day. He’s a paraplegic. Paraplegic is damn near able body to my view. He should be thankful. This is motocross you put your life on the line every time you swing your leg over the bike go in peace.

I had a leatt first gen when it first came out. Right when I was getting on a 65. My dad forced me to wear it but it was so uncomfortable and felt unnatural. The only other option at the time was the A stars. Unfortunately being like 8, I didn’t get much say so in wearing it

Brad = I can’t image the dark place that you had to come from after an injury like you had, causing you to lose the ability to walk. You are a inspiration to others.

So glad you're not afraid to broadcast the truth Cooksey! Must confess, I've been a fan of/purchase Leatt riding gear. After seeing their philosophy in action, no more Leatt gear for me. The industry doesn't need companies like this.

Funny enough we have a leatt neckbrace that clips together and sits on the shoulders and nothing on the spine and he doesn't wear it even with a previous spine injury that almost crippled him

I remember the first day I saw one at a track here in Japan years ago, I turned to a mate and said 'I wouldn't wear that, looks like a lack of flexability thing. On this subject, I really like the old school solid rib cage chest protector style (granted it cound get cought on stuff but I felt like a frikken Legionary compared to the high hanging light flexing protectors that came later). Anyhoo, the Bloke gets hurt, then meets a babe! Now that's a story.

I was also paralyzed from the leatt brace. Injury is right where the leatt brace presses into your back

..just a nice one, thank You man. I do push my own 5 yrs son to wear this shit! It's great You are speaking up, You are the only one actually who is doing so. Don't stop, please. Miroslav

*IF* these were causing injury all in the *T-5* area I'm sure there's been successful lawsuits (I don't believe his lawyer took money to drop the case *IF* that were true, he would no longer be a lawyer) *NOT DEFENDING LAWYERS* but personal injury cases get dropped *I got screwed also* because injury lawyers take a risk upfront hoping for a payday on the backside. My first lawyer dropped me a couple years into the case which left me with only one option. My second lawyer duo had to practically start over it went another 5 years of research experts depositions etc. Right before going to trial (which becomes the battle of the experts) they dropped me & took the loss rather than investing the trial (they'll make their money back off somebody else's successful lawsuit.) Although our cases are different he's injured @T-5 Im injured @T-8 he was suing *Leatt* a $50Million dollar company I was suing *Nissan* a $11Billion dollar company

OK so here we go again, look Brad, seems like a nice legit guy! I hate that it happened to him. But where are the facts, again I am just hearing opinion, perception and no evidence re the brace itself causing the injury! I know medical staff first hand and their lack knowledge of our sport. As to how Leatt USA handled the situation It doesn't sound good, I would hope at least they would investigate and try to ascertain more information, so be very disappointing if this is true or again is this perception? Same with the warehouse stock is that your opinion or actual facts? If so show us them! Car manufactures for example put out new models' of defected cars and spend millions defending them yet people still buy them, sometimes there are recalls, but only when independently verified, these are very powerful corporations. I would like to see a true real independent body that meets safety standards, but where will it come from how will it be funded, we do have certain standards that every other device has to meet! So these devices have always met or exceeded those? Yet there is factual studies and information online if people take some time. I have broken my neck, without a brace! I have worn 3 generations since including the first gen! I have crashed my brains out multiple times while wearing a brace since without a concussion and I have had my share when I raced without one. I know the feeling even after a good crash in latter and in my early days as helmets were so strong and heavy, not all are created equal, so many variables, fit body type etc I always wore Snell std back then. I have no affiliation to Leatt or anyone else who makes moto products, I'm just an old dirtbiker who still loves riding and still rides 2strokes! I still wear a full plastic chest and back protector, still wear a Kidney belt, frankly I think by the times some of todays guys get to their 50s they will be so f**d up by the stupidity that dirtbikers convince each other of today there bodies are going to hurt like hell, good luck with that! I just want to point out a few things everything takes development and improves overtime even slowly, we more than anyone should know and appreciate that, to somehow associate the change in later gen neck braces was due to this injury or others I just don't have words for, I think it was a natural progression as were many other aspects of the brace! Much down to user error. But it did need improvements, I felt that as soon as I got onto the newer gens. We also didn't have 6D helmet technology back then either or even before that, helmets had basically been constructed the same ways since the 70s, not much had changed. Some carbon woop de do, just increased cost. My Dads best friend died from a fall on his dirtbike at near walking speed, in a corner wearing a Bell Helmet, not previously damaged he died from the head impact, should Bell be slandered, I wore Bells for many years as they were much better in my perception when I was able to buy my own helmets, it didn't put me off, though frankly not many other choices, Arai I guess back then, but the new 3 then 4 came out then 5. more about looks and marketing though the ALS FF was and sill is my fav, yet DB got paralyzed and one of the most technically sound riders ever! PTO

I’m glad you do stories like this never find any leait again

Can you make a short with donation info Friday or Saturday? I'd like to donate after payday. Thanks!

Thats why you don't were neck braces duh! I broke both legs with knee braces.. rynos right no braces period, you gotta stay limp and flexible.

Hughes has been saying these are garbage for years

Delete your 2nd Insta post from 2012 Brad 😂😂

I have often worried about the section of the brace that the back of the helmet makes contact with. That section sticks out so in theory when you land on your back that section will touch the ground first and push against your nsck and your upper spine where your neck meets the base of your skull.

Someone has to answer this question for me, if you have a shell chest protector and the neck brace Aline’s on top of the chest protector then is it still possible of hitting your actual back

I like the air bag suits like they have in Flat Track now .

I had a leatte neck brace 1st generation and never knew the risk. I gave it away with gear but now I wish I threw it in the garbage

Disclaimer I’m commenting this before watching the whole video. I am a paraplegic also that was wearing a EVS brace when I got hurt. Yes those braces put pressure on our T4 T3 area but there’s no guarantee it hasn’t saved some from a neck injury. I’d take being a paraplegic over a quadriplegic all day.

K dub was rocking those when they first came out

Inspiring as Mitch P.

I had 7 different shoulder/collar bone injuries while wearing my leatt until I finally put it down due to the seemingly increased load it puts on your shoulders when crashing.

Yup, broke my shoulder blade and separated my ac joint while wearing a leatt. Was a pretty simple crash, too. Was a deep sand track and just got sucked into the sand on the landing of a maybe 50’-60’ table. I firmly believe that if I hadn’t worn the leatt, neither injury would have happened.

LS2 helmets come with a blow up horse shoe looking doughnut thing that fits perfect around your neck. There is no need for those expensive contraptions that do more injuries than they do to protect your c spine. The idea is to prevent the whipping action of your neck and that free doughnut with that helmet does the job, period !!!

True @Cooganbeggs. Anyone that been to Rhynos great schools, training, etc. He doubted them and got me to put mine down. He had privie to it being released to soon and not tested and approved, he felt, properly not to hurt Leatt but to warn riders but Leatt moved forward to be 1st in market. Hope the youngman gets back to were he wants to be. Peace.. 1 broken collarbone with plates and screws.

It's the sport unfortunately , it's motocross, not balay, not tennis, if u keep going on with this shit, it will be no ruts, table tops flat track or, governed

After seeing this vid and seeing the comments from other people on this particular neck brace. I have now made the decision to place mine on the mantelpiece permanently. I will research for a better product but not by Leatts. Thanks for your info. Cheers to the both of you. 🇦🇺

Good for you. awesome man stay strong you are killing it. I honestly saw those and new they were a bad idea. Now i see this. wow. My mom hated dirt bikes too.

@cookseymedia - When are you going to do another political video?

20:46 God made us, we cant make people cooksey.

Keeps unsubscribeing me cooksey 😊

We know you are all about clicks, some due diligence would be good before posting this. Research Lyons vs. Leatt and Scarvelli vs Leatt. Probably pretty smart his attorney walked away if his compensation was based on % of judgement

Y wood you put

Cooksey! I need your help bringing an issue to light. USAC, the sanctioning body for Downhill MTB Racing here in the states, does a horrendous job at hosting safe events. Last year, I lacerated my kidney at US Nationals and was hospitalized for over a week. At Nationals this year (just two weeks ago) someone died due to the same factors from 2023. There are a ton of isssues, including negligence, greed, and refusal to mitigate safety factors. I had to hire a lawyer and I can only assume another lawsuit is headeder their way. An NDA was never signed so I would love to speak out, but I don't have a platform. I'm also a Las Vegas resident.

As a racer witnessed a rider crash wearing a Leaat neck brace severed his carotid artery resulting in his death,never wore a neck brace after! Sad day as a racer!

There’s a concept in clinical psychology that we see the world as we are. “People don’t seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

This channel is turning into Moto Fox News 😂

Well done Cooksey!

Well done Cooksey #1

One of my good riding buddies almost lost his life from an original Leatt brace. It twisted on his neck and cut his throat nearly missing his carotid arteries. Scary situation for sure!

I dont think ill ever do a Leatt or any other neck brace, but their pads like knees are absolutely amazing. I hope the best to all.

Good work cooksey

This also happened to me in 2013 with a 1st generation leatt neck brace. I fractured C1, C2 and T7 when my crank locked up mid air over a 60 foot triple and I was wearing that brace. I was fortunate enough to not have to suffer more damaging injuries but I always wandered if the brace had anything to do with it. Shame on Leatt for such terrible decisions made

Definitely puttin that ol crap in the can. Tonight. Man what a story

Great reporting 🙏. Prayer for the injured🙏

Another great video bro! 😊

I can't say right or wrong! But, thanks for talking about safety again, Cooks'! Very lucky never was hurt like that. Used the first generation also, worked at BMW Motorrad those days Leatt came on market and get one for free testing. That time Leatt and BMW Motorrad really tried hard to bring more safety to the customers. I stopped using it like Ryno explained lately. It is big, heavy and kind of stopping moving on the motorycle and sometimes, when a I really moving backwards had problems with my view for the track 'cause the visor from the helmet was to low. For me this is to dangerous. It is limitting my view! I bought a Ortema ONB Neck Brace. They always had this split protection in the back and the whole brace is more soft. In that time I see a lot of helmets were designed expecially in the back for the use of braces. The question is, using them without a brace is more dangerous? Friend of me had Sinisalo protector, 20 + years ago, the hard plastic edge on the shoulder transferred so much energy that he tore off his shoulder straps. A fall on a winter enduro bike on ice at relatively low speed. My latest protection follows, no hard protection (only helmet), make it round and soft. ARAI MX-V, fully go with the ARAI philosophy here without no edges Zandona Soft-Active Jacket PRO Ortema X-Pants LP EVS SX-02 (long version, they don't sell it anymore.) SIDI SRS Crossfire 2 Big problems are the most newer gloves. Can't find anything with protection so I always use hand protectors (UFO or Acerbis). Wish you guys all the best and stay healthy!

Walking today with 2. plates, 1 rod and 48 screws down my spine from my leatt assisting me break t6-t11, all of them, so no more leatt for me or my kids