Bluegrass launches the Venture Vest hydration-protector and Arto Armour baselayer

Bluegrass, the mountain bike protection arm of Italian helmet brand MET, has launched three new chest-and-back protectors aimed at the gap between a baselayer pad and a full hydration pack. The headline piece is the 250 euro Venture Vest, a mesh hydration vest with EN1621 Type B Level 2 back protection and Type B Level 1 chest protection built in, plus five pockets and a sleeve for a 1.5L bladder. Alongside it, Bluegrass is releasing two refined baselayer protectors: the 230 euro Arto Vest and the 300 euro Arto Armour.

All three pieces share the same protection platform: viscoelastic SAS-TEC inserts that stay flexible until impact, perforated face fabrics for airflow, and trefoil-pattern padding against the body to allow unrestricted movement. Each carries the same EN1621 ratings, Type B Level 2 on the back and Type B Level 1 on the chest. What changes between the three is the carrier and the use case, not the armor itself.BikeRumorPinkBike

The two Arto pieces are baselayer protectors meant to be worn under a jersey, with an asymmetric off-center zip, an adjustable wrap-around chest strap with a quick-release buckle, and a small zippered rear pocket. The 230 euro Arto Vest is the simpler sleeveless version with chest and back pads only, sized for trail, enduro and eMTB days. The 300 euro Arto Armour adds flexible shoulder and elbow pads in 3/4 stretch-mesh sleeves for bikepark laps and DH racing. Both ship in unisex S through XL.BikeRumorPinkBike

The Venture Vest is the more interesting design move. Bluegrass built it to go over a jersey rather than under, combining the back protector with the kind of chest pockets, stuff pouch and bladder sleeve riders typically get from a separate gravel-style hydration vest. There are two open mesh chest pockets, a zippered chest pocket for keys, a thin zipped rear pocket at the base of the protector, a pass-through stuff pocket sized for a shell, and an interior loop and hose routing for a 1.5L bladder (not included). Elastic side cord handles fit adjustment over different layer combinations. BikeRumor's Cory Benson weighed his size Large at 855g loaded with both inserts, and noted the chest insert can be pulled to drop weight to 640g for hot days while keeping back coverage. The Venture Vest comes in three sizes (S to L) for 250 euros, with all three protectors available now.BikeRumorPinkBike