POC VPD System Back Protection

The POC VPD System Back is a standalone back protector built around POC's VPD — visco-elastic polymer dough — a material that stays soft and pliable while you're moving but stiffens on impact to absorb and spread energy away from your spine. It carries an EN 1621-2 Level 1 certification, which is the European standard for back protectors. Level 1 means it has passed impact attenuation testing, but it is not the highest available rating — Level 2 exists and offers a stricter threshold. The protector is slim enough to slide under any ski or snowboard jacket without adding noticeable bulk, and the large ventilation ports cut through the foam panel keep heat from building up on a long run or a hike-to. Shoulder straps and waist anchor points are repositionable so you can dial the fit to your torso length before you go out, not after.

This protector makes sense for skiers and snowboarders who want reliable back coverage they can wear daily under whatever they're already in — no vest, no harness, no extra layer to manage. It is unisex and sized XS through XL. Who should look elsewhere: if you're racing, coaching gates, or doing anything where a higher certified impact threshold matters, POC's own Spine VPD System Comp Back steps up to EN 1621-2 Level 2 and is worth the extra investment. Likewise, if you want spine and kidney coverage wrapped in a single wearable vest rather than a strap-on insert, the Spine VPD System Vest is the better fit. This one does its job well for resort and backcountry days where low-profile wearability is the priority — it does not replace a full-coverage protective vest and is not certified for motorcycle or moto-cross use.