There are a few reasons I can think off off the top of my head. 1. it is really hot in utah 2. it gives you a better feel, for tricking you don't want to be a tin can or a tank, you want to flow and have unrestricted movement. 3. As a pro if they aren't sponsored for it, then wearing it will take attention away from their other sponsors. If someone puts a neck brace on over their jersey and isn't paid for it, who ever paid them to wear that jersey isn't going to be happy. Also, armour isn't all it is cracked up to be. you can't case 50 foot gap and expect to not get hurt because you have a piece of plastic over your shin. Western culture puts a big focus on safety, while rampage isn't about being reckless, it is about pushing the top riders out of their comfort zones, and I don't think you can hate on them for that. It is inappropriate to hold up kids as the reason we need to be safe. It is not another riders fault if someone else -young or not- doesn't wear armour when they ride. As much as they are role models they don't tell kids to be dangerous, and even if they did, it is still a kids choice to do something or not.

 woow hi 5 XD basicaly there sponsores get annoyed and it interupts the flow of there riding

 not even a 50 ft gap, i destroyed one of my shinies at fort william
and it was only something like a 10 ft gap ..... 661 eh.

 Hhahah @ carbonlite. Where do you come up with that... Western culture puts a big focus on safety, Rampage not about being reckless. Rampage is all about being reckless, you just have to be good at it. There's 1000 vertical ft of recklessness in every run.

It's because they are Pro. Chicks dig scars and glory lasts forever. If you want to wear it, then wear it, if you don't, then don't. Your risk, your body, your pain. I hope you have coverage for that.

As for being role models... Anyone who is serious enough to acquire the skill, and has the amount of talent on a bike to ride like these guys do at Rampage. Would know what their preference of armor would be.

 i think wearing protection when you jump off a 40feet cliff is common sense and actually not even debateable...of course you get injured when you crash no amtter you are wearing protection or not. but sometimes that little peace of plastic decides between beeing paralized or not...or your recovering from a hard crash of the resulting injury is a lot shorter...and you can go riding again a lot sooner. i crashed two weeks ago when i went pretty fast on a dh tarck because the sun light was shining at a beginning of a berm...i didnt see a bigger stone at the edge of that berm and my front tire hit it...then i fell. i think when i hadnt worn that jacket my forearm would have been broken... of course it is everybodys' own choice. i just want to say, no matter how good you are and how outstnading your controle of your bicycle might be, there are sometimes unpredictable factors that make you go down.

 tl, dr

 A lot of these guys know how to fall, if they're going to get hurt on a landing shinnies and elbows aren't going to save them. In conditions like that a tough pair of jeans is the best protection from loosing all the skin on your legs from sliding out of a cased landing.

 I dunno, armor is a good idea, I can say for certain that it has saved me a couple times, but I've also cracked a rib through armor. The only thing that ever really took any hard hits was my helmet. I remember I used to wear a motorcycle jacket with a back brace when I road biked sometimes, I dunno, I guess it's preference, but armor=weight, and weight slows you down.

 They're professionals and "the kids" aren't, enough said.

 man you have to all settle down. they ride in whatever they're most comfortable in because the best way to prevent injury is to ride confidently and comfortably. they're at the point where sending a big drop or gap isn't a huge deal and when they do tricks off said drops or gaps, its testing their abilities sure, but they've done the trick a thousand times and it'd probably be more dangerous for them to do a standard trick in a high-risk situation wearing a bunch of clunky armor that they're not used to wearing. i guess what i'm trying to say is, don't worry about the pros. there's a reason why they're getting paid to do what they do and you're just sitting at home doing nothing. they know what they're doing.

 i think that they are confident enough not to ride with outif they want to but for us less amazing riders its a good idea. fair enough it doesnt protect from impact (say you hit a tree at speed your still gonna brake your collar bone or a rib.) but it does help!
personal prefference as well

 erm excuse me i wear a full pressure suit! if im doing something i find sketchy and until i can do it i wear a pressure suit! like a gap or something. i hardly wear it but when i think im probs gonna fuck this up i put the suit on!

 haha.. tetonlarry blatantly takes it up the bum

 i must be a big pussy then. and that one time i was wearing my elbow/forearm pads and i hit a small sawn off stump that would have otherwise have potentially pierced my elbow and maybe, just maybe have caused major bone/ligament damage that may have restricted movement in said arm for the rest of my life, yeah must be a real pussy me....

anyone who wears elbow pads is a pussy, its official, tetonlarry said so and he always talks sense. you might want to say that to the majority of WC riders...

 ohh hehe elbow pads are good if you want to preserve your elbows! like me drums, cello and bass! i fucking need then to work

 It may have been a little harsh to say that everyone who wears elbow pads is a pussy. I find not wearing them gives me more confidence, prevents me from falling due to the higher consequences, and above all else: Is just waaaaay more comfortable. A full pressure suit is a hindrance, Is way too hot and uncomfortable, and definitely physically makes riding harder. My real point was that elbow pads present a false sense of security, and while they may protect your arms from minor abrasions, they will probably not keep you from breaking bones. Also, I do not think most WC riders wear elbow pads. I have hardly ever seen any of them wearing elbow pads.

And to Sean11: Really, that's the best comment you could come up with?

Everyone should wear whatever armor they think they need, and are comfortable in. Don't let some prick on the internet such as myself change your mind.

 pressure suits do make riding alot harder! they make you super sweaty and they weigh a ton. core protectors work just as well with no arm protection. ive never actually used elbow pads that might be why my arms are covered in scrapes and tetonlarry they dont look cool, they just hurt when u go for a shower! :/

 I have a huge scrape on my arm right now from washing out on a berm. I make sure to have my sleeves rolled up all the time at the private health club I work at, and now I get to talk about mountain biking all the time with hot chicks. It's such a great conversation starter. Honestly, it really impresses people, and lets them know that I am rallying.

 hmm so basically we are all saying that scars rock and that people should wear what they feel is right

 Yes, exactly. For me personally, I enjoy a little pain. It makes me feel alive. Keep in mind, I'm saying a little pain is good, not a lot of pain! The pain that comes from not wearing elbow pads is good, and can be seen and admired by others, but the broken rib I have right now that would not have been prevented by any type of body armor is not so good because it hurts too much and no one can see it.

 woow we all reached a conclusion

 agreed, enough rampage pods already

 See the lip on the left side of the picture... See the landing on the bottom right... There ya go...

 cheers man thought mabye he was stepping up from the bottom or the screen you can see why i was confused

 hugslyh, I know you probably aren't hrowing too many flips, and I'm definitely not, but all you have to do is look at the pic and imagine what was happening. The ONLY possible scenario that I could come up with for him going from bottom to top requires two things...
1.) Watts can defy the laws of gravity (even more than he apparently already does) and can just cruise up hill jumping those cliffs. Maybe he has MASSIVE thighs and crazy cardio and he is riding the course up hill, but even then....
2.) He'd have to be throwing a 360 flip to be facing that direction. THAT would be sick... especially riding up hill.

Nice shot. As far as I'm concerned keep the Rampage shots coming.

 dude the photo does not show that it is up hill and if there was a down slope on the other side i could possible be a step up! and unless you were familiar with the red bull rampage venue (which a am not) it is a mistake that could be made and thats why i was f*cking confused

 Okay Bro, I see your point (always did). I guess it could be a step up. Still doesn't negate the fact that based on the rider's position, and the trick he is throwing down.... he has to be going from left to right. Unless, like I said, he is whipping a 360 flip. That is the ONLY way he could be facing that direction ...even if it WAS a step up. Just look at the pic and complete the rotation in your head and you'll see what I mean. ...or maybe you won't, in which case just forget about it and we can drop the subject....

And BTW, I've never been to Utah to do any riding myself, so I'm no more familiar with the venue than you are. It has pretty much been the site of the Rampage for quite a few years and this site has been flooded with pics and articles about the event for the past three weeks. My familiararity ends there.

 hmm sames and i see your point he is facing the wrong direction but hay you learn new stuff every day but im off now to load up ma bike into the car and head out to Ae for the day ride strong dude!

 Hopefully all of them. Their some badass riders doing some badass shit.

 I think Its BackFlip !

 Thats What she said!