My kiddo wears one, but he complains that it’s uncomfortable, and it makes it so he can’t wear his chest/back protection under his jersey. I’ve seen the use of them dwindle a lot in the last 5 years, and wondered why.

I just wanted to protect him as much as possible because he rides like a maniac, and it’s my job as a parent to make sure he’s safe if I’m going to facilitate this kind of activity, but I’m not sure how effective, if all, they are.

Thoughts on this? Experiences?