An upper body protector that provides a comfortable fit for a player of virtually any shape or size, yet provides a secure fit to prevent shifting or sliding of the padding in the protector during game play or other player movement. The upper body protector comprises a garment capable of being worn around the neck and over the shoulders of said wearer and having an opening therein to accommodate the neck of said wearer, and having an improved strap mechanism comprising a set of straps attached to a back portion of the upper body protector that are fed through a pair of grommets on the front side of the upper body protector and folded back over themselves for attachment to the front portion of the upper body protector via a fastening means, such as Velcro®. The combination of the unique grommets at either end of the strap attachment mechanism and strap shape provide a secure, yet comfortable and adjustable fit to the wearer through a full range of motion.