A flexible protector including a protector housing, clearance space defined by the housing the clearance being dimensioned and positioned to preserve flexibility of the housing while isolating a placed device from bending therein upon flexing of the housing. Also disclosed is a resource recovery system including a spoolable conductor, a device disposed in line with the conductor, and a spoolable protector disposed about the device. A method for protecting a device inline in a spoolable conductor including contacting the device with a buttress of a first half protector, securing conductors in the half protector, and interconnecting a second half protector with the first half protector. A method for instrumenting a target environment.