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Air Bag Jackets

budman

budman

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After see dravnx post his crash and coming out of it luckily pretty much in one piece I am now seriously looking these. My riding jacket is long in the tooth so leaning toward one of those.

Since I am looking I figured I would share my findings and also see if any of you have experiences with these products or others perhaps.

Found a few.. highest priced options to lowest.

Alpinestars Revenant but you need to purchase the Tech Air vest separately, but they are made to integrate.

This makes the set up the most expensive. $949 +750 = $1,699

Ups:
1. Super fast deployment. 25 Milliseconds.
2. Hightech App which integrates information on your ride or incident. (likely never be used by an :afm199)
3. Large vent system.
4. Good looking style.
5. Water proofing elements seem like an enhancement.

Downs:
1. 30 hour ride time so if you are on a long trip you have to recharge the vest. Actually not that big of a down compared to the Dainese 8 hour ride time.
2. Cost
3. Lower Pockets look planted on

Also the Alpinestars Yaguara is an option: $649 + $749= $1398 plus tax.

Ups:
1. Good looking jacket. Hi Vis option is available.
2. Level 2 CE Bio Air shoulders and elbow protectors
3. Shoulder protection features over-molded advanced TPU guard

Downs:
1. Cost
2. 30 hour ride time so if you are on a long trip you have to recharge the vest. Actually not that big of a down compared to the Dainese 8 hour ride
3. More research might be needed to find the difference with the Revenant above.

Dainese Carvemaster 2D Air = $1240 plus tax.
Ups:
1. Dainese style and sweet tech. Looks serious street vs serious adventure.
2. Waterproof membrane laminated directly to shell to keep you from looking fat. :laughing
3. Battery charge is only once every two months for air bag battery ( This is confusing with note 2 below.
4. Elbow and shoulder protection. EN 1621.1 Level 2.
5. 3D- Stone fabric on shoulder seems super cool.
6. Pocket for chest protector (sold separately).

Downs:
1. System need maintenance every 5 years and has to be shipped back to Dainese to do that.
2. Lithium polymer battery with approximately 8 hours of use when fully charged. This means charging every night when on a trip and one more thing to carry.

Helite Adventure Air Bag Jacket = $939 plus tax.

Ups:
1. Manual activation no computers :afm199
2. Removable liner.
3. Shoulder and elbow CE approved.
4. CE Level 2 back protector.

Downs:
1. Not as stylish as the others, but still OK.
2. You tell me!


Add the Hit-Air Moto Eu6 $660 plus tax is the most affordable.
Ups:
1. Cost
2. Manual tech.
3. Looks OK

Downs:
1. No experience with Hit Air.

Adding KLIM.

Air Bag Vest and the Badlands Pro Jacket

Vest is essentially $800 with the subscribtion deal.
Jacket is a grand. So that puts the package at $1800 and a new most expensive option. :loco

I do like both of these and would not have looked seriously if not mentioned below.

Ups:
1. Style
2. Better ventilation (mesh band in front at the zipper).
3. Sleeker fit on the vest.
4. Nice placement of cannister. Can replace yourself.
5. Can reuse 3 times before sending for a peek.
6. Sensor puts the vest to sleep if not riding.
7. No rip cord.

Downs:
1. Cost.
2. Cannister is $100
3. *EDIT 20 Hours** of riding time before a charge so for multi days that is charging every **other ** night.
 
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One thing to also consider (I ride with the Dainese DAir Misano jacket) is if it can be repacked on the fly. I had a lowside on the street a couple years ago, and mine deployed. I wasn't injured and the bike was ridable for me to get home; however, I was riding without the airbag protection after that. It cost me about $280 to have my jacket reinspected and a new canister put in and it took 3 weeks though the Dainese store.

My friend has an A* system and told me it has 2 charges so that if one goes off, you still have the ability to let it deflate and ride on with it and be protected with the 2nd canister. He crashed at trackschool, and continued the next day after his bike was fixed up.

The Klim jackets are field serviceable as well so that you can pop another cartridge in if the airbag isn't damaged during the deployment and continue on with your trip if you and the bike are still able to go. I believe the Helites are the same.

Just a couple more factors to consider when looking into these...

Good luck with your research.
 
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They have “smart” vests with subscription. Avoid those.

I’ve been eyeing the Hit airbag for a while. I should just pull the trigger.
 
Great input. Thank you.
 
I have an old hit air vest and if I were going to upgrade, I'd make sure to get a jacket/suit/vest that has outside shoulder protection, to save the collar bone. I believe the A* and Dianese suits have those. The others might, I haven't researched too deeply.
 
splat said:
They have “smart” vests with subscription. Avoid those.

I’ve been eyeing the Hit airbag for a while. I should just pull the trigger.
Click to expand...

It not a subscription. The brain box can be purchased out-right or you can finance it. If you finance it and do not make 3 payments, the manufacturer will wirelessly de-active the system.
 
I'm leaning toward the Helite adventure jacket, it's not THAT bad looking, and I have a pretty bike and a pretty partner so no one really ever looks at me much anyway!

I also like that the airbag extends slightly below the waist for some added protection. I don't expect ventilation to be great, but I think it'll be better than throwing a vest over the top of a jacket.

Also, note that Revzilla seems to older stock on this jacket, or maybe just don't call it out, but on the Helite site they list a V2.0 of this jacket. I haven't really been able to tell what the difference is by staring at the Revzilla page vs Helite though.
 
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I’ve had the Helite adventure air for two years and really like it. It’s tethered to the bike with a sturdy plastic clip that takes 60 pounds of pull to activate so if you forget to unbuckle you’ll feel the tug as you try to dismount and that’s your reminder. After a while it’s like putting on your seatbelt, becomes automatic. If it deploys a new gas cartridge is $25 and you can install it yourself in 5 minutes or less.
The sizes are a little off so if you have time go up to their location in Reno and try one on. I’m 6’ and weigh about 175 but had to get an XL that fit me.
Really good materials and construction. Looks and feels high quality, very comfortable and adjustable.. There are a few YouTube videos on this jacket that show it being deployed and you’ll notice the large amount of coverage by the air bag so it gives a feeling of safety when I wear it. My wife, who doesn’t ride, enjoys that as well.
Two cons - it’s built like a parka and even though it has 4 big vents you can’t wear this above 80-85 degrees.
The other thing is that it’s heavy what with the huge built in back protector and the integrated air bag. I don’t notice the weight when I’m on the bike but if I get off and walk around it starts to feel heavy.
 
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On the A* unit, if you get the big boy unit (ex lg) it deploys both canisters, not just one at a time.
I swear the sizing on the air bag stuff (both A* and Dainese) are one to two sizes smaller than marked.
If you go with the Tech Air race, you can reprogram it for the street so potentially it can do double duty if you hit the track.
I have a Mithos custom suit on order to fit mine in.
Hope it get's here before track season!
DT
 
I was looking at the hit-air Motorrad-2 jacket as it’s mesh with some cooling vents. $589
“Full ventilation for all season use.
Light type CE(EN1621-1) certified shoulder and elbow padding is provided.” No liner and a basic back pad.
I’ve a heated jacket and a rain jacket and since I’m mostly on faired bikes cool is good. Just a vest I can put on my various existing stitches or jackets but was considering some new gear for my MotoGP adventure.
Jeff you should see if you can get any kickbacks from BARF buys.
 
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I just use a Dainese Smart Jacket vest under my Aerostich in the winter and over whatever I'm wearing in the summer. The battery lasts for 26 hours of riding, with the kind of stuff I do, I don't mind charging it once a month.

This way I can wear it with whatever is fitting for the weather.

Also i think the Helite stuff looks like something a KLR rider would wear. Just not my style and the tether isn't appealing to me. I don't crash often enough where the cartridge replacement is a concern.
 
Chris, The fact that my story is getting riders to consider an airbag vest is reward enough. If a couple of riders started wearing a vest it would be a bonus. If a rider wore a vest because of my story and scored a save it would be a double bonus.
The whole vest thing started 4-5 years ago when one of my riding buddies wrecked and broke a bunch of ribs. He would have faired considerably better with a vest so he bought and started to wear one. Then I bought one as a birthday present to myself. Then a friend and his wife bought a set and started to wear them. They often ride 2 up and had a get off. Their vests deployed and neither one of them suffered any injuries.
 
Are airlines OK with these? Do you have to replace the cylinder every time you fly?
 
norcalkid said:
Are airlines OK with these? Do you have to replace the cylinder every time you fly?
Click to expand...

From TSA site:

CO2 Cartridge for Life Vest
Carry On Bags: Yes (Special Instructions)
Checked Bags: Yes (Special Instructions)
You may bring a life vest with up to two CO2 cartridges inside, plus two spare cartridges in your carry-on or checked bag.

Even if an item is generally permitted, it may be subject to additional screening or not allowed through the checkpoint if it triggers an alarm during the screening process, appears to have been tampered with, or poses other security concerns. The final decision rests with TSA on whether to allow any items on the plane.

You may not transport CO2 cartridges without the associated lifejacket.

49 CFR 175.10(a)(11)

A single self-inflating personal safety device such as a life jacket or vest fitted with no more than two small gas cartridges (containing no hazardous material other than a Div. 2.2 gas) for inflation purposes plus no more than two spare cartridges. The personal safety device and spare cartridges may be carried in carry-on or checked baggage, with the approval of the aircraft operator, and must be packed in such a manner that it cannot be accidently activated.
 
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Jeff, how did your hit-air vest fare in your “test”? Since you have our attention perhaps an in depth review by one of our own. I mostly wonder about wearing the vest in the 90s.
 
mrzuzzo said:
I just use a Dainese Smart Jacket vest under my Aerostich in the winter and over whatever I'm wearing in the summer. The battery lasts for 26 hours of riding, with the kind of stuff I do, I don't mind charging it once a month.

This way I can wear it with whatever is fitting for the weather.

Also i think the Helite stuff looks like something a KLR rider would wear. Just not my style and the tether isn't appealing to me. I don't crash often enough where the cartridge replacement is a concern.
Click to expand...

So the Helite accessorizes well with a milk crate?
 
I've had the Hit Air MLV-C in black with reflective tape for a couple of years now. I chose this model for it's reasonable price, I wanted a vest so I could wear it with any of my riding outfits and the vest is an open design so that it won't cover the venting on my gear. It does restrict some airflow but it's a trade off I'm willing to make.

I've had 2 deployments. Once when I dropped the bike in a parking lot and ninja rolled away and the recent deployment. When the vest deploys, it fits very tight on the torso and is very rigid. It pretty much protects everything from the bottom of my ears to my hips. The neck tube inflates and locks my helmet in place to avoid C spine injuries.

It takes quite a while to deflate, like 10-20 minutes or so, and when you're on the ground, you feel like a turtle on its back. It takes a very hard pull to deploy so if you forget to release the lanyard when you dismount, it won't deploy.

The lanyard that you mount on your bike takes a bit of fiddling to adjust to the right length. You want the vest to deploy when you leave the bike but allow you to stand up or do what you need to do when riding. Mine are adjusted so they are taut when I stand to stretch my legs.

Repacking the vest and replacing the cartridge only takes a couple of minutes. I carry a spare cartridge and install tool.
 
bikewanker said:
Jeff, how did your hit-air vest fare in your “test”? Since you have our attention perhaps an in depth review by one of our own. I mostly wonder about wearing the vest in the 90s.
Click to expand...

The heat is the biggest drawback I can see. Several here have mentioned that and that is concerning. Cooling vest can’t really be effective. Maybe somewhat with the Helite Turtle as that has some gaps. The AStars in essentially putting on an oven mitt.

I can see NOT wearing it to Weaverville or removing at some point. Not sure how easy that is. The weight I can deal with. 100 degrees in an oven mitt not so much.
 
I'm also a little worried about the heat, but I've also been running a Dianese water proof rain jacket as my year round jacket, it only has two vents in the front so it's not great. I've ridden in 120 degree heat and it was not pleasant, but I just un-zipped the jacket about halfway, which I realize defeats some of the protection. I figured if I can live with a rain jacket year round, I can live with the Helite jacket as well, it comes with more vents than my current jacket has so there's that.
 
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