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Air Bag Vest

danmcdermott

danmcdermott

Member
Member
I recently purchased a Helite Tutle airbag vest. Typically I ride year round for all my transportation needs. Anything I can do to stack the odds in my favor should an accident happen I will look into. So far it is quite easy to use and I have not accidentally activated it, however you can tell my coworkers desperately want to pull the tether as I walk by. It will likely be a bit warmer in the summer, however I will know more after my fall trip where I will enjoy some warmer climates. In searching this site there were a few mentions wearable airbags, however not a significant write up. After riding with it for a few weeks I will follow up and let everyone know what I think.
 
I've been using the Hit Air vest for a couple years now and like it.  I compared it to the Helite, and found it to be virtually identical, except for the price.  The last time I checked, it was about $150 less.

Id recommend getting the vest, instead of a jacket, no matter which manufacturer you chose.  The vest can be worn with any jacket...mesh, winter jacket, etc.  The airbag jacket is just that.  A jacket, and if you need to wear something different because it is too warm or cold, you don't have an airbag.

Chris
 
I chose the vest because I am a daily rider and I can pair the vest with the appropriate jacket for season and conditions. Also, I like the jackets I am currently using.
 
Daboo said:
I've been using the Hit Air vest for a couple years now and like it.  I compared it to the Helite, and found it to be virtually identical, except for the price.  The last time I checked, it was about $150 less.

Id recommend getting the vest, instead of a jacket, no matter which manufacturer you chose.  The vest can be worn with any jacket...mesh, winter jacket, etc.  The airbag jacket is just that.  A jacket, and if you need to wear something different because it is too warm or cold, you don't have an airbag.

Chris
Click to expand...


  ;D ; :great:

  Well said .... That is why I got one , :great:
 
Helite Tutle airbag vest review:

I have had the chance to use this vest on a 7k mile road trip over various weather and temperatures and a few weeks of daily commuting (unfortunately nothing above 90 degrees). For me there was no opportunity to experience a crash and I am thankful for that. The vest makes you bigger. It is like wearing body armor. We are used to being a bit bulkier with motorcycle gear on, however this is a bit more. Some people will not like that.  With that said it would be nice if there were various pockets on the vest or if it had molle compatible straps for pouches because it slightly obscures the pockets on your jacket. For me the most difficult aspect was to consistently remember to attach the vest to the tether every time I got back on the bike. More than once I found myself merging on the highway only to remember I forgot to attach the tether (Some self imposed re-training fixed this). All in all I really like this vest and the promise of more protection. It has not changed my riding. With the climate I ride in the ability to use the vest with whichever jacket I choose is ideal.
 
I have had the opportunity to use my airbag vest twice. 

The first time was when I came up to a large busy intersection in rush hour traffic.  I noticed when I stopped that the light had just changed and the cars to my left hadn't started moving yet.  I thought that if I moved quickly, I could make my right turn and get in front of them.  So I started the turn as I turned my head to look ahead...and a teenager with a skateboard walked out in front of me.  It was totally my fault.  I grabbed the front brake and since I'd started moving, I went down before I knew it. 

As I'm lying there with the edge of the curb against my ribs and back, I noticed I wasn't feeling any pain.  What?!?!  I should be.  This should really hurt, and didn't.  Oh...the airbag vest went off.  The only thing hurt was my ego and pride.

The second time was on my first commute to work on my new to me BMW.  It has a different feel to the clutch engagement than my previous bike did and I stalled it turning right onto the main road.  Same scenario minus the curb.  Over I went as I was in the middle of turning and getting some speed when the engine stalled and the bike came to an abrupt halt.  I thought that was stupid. 

In both cases, the vest will deflate in a few minutes and the only thing you have to do is to tuck the airbag tubes back where they belong and install a new CO2 cartridge to it.  Cost is about $20-22, the last time I checked.


Also, I have worn mine several times in temps above 100F.  It actually helps.  At temps above 93F, you want to actually limit the amount of air flowing over your skin.  Even though I was wearing a mesh jacket, the vest did limit the air to the body enough to help.  In those temperatures, I put on a dripping wet cooling vest.  There's enough air coming through to cool me, but not so much the cooling vest is dried up quickly.  I met a couple once who also had cooling vests on and the temperature was up around 100F.  She said theirs dried out in 30 minutes.  Mine lasted about three hours that afternoon.
 
Not to discount Air bag vest benefits. But, I see one drawback. For me at least.
I used to have a heated vest. that I rigged up to pkug in when I had Vee.
It worked good until I forgot I was plugged in and yanked wires completely out of my vest when I got off the bike in a hurry.
That said, if said air bag isn't reset-able, I can see it succumb to the same fate.
Is it reset-able?

Cheers...
 
It takes about 60 lbs of force to deploy the airbag.  I've tried to walk away several times from my bike with the lanyard still connected and it always brings me up short...and never deploys.

If it does deploy for any reason, it is simple to reuse.  A new CO2 cannister is about $20 and simply screws on.  You stuff the airbag back into it's normal position and you're done.

I've only heard of one person who slid enough with their airbag vest on to warrant replacing the entire vest. 
 
Daboo said:
It takes about 60 lbs of force to deploy the airbag.  I've tried to walk away several times from my bike with the lanyard still connected and it always brings me up short...and never deploys.

If it does deploy for any reason, it is simple to reuse.  A new CO2 cannister is about $20 and simply screws on.  You stuff the airbag back into it's normal position and you're done.

I've only heard of one person who slid enough with their airbag vest on to warrant replacing the entire vest.
Click to expand...
Thanks.
Good to know.  :great:
 
I have tried to walk away from the motorcycle many times while still attached via the vest. A true fall will easily deploy the vest, however it's is pretty difficult to accidentally deploy it.
 
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