Alpinestars Tech-Air 7x Airbag Vest Review: Ultimate Protection for Track & Road Riders

[@RemboUSMC]

What is your vest of choice?

[@johnlewis5330]

@@RemboUSMC I bought alpinestars 7x, in part thanks to your first video and from research it seems the best for my situation. Have worn it about 7 hours combined time and am used to it. Luckily I dont have high temperatures to contend with!

[@lovinglife9711]

Great video. I have the Tech Air for street riding and the Tech Air 7x for track use. I like the act that it integrates into my race suit.

[@KN-fg7ip]

Tech Air 5 for short rides and city riding. Tech Air 3 when I am doing long-distance touring or simply when I get irritated with the Tech Air 5 back protection plate 😂. I like tech air 3 lot because of comfort. I kept tech air 5 because I am afraid of somebody's gonna crash into me when doing occasional city riding. Lot of as…. on the road in NY. I ride a 23 Multistrada V4S. Nice video. Will try Tech Air 7. Good to see you after a while.

[@RemboUSMC]

Thanks. I am happy to be back!

[@mardelplatalimousines3423]

Excellent video, king regards from Catalonia!

[@jamesf2656]

Excellent video and presentation!

[@RemboUSMC]

Thank you kindly!

[@mengaw-yong2490]

One of the best descriptive videos

[@RemboUSMC]

Wow, thanks!

[@bp7178]

@6:22 You can take the foam pad out. I comes out from the other end. @7:33 Those velcro pads, which are in the same position as the Tech Air Race, are for adding it to a suit. It will drain the battery in storage. Un-hook the connector for long term storage or travel.

[@RemboUSMC]

Great info and I agree about disconnecting the battery.

[@mengaw-yong2490]

Great to be able to refill yourself and check the bladder. I was prev of opinion PITA to send 0:03 back but now would b concerned about bladder integrity after deployment and crash

[@MJPaine1]

I have worn a helite airbag vest for many years. I like the mechanical aspect of the Helite (they do offer an electronic version) for ease of use and simplicity of operation

[@RemboUSMC]

Thank you for sharing your experience.

[@johnlewis5330]

Great to see you looking healthy. It's recommended the unit is serviced every 2 years, 500 hours use or after 4 deployments. Although Alpinestars do not gurantee the system after the first crash even if the system does not deploy (because it didn't meet the threshold for its algorithm as a significant crash). But what's interesting to me is re your lowside crash: the system may not have been of much use, ie, a lowside at 25mph. On lowsides the system doesnt deploy till you hit the ground. It would help if you tumble after impact with the ground or sliding etc. I've looked at that crash a few times and it probably was the tire but still can't quite get my head round the amount of damage you did to yourself from a relatively low speed crash. Btw, one video I saw said in race mode system wont deploy under approx 30 mph. Could be wrong on that as cant see that figure in manual. All the best

[@RemboUSMC]

Yes, that was my concern too, low speed and low-side crashes. As far as my crash, albeit a lowside, it was a violent and fast fall to the ground, not a typical lowside. I just watched the exact thing happen last week to one of the riders at MotoGP and since then I got a better perspective. The typical lowside is a slow slide out, but in the MotoGP case, the lowside happened way too soon before hardly any lean angle was made. At 28-30mph that is a significant amount of energy to absorb when you are not sliding out of an angle that is already steep. I hope this makes sense.

[@johnlewis5330]

@@RemboUSMC Yeah, that does make sense. Thanks

[@marcusmoore8823]

I ride with the tech air-3 , great vest for me. Stay safe everyone.

[@RemboUSMC]

Glad to hear you are protected. Ride safe!

[@verdonrocksphotography3510]

awesome, happy riding

[@stevesane800]

A great review of a purposeful product Rembo. Better protected in the long run. Will be interested in a long term review, use in all weathers & how it makes you feel psychologically wearing the airbag vest. Is it mandatory wearing leather 1 piece or 2 piece suits in the US? Are textiles permitted? Will be following your thoughts. Cheers & you must excited to finally get out on the road!

[@RemboUSMC]

Thank you as always Steve. I will tell you that when I wear my race suit with integrated airbag, my confidence level gets really high. I don't feel that as much with just a vest.

[@calvin2516]

Would be cool if they came out with something you could fill a tire in a pinch and still have a deployment till you got home to recharge.

[@ImTheBoss914]

One question I have is I use this armored gear called pando moto, it’s a stretchy material rated at AA and they offer one at AAA rating, I use it because you can wear it under a shirt and it’s very slim compared to leather jackets which are huge. I was wondering what you think of putting the airbag vest under something like this?

[@RemboUSMC]

That is a really good question!

[@pmcg7828]

Me alegro saber que te encuentras mejor, en España son 4 años de garantia, creo que también en países Europeos , con respecto al cambio de moto , cuando saque una Multistrada v4 con 210 Cv me lo pienso , actualmente no creo que merezca la pena la inversión de una RS por un poco mas de prestaciones , ( Si no me hubiese comprado antes la Pikes Peak 4 con el Ful System Akrapovic seguramente si me la hubiese comprado la RS )

[@RemboUSMC]

Estoy de acuerdo contigo, y muchas gracias por la información sobre España y la garantía de 4 años. Tienes razón en que el cambio a una RS no parece justificar la inversión por solo un poco más de prestaciones, especialmente teniendo ya la Pikes Peak con el sistema Akrapovic completo. ¡Un saludo!

[@my2wheels]

Ride safe Rembo.

[@RemboUSMC]

Thank you very much

[@my2wheels]

@@RemboUSMC thank god you are back to normal.

[@JE2PO]

Is it a one off purchase or is there a monthly subscription ?like the In&motion airbag installed in RST jackets. Subscription really pisses me off.

[@RemboUSMC]

One time purchase.

[@alastairtheduke]

The amount of deployments on the airbag really doesn't matter all that much. How many times have you had a crash? Hopefully it's not more than once a year. Most of us, it will be every few years. So what's the big deal with sending in the cartridge even after just one deployment?

[@johnlewis5330]

It's more for a the situation where you have a deployment that wasn't so severe as to stop you from continuing with the ride so you can whilst still being protected as there is another canister ready and primed. Plus, for people on a budget it's easier/cheaper if the user can replace cartridge. Also time saving from not having to send unit back to alpinestars...Could be a few weeks leaving you riding without your full protection.

[@RemboUSMC]

Track use is the biggest issue and inconvenience. The other issue is unplanned deployments for no reason,

[@ImTheBoss914]

Anthing self serviceable is always better

[@thor8640]

Nice product but as per usual they don't make it in man sizes, largest 7x is 2xl - and that is too small for me. My Klim jacket is 3xl and fits nicely, Dainese and Alpinestars only make jackets for tiny peeps.

[@RemboUSMC]

You must mean BIG MAN sizes. I think they run small because I thought i would be a Large and I am an XL so you big guys may not have as many options unfortunately.

[@wiwwee1]

Do not fold/flip/bend the tail piece. Tuck it into your pants. The air bag bladder goes all the way to the bottom. What do you think it will do if you have folded the airbag bladder like that in half and it deployed ? It fills up in milliseconds and with fierce pressure. Either it will brake the bladder or that folded bit will whip your lower back and spine with vicious force. Stupid hurts. And suggesting in a video to other people to do this is highly irresponsible. Please edit the video and remove the "fold it out of the way" part. Thank you.

[@RemboUSMC]

I don’t agree with you

[@wiwwee1]

@@RemboUSMC It's not a matter of opinion or agreement. What on earth makes you think folding an airbag in half is a good idea ? What do you think happens when the airbag deploys and it's folded over on itself ?

[@SP-xd8gs]

I have the 5, its so hot to wear, makes riding not fun, in summer, fall its nice like now its ok to wear

[@RemboUSMC]

Yeah, it does get a little toasty in the summer time.

[@mengaw-yong2490]

Highly concerned that Dainese and alpinestars are of the false belief that they don’t need airbags around neck to prevent hyper extensio. & or rotation of cervical spine the reason is riders feel asphyxiated this is because the airbag around neck is likely to be wrongly positioned or too large this is a serious false omission

[@RemboUSMC]

That is an excellent point. I agree with you.