I Will NEVER Ride Without This Piece Of Gear Again

[@martinfoster5163]

Great review, Spite. I'm also a reviewer but I bought mine with my own money. Not saying that's good or bad in terms of review efficacy. I'd gladly have accepted a review model but I don't have enough clout. I bought one from the UK (BKS made to measure) and they shipped it to Mongolia for me, where I live. I've had it for 3 months. BKS also shipped out 2 new red top canisters for free because the blue tops were recalled by A*. Now I have 6 canisters, but 2 are questionable, so I'll only use those for lab testing. I've had 6 low-speed tip-over type falls and no deployments. Since you only get 4 deployments before the ACU supposedly tells you to have the unit serviced by A* (or a certified repair facility), I'm glad it doesn't deploy unless you need it. Forearm straps are easy enough to add. I'd also like some flank armour (like the V3). The airbag doesn't cover the flanks but rocks on side falls might find that gap. That could be offered as an accessory. I suspect A* wanted to keep the weight down. My L/XL already weighs 3.6kg. For comparison my Leatt 5.5 shirt (XL) weighs 3kg. So the TAOR's 3.6kg is quite reasonable considering it has the airbag and 2 canisters. I also replaced the A* shoulder and elbow protectors. They are pretty awful in terms of protection and comfort, so I put some Knox Microlock level 2 pads in there. There's room for most typical sized pads in the pockets.

[@44MagnumFilms]

I have been riding with one for about four months. It has surprised me how comfortable it is. Yes, it's hot to wear when the temps get higher than low 80's, but what isn't? No deployments on washouts so far. I have to trust A-stars that it works when needed. The only negative is I don't have a jacket that fits over it but my rain gear still does. I wear a jersey over it to keep the bug guts off it.

[@fullmetalcorgi1350]

A pillion is the best airbag

[@carlosvejar3938]

That would be a meatbag

[@fullmetalcorgi1350]

@@carlosvejar3938 and?

[@Aka.Aka.]

Chill out man why u so pressed ​@@fullmetalcorgi1350

[@DorkintheRoad]

That was not "one of the guides.". That was me asking off camera. 😅

[@kylealden]

I had a bad high side wearing one of these two weeks ago on my 690. I am at home with a totaled bike, shattered scapula, broken elbow, and grade 5 AC separation. I’m convinced I’d be much worse off if not for the tech air. None of my EMTs or surgeon can believe I didn’t break any ribs, collarbone, or worse given the other injuries. I flew at least 10 feet vertically and landed 20 feet in front of the bike, upside down and headfirst. Damn straight I’m never riding without an airbag again. The only downside is the overconfidence it might give you.

[@MongoLolz]

Yep high sided at 50 mph, landed on chest in superman position. Nothing broken, just sore ribs for a week and some bruising. Not sure how bad it would have been without the tec air.

[@ostell]

@@MongoLolzDo You use this airbag with extra layer abrasion protection or not? Im thinkig obout ride wearing only this airbg in hot summer.

[@dcmsr5141]

@@MongoLolz Goddamn!!

[@lance3529]

@@ostell I have the same question. The manual says not to and I get why because the arms look pretty thin like they arnt meant for abrasion resistance like sliding on asphalt. Im worried the elbow pad will come off or something.

[@stephenbaron5681]

I have a tech air V that I did not fly with because I read that airport TSA most likely would not let it on the plane. I also highly recommend the best as I did have a crash and it saved my ass and then I sent it up to seacoast in Maine, and they recharge my unit. Definitely worth the money.

[@abeemad584]

Ah man a Red vs Blue reference. Been ages since I last watched that show

[@Gsr4me]

Fortnine HAS to get this in stock for here in Canada. I'd love to have one for the street

[@murakumo33]

I agree. Fellow canadian. Cant find this in canada anywhere

[@marton_horvath]

@@murakumo33 Cuz a true Fortnine fan never wears protection, it's just marketing!

[@Gsr4me]

@@marton_horvath hahahaha yeah I saw that one. Imma respectfully disagree with Ryan on that one

[@mikebiddle4070]

Same here. I’m close to the border, but if I got it shipped to the US I’d have to cross a steel grate bridge that’s a good 200’ above the St Lawrence. Seems wrong to take the cage and pick up bike gear lol

[@user-wk7ve9bh4s]

Great gear for off road but it's not made for street rides as is. I've asked alpinestar directly and they told me that this airbag is not abrasion resistant (the inflatable part would not resist a slide on concrete) so for street rides it's design to be worn under a motocycle jacket. Ride safe.

[@radicalkonrad765]

As someone who had beyond severe injuries to my lower body the next time I ride will absolutely be in the tech air 10 or mo'cycle pants. Airbags are the absolute best for impact protection and a must for me now.

[@justposi]

Spite brother losing weight looks good on you , keep it up broski i just wanna say we do notice.

[@BUGBYTE_]

The TSA is just ridiculous. I know they are trying to do their job but sometimes they do too much.

[@VictorLowther]

Solution: ride instead of fly.

[@Ntmoffi]

They're still checking shoes. 😑

[@BnB140810]

You'd think they'd keep on top of things, work out argon is safe, contact the manufacturer, contact someone higher up that knows science. I guess in a few months it'll be sorted

[@stephendahlstrom1369]

I’m in Australia. I’ve got one and I’m very happy with it ( haven’t needed a deployment yet). I’ve run into the same problem with air travel. The airlines just say it’s an explosive device and won’t transport it, even though they’ve been given the safety data sheet. Annoying!

[@JoaquimGonsalves]

7:53 Oh wow! Thank you. I face the similar issue now that I've started riding in Dubai.

[@matthatter93]

If this best was 300 dollars less I would have bought it as soon as it was first reviewed by you. A thousand dollars is just soooo much money

[@Rayle1993]

That's so crazy I was literally just looking at this on RevZilla yesterday! I'm most curious how it will do off-road in low speed tipovers and washouts. I don't want it deploying just cuz some sand took me out 😂 glad it worked for you

[@spitescorner]

It's designed not to deploy under a certain threshold in its Enduro and rally modes. What that threshold is, I can't say exactly because Astars isn't sharing that info, but you won't have a deployment in a slow speed tip over.

[@Rayle1993]

@@spitescorner great to hear! Thanks

[@raulmujica]

just came back from riding the White Rim Trail in Utah -- there was a lot of sand, some of it very deep -- I had 4-5 crashes and the Tech Air in Enduro mode never deployed the airbag which was good (just wish there was an airbag for my hip - haha)

[@leonardoatx3]

Unless you use it bellow something resistant to abrasions on the road it will tear apart and you will be screwed

[@smoothride1000]

I love this thing. I used it on my trip up the dempster hwy this summer!

[@nulla9601]

It's still very expensive at $1000 for the jacket and $100 per canister??? But I'm happy manufacturers are making innovation in terms of safety and hopefully it becomes a lot more affordable once it becomes more mainstream

[@RadCatFood]

I had a high side on a goldwing and landed in a ditch full of large rocks breaking a rib and a finger. I had on an armored jacket but if I had an airbag jacket I would be in much better shape. I got an Dianese D-Air jacket now but I wish I had it before the crash.

[@DutchVanny]

how is nobody asking about this? you wut m8??????

[@beaulunawolf1198]

The tech in these vests is really cool, but until the price makes more sense I'll stick with my current Revit jacket and pick up a Shoei Neotec.

[@allenjohnson4938]

Felt the same till i found Theres a brand Called Hit Air that Makes Co2 Airbag Vests that can be had for %30-50 off the Price of a Helite ..more if you dont mind 2nd Hand. I just Got a Neotec 2 from a Recent Divorcee with 3 Jackets, 3pair Rain Pants and Hit Air Vest for $300. I know its hard to replicate but its possible…The Vest is Hi Vis Yellow and the Helmet is Blue which Doesnt Match any of my other D@mn Gear and i did have to spend $50 on Gas…which led to another $50 on food 😅 But $400 and a Day of Driving in DMV Traffic aint too Bad for My Safety and $1000+ in Gear and Those Brave of Heart😂

[@k3y155]

A good base layer spandex of some kind should help absorb a lot of sweat and prevent any possible chafing/irritation. I use a base layer on any long ride I do for these reasons, and the sweat absorption in the Texas summer means more effective cooling as the ride goes on. I’m particularly interested in how this would feel under my summer jacket during the unique Texas season Summer 2: Airfryer Boogaloo

[@dr.x4050]

It seems you like the Fox Titan Sport Chest Guard Jacket more since you never need to deploy (yet), it has forearm straps, a lot easier to fly with, and is easier to clean.

[@ADingoTookMyDasco]

I have no doubt about the safety claims, but what is it like to wear when it's hot? I've found that the protection riders wear is inversely proportional to the ambient temperature. And with summer just around the corner for us Aussies there are plenty of days where it's uncomfortably hot to wear even a mesh jacket. I'm concerned that it's an expensive piece of safety equipment that might spend most of its time being left at home during peak riding season.

[@MeerkatADV]

It's warm, I'm good until about 85.

[@professorgrass3953]

@@MeerkatADV are you in a humid area or a dry heat?

[@spitescorner]

In a humid 101 in Texas I'm comfortable with this and a jersey.

[@MeerkatADV]

@@professorgrass3953 I've worn it in both. High 90s in dry and 85 in wet. The airbag part doesn't breathe.

[@ADingoTookMyDasco]

@@professorgrass3953 I'm in Sydney, so hot & humid in summer.

[@aniv5833]

Spite's content is so informative and to the point! Vs Yapperr Noober!! 😆 I'm sure a lot of your viewers would agree too 😁

[@nulla9601]

Is it abrasion resistant? If so, which rating (A, AA or AAA)? For street use that is pretty important.

[@7arkhwf]

NO! Has none to do with abrassion & you HAVE TO use a shell atop for that!

[@justcommenting4981]

We love crash tests. Don't we folks? Someone's gotta do it. Let the people know. We love it.

[@xPablo1376]

Back protectorz and gear are solid asuming nothing elsea plows into [keep ur saftey cusion]

[@AndrewPoole01]

No one seems to be addressing what happens if you get this wet say in a river crossing. The electronics in the cartridge area does not seem to be protected (isolation switch etc) and my understanding is if you get it wet it is not likely to function and is not covered under warranty. I love these but if you are considering river crossings then this can be a really big and expensive issue. Can Alpine Stars please correct this if I am wrong ?

[@enrique60033]

a Leatt 5.5 would have done the same . I know because I wear one.and crashed and landed by back on sharp rocks several times.

[@yagian]

Best review of this I've seen yet. I'm contemplating getting one so I've been watching a lot of videos on it and this is the first one that didn't feel like it was written by Alpinestars marketing team. I'm also coming from a Klim Tactical shirt which feels pretty flimsy, so looking for more protection. Major major thanks for the formula on fitting beneath a jacket. That was my main concern as I've recently sunk $700 on Mosko Basilesk jacket and I'm not quite ready say goodbye to that. Now, where did I put that measuring tape....

[@spitescorner]

Glad I could help 👍

[@JSR100]

Slow to the party here - but I ride in the woods and my concern is that the airbag will not inflate during low speed falls. What happens if I am going slow through a rock garden and tip over? I know that your opening frames showed a fall like I am talking about where it DID inflate. But did I hear correctly (somewhere) that you have to be going over 18 kph for it to function?

[@ChadGrimes]

Do they at least have the other power ranger colors, or are we just stuck with red ranger

[@pavelshchors]

Does it give abrasion resistance? Doesn't look like it. I would be glad to be mistaken

[@BangChief_AllIsOne]

How would it fare against a semi-truck? Salute

[@darkiee69]

How abrasion resistant is it, is it really ment to be worn as an only layer?

[@spitescorner]

The elbows and shoulders have abrasion resistant material (some but not much). The hard parts slide very well. The mesh holding it together is not abrasion resistant. I'd recommend wearing something over it if you're going to go for a long slide.

[@quatron---]

That thing should not be worn on the road. The abresion resistance is not there, when u go down on asphalt it will go trough the cloth in a heartbeat. If i wear it on road, put a jacket over it.

[@justcommenting4981]

What airbag do you use for track(if any)?

[@HFVidShotz]

Thanks!

[@JoaquimGonsalves]

Glad to it saved you bro. I didn't know there's a tech air version of this. I picked up the bionic dirt bike jacket which has the split chest protectors. But i agree that these jackets a re great and with the the TechAir, definitely a swiss army knife. Do they have something similar for the legs?

[@ostell]

Thanks 👍✋🫡

[@JamesExcell-InterJex]

I actually like riding with a backpack. And don't travel without one. 😅

[@fwijffels]

I was really considering this system, but the fact that it's nearly impossible to wash makes it very, very cumbersome. I guess after every summer ride this thing will reek of sweat, and you'll definitely wanna wash it before you use it a second time..

[@spitescorner]

I've figured out how to machine wash it. All you need to do is pull the electronics and the airbag, then turn it inside out and machine wash on delicate. Takes a few minutes to install it all again, but it's not hard.

[@mortarman81MM]

Spite, I own this rig also, and you couldn't be more spot on about your observations, particularly the cons. I, too, won't ride without this gear and if you're an ATGATT person, you should give this a serious look. It kind of feels like the Goldilocks of airbags.

[@dirtrider9268]

Look at the bladder sections and pockets that holds them, this is not like the street Air 5 vest. It also won't give you enough abrasion resistence for street as you rode it on. Not your fault, look closely at the bladders of both rigs. Agreed the missing elbow straps, belt, and side panels like the Bionic v3 has is just not good enough for this price point. I'm using my air 5 when going offroad for now. This seems rushed to market, imo. $170 for canisters is high.

[@krazed0451]

Spray the zip with some silicone lubricant intermittently, that's the most common failure part on these protectors :-)

[@kenp4124]

Why, oh why do gear companies make nicely ventilated gear and it's almost always Black? Asking from Arizona....

[@7arkhwf]

Strangely enough, it is almost universal 🙄

[@DesertVetRider]

I wear mine in Arizona. Above 90 degrees, it's just too hot to wear.

[@MajomHus]

Would love to see a comparison vs the Helite off-road vest.

[@ChadWinters]

I have the tethered Helite Turtle backpack. A lot easier to throw on and off.

[@MajomHus]

@@ChadWinters i have a helite vest and jacket, but can't find any reviews of the new offroad vest.

[@wanderlpnw]

I didn't mention anything about my tech air when I traveled to Japan with it. I went through Canada customs, too. Didn't have any issues. I just wouldn't mention anything if I were you. There's no reason it would go off.

[@AJRides]

Only comes in black, i hope comes with gray or light color to avoid heat

[@spitescorner]

That's why I wear a light colored jersey

[@MeerkatADV]

Light colored jersey.

[@dasko3]

I own a Helite but this has me pondering.....

[@ArmaMoto]

They had a hi viz one, hope they bring that color back

[@toportime]

You can spend like 8-15 bucks and just get a regular old hi vis vest that will fit over anything you have on.

[@hachi-rokuperformancegroup3987]

Unfortunately these are not affordable for the average rider. Till they come down in price my $100 chest protector for off road and my icon jacket for the street

[@justcommenting4981]

Oh my god YES! The canisters are impossible to get. Like wtf? Also, I understand TSA not knowing what to do, though they should be familiar with compressed gas canisters...which I don't think are actually allowed? Southwest should have offered to mail them for you at least. Customer service is basically dead though, so what can you do? If you want to bring stuff through security, less information is more. Describe what you're bringing in terms of a category the airport staff is familiar with. No one wants the liability of letting something unusual through and having it cause an incident. Not sure why they would give you the option of choosing the canisters or the jacket beyond having no idea what to do and feeling compelled to do something.

[@SummitCoyote]

see my main problem with that is that I'm the opposite of you and that I wear a backpack everywhere I go so this would just get in the way and be too cumbersome. if they could build that technology into a really good backpack or into a much lighter and smaller vest then drop the price, it might be worth it. It's a good idea, I just don't see the tech and the price being there yet.

[@BenYarmis]

TechAir 3? Comes in canvas and leather options and it’s the vestiest. Also a bit cheaper than the offroad

[@VictorLowther]

Fortnine did a cheap gear review that included an airbag moto backpack, iirc.

[@SummitCoyote]

@@VictorLowther I've seen it. wasn't impressed with the way it worked and the backpack usefulness (capacity quality etc)

[@SummitCoyote]

@@VictorLowther the helite was what the pack was and it was not in a cheap gear review. that backpack is almost $800

[@MeerkatADV]

You can wear a backpack with this. Just have to loosen it up so the airbag has room to inflate.

[@AllboroLCD]

One of these days Ill be able to afford me some real gear, that be nice. Till then, its literally whatever is sold on the single shelf of motorcycle stuff @ my local walmart for me!

[@robotdowning963]

I'll say it a thousand times, i love the airbag vests BUT they need to get cheaper. Safety shouldn't so financially gated

[@PavelessAdventure]

I really want one. But I can’t justify the price at the moment

[@Etb323]

I FREAKING HATE THAT YOU CAN’T GET THAT IN MEXICO.

[@stevelee6667]

if someone gave me the jacket, i would wear it. way too much $$

[@ChadWinters]

Why does everything have to be black! So hot in the sun

[@guzziman]

When all the "influencers" start to have accident with the same air vest... ......... Interesting....

[@toltod]

If you cannot get this easily recharged or new canisters at your local cycle gear....I'm gonna wait until you can.

[@spitescorner]

In theory, that's a short term problem. They're working to stock the canisters.

[@brettknighten1171]

Cut the price in half and give me just the offroad setting. $1000 is ridiculous gor a piece of gear like this. I don't want to hear the "hospital bills are more expensive" excuse either

[@spitescorner]

But have you seen what a surgery costs in the United States?

[@brettknighten1171]

@@spitescorner I believe it is called insurance you should probably have some. Also I asked for a better answer than if you wreck it is expensive. If that was the only argument why not charge 10k for the vest that is far less than a surgery right. What about 15k for a helmet the head is the most important part of the body.

[@SuperDubdude]

still waiting on the halo x motorcycle gear crossover

[@nhzxboi]

When you say "Literally" although the term means nothing in reality, it definitely means something somehow. "Literally saved my back" means nothing to me other than people seem to use that word, 'literally' as an emphasizer. Frickin English silliness.

[@toportime]

I dislike your camera setup on your bars that blocks your dash readout.

[@armandocardona6975]

let’s be honest pads and airbags only prevent minor injuries from low indirect hits. but don’t save your life.

[@brucerossonthetube]

Watch MotoGp and the Dakar Rally and it will change your mind.

[@armandocardona6975]

@@brucerossonthetube i still stand by my comments.

[@brucerossonthetube]

​@armandocardona6975 there is over a 90% reduction in impact force with the airbag over a standard chest protector. MOTOGP and the Dakar saw such a significant decrease in injuries that they mandated airbags for all riders. Today, GP riders will have several "offs" during a race weekend that would have resulted in paralysis 25 years ago. But sure, stand by those comments...

[@armandocardona6975]

@@brucerossonthetube You are looking at the statistics wrong. Racetracks are the best place to take a fall. I’m not familiar with Dakar sorry. I’m speaking about normal riding conditions in the real world where a bad faith auto driver makes a mistake.

[@brucerossonthetube]

@@armandocardona6975 it's kinda like arguing against the decrease in brain injuries and head injuries that helmets provide.

[@THX5000]

Yeah but riding in shorts and flip flops looks better

[@unnf9971]

Good thing I dont go off the road.

[@jaykalms9938]

What’s with the cm/freedom comments ???

[@charlesm.2756]

It looks like a very cool piece of kit...but totally impractical and totally out of reach for the average rider.

[@BnB140810]

Land of the free measurement 😂😂😂. Googled "which countries use imperial measurements", answer - the U.S., Liberia and Myanmar, 🤣😂🤣😂

[@GESproducciones]

It's rubbish, uncomfortable, bulky, hot and expensive

[@tompava3923]

🤦