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Air Suit or Air Vest

Discussion in 'Tech' started by Fritz, Feb 14, 2017.

  1. Fritz

    Fritz Member

    I have been looking at buying either a new air race suit or possibly a air vest the 2017 season. I understand that air suits need to be sent back to mfg for repacking in the event of a deployment, and it also could be several weeks turn around time. The vests can be repacked somewhat easily by the owner. Who out there is wearing either a vest or suit and good and bad of them. Also looking at input for best or worse suits/vest.
     
  2. Blue Junk

    Blue Junk Well-Known Member

    I have a Dainese D-air suit. Had an incident, it was rebuilt and recharged for ~$500 and back to me in 10 days, 4 days of that being shipping. They replaced the left chest, shoulder, left upper arm along with elbow and shoulder armor. To be clear they don't repair panels, they disassemble the suit and install new panels sent from Italy.

    The experience (both crash and service) was so pleasurable I bought a second suit to have a backup. I'll never ride/race in anything less than this or a comparable product again.
     
  3. jp129

    jp129 Well-Known Member

    Out of curiosity, was it recent that you had that service done from Dainese?
     
  4. MotoGP1199

    MotoGP1199 Well-Known Member

    Do you have any before pics? I'm just curious how bad the panels were that needed to be replaced. I'm asking because I know they wont recharge the suit unless they fix everything, so I wanted to see what they considered MUST be replaced. Thanks.
     
  5. R/T Performance

    R/T Performance Well-Known Member

    I am about to start my third year riding with the Hit Air race vest. I have not crashed with it on and do carry a spare co2 cartridge and have looked through the repack instructions if it doesn't rip a air bladder easy repack.
    From all the pictures and other user I have spoke to . the vest gives you great neck support and protection many times stopping the helmet from coming into contact with the ground.
    My only problem I have is I can't get it on by myself I just am not that flexible. (getting the vest on over the suit) I can zip, clip and un clip my self fine.
     
  6. Blue Junk

    Blue Junk Well-Known Member

    I do have pictures. The pictures are actually a requirement of Dainese for them to issue a number to get the process going. In my opinion they were more than reasonable in their service and actually replaced less than I expected.

    I'll post some pictures tomorrow of the damage and repaired suit. Along with some additional information to go with it.
     
  7. Rob P

    Rob P Well-Known Member

    Considering they charge like $25oish just to repack/recharge the airbag, $500 seems reasonable.
     
    Boman Forklift likes this.
  8. Phl218

    Phl218 .

    I have had to use my air vest once- highsider. Despite the vest, my helmet cracked. Or to put it this way: I don't want to know what would have happened without it.

    Tarmac ripped up the grey and orange fabric, which I had resewn, but the bladder inside has not been harmed.

    Running it on a new cartridge now and expecting it to perform similarly.
    Actually thinking about upgrading to the latest model.
     
  9. r6boater

    r6boater Logged out

    Draik has been wearing a Hit-air vest from SaferMoto.com since 2011. I can't easily remember how many times he has crashed.

    I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it has saved him from some broken collar bones and saved helmets too.

    In his most recent crash, a very violent tank slapper coming out of Charlotte's Web at the GNF, he slammed down on the ground, shoulder first, hard enough that he broke his shoulder blade. Now some may think that the vest didn't do its job but it really believe it prevent much worse injury including collarbone and possibly neck/head injury. After being slammed down, he slid down the track but didn't continue to bounce his head off the ground because of the way the neck support inflates to stabilize the head and force the helmet forward/down.

    The vest ended up getting ruined in the process but was much cheaper than what could have been.
     
  10. Fritz

    Fritz Member

    What brand / model vest do you have and what are you thinking about upgrading to?
     
  11. Phl218

    Phl218 .

    i have the older "only neck model" - don't know the number.... see pic

    upgrading to full neck, back, tailbone... MLV-C: http://www.safermoto.com/air-bag-vests/mlv-c/
     

    Attached Files:

  12. grady anderson

    grady anderson Well-Known Member

    I have a Hit Air vest. I don't claim to be flexible but I have no problem putting it on by myself. Might just be technique. Dunno.
    I tucked my front end on the brakes going into T5 at Summit with a rider right behind me. He had nowhere to go and hit me square in the back with enough impact to pop me up in the air and tumble like a rag doll. I have no doubt the vest saved me from serious injury.
    I would not have had it except a friend of mine crashed wearing one a couple of weeks earlier in the very fast T4 at Summit and was for the most part uninjured.
    I felt that since I now knew it could save me from serious injury I had no choice but to buy one.
    BTW easy reload with a new CO2 cartridge and ready to go. At $500 it is a no brainer.
    The D Air suit is next on my list though I may still wear the vest over it. I use Michelins. I would look like the Michelin man after a crash.
    The guy that could not avoid me had a Go Pro on his bike. I will see if I can post a link to the vid.
     
    Phl218 likes this.
  13. grady anderson

    grady anderson Well-Known Member

  14. sdiver

    sdiver Well-Known Member

    Ive been down 3x in my Hit Air Racer Vest. It didn't do as much in a low side but let me tell you...if you are going to highside you want to do it with an airbag. Like landing on pillows.

    Somewhere on the net I have frame by frame pics of me lowside crashing with it on. If I find it Ill post link.

    Fyi, my vest is still fully functional with no repairs.
     
  15. Fritz

    Fritz Member

    Wishing I had an air bag!
    14202683_977008832408048_1001164771405843618_n.jpg
     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2017
  16. mpp12

    mpp12 Well-Known Member

    Im looking for a airbag vest... I have several jackets and want a vest...

    Looking at the Hit and the helite (looks funny), what other options do I have?
     
  17. mpp12

    mpp12 Well-Known Member

    experiences.... I see that Hit one has good experience...
     
  18. grady anderson

    grady anderson Well-Known Member

    Yeah it does
    Still functional BTW
     
  19. grady anderson

    grady anderson Well-Known Member

    My low side got complicated :(
    Sure glad I was wearing it
     
  20. grady anderson

    grady anderson Well-Known Member

    BTW the laughter in the video is not vicious
    Stas's friends are laughing because when he got up he checked on his bike before checking on me. I understand completely and laughed when I saw the vid as well
     

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