www.boxertrix.com

Gents,

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with the Helite air vests...

See http://www.helite.com/ for UK distributor. I tried & tested one recently @ MCN; funny the guy did a good sales job on me, he said i wouldn't stop thinking about it & he was right.. once you try one you think about it it when your doing 70 mph & the what if scenario..

I know folks will say its a lot of money.. i know people will also probably say its mechanical & hence your tied to it etc (you could argue same with a seat belt)..personally i think they are a good concept & will be going down this route...

Note they are the producer for the similar HELD vests..

Brad

Does the shelite version have two bumps in it?

On a more serious note, my brother had a bad accident late last year involving colliding with two cars.

He suffered subdural hematoma, two broken arms, a broken foot, damaged knee and numerous other small injuries. He was lucky. Things could have been a lot worse. I don't think this device would have changed any of that except the attachment might have put a different perspective on things? Who knows.

Bottom line is I am still riding. Would I want to dash out and buy one of these vests? No. I believe in dressing appropriate to the fact I'm riding a bike. I have a good quality lid, boots and textile gear with Knox at the usual points. This gear doesn't hinder my enjoyment, in fact it helps. But once I start adding more bells and whistles I think maybe the gear starts to infringe? The thing about road riding, on the type of roads I frequent especially, is that I believe your biggest threat to health in the event of an accident is impact. Yes, this vest is designed to absorb a certain type of impact, but where do you stop? Do you stop? That's a personal thing and personally speaking I've always known the risk is there (it's obvious) but I don't see it as a gamble, like simply spinning a dice. I've always thought about the risks regularly. I think, as bikers, we've had to up our game into more recent times. The roads are a LOT busier and driving standards are quite frankly abysmal.

I will look out for safety devices, maybe even this, but there's only so much you can do to protect from heavy impact. Avoid it! But balance that against enjoying what you're going out for. Make sure you have a decent lid.

The greatest aid to your safety is inside your helmet.

Ain't that the truth.

tanneman wrote:Ain't that the truth.

+1

He's 53 and never not ridden since he was 16. Apart from the usual spill most of us probably have when learning, he had a perfect record accident wise. There are three riders that I rate and he's one of em. I trust him 100%. So, as far im concerned, it can happen to the best of us.

An "airbag" jacket won't be of benefit in every crash, exactly the same as a crash helmet won't.

But - if it provides protection to vital organs and the damage that broken ribs can cause to them ....... then for some people - it is a tangible benefit.

I wouldn't judge them - it is their justification, just as the person who becomes a father and re-evaluates their life and priorities (and vulnerabilities).

Your head might be the greatest aid to safety (while being extremely vulnerable) - but it doesn't have to be the only aid.

Al

Blackal wrote:An "airbag" jacket won't be of benefit in every crash, exactly the same as a crash helmet won't.

But - if it provides protection to vital organs and the damage that broken ribs can cause to them ....... then for some people - it is a tangible benefit.

I wouldn't judge them - it is their justification, just as the person who becomes a father and re-evaluates their life and priorities (and vulnerabilities).

Your head might be the greatest aid to safety (while being extremely vulnerable) - but it doesn't have to be the only aid.

Al

You're right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsZBXlTHPCg
A very interesting perspective on mechanism of injury associated with motorcycling by late Dr John Hinds.