Protective motorcycle gear, at its essence, is not rocket science. We do the best we can to account for the brute forces of physics we might encounter—impact, abrasion, all sorts of weather. We also try to account for style at the same time.

A common refrain we return to while justifying a very real need for Quality Motorcycle Gear™ is the “blender of physics” that happens in a motorcycle crash. Forces of impact and abrasion multiplied—quickly, sometimes violently—by momentum and good or bad luck.

Thanks to an array of onboard sensors including accelerometers and a gyroscope, and an on-board CPU with the benefit of two decade’s worth of development, a Tech-Air vest is quite simply the smartest piece of safety gear you can put on your back today.

There are other airbag systems out there. We've heard reports of Dainese's D-Bag system dropping off in stop-and-go city traffic. And while most airbag systems use a tethered lanyard to trigger the airbag, we are partial to the 20 years of R&D the Alpinestars has put into developing its cutting edge fully automatic tech.

In a crash, the system knows to deploy before the wearer can even begin to comprehend what’s happening. In a rear-end collision, for example, the unit will activate and inflate before the wearer’s back is even done arching from the impact, and long before contact is made between the rider and the oncoming car.

Unlike previous Tech-Air systems, this one works with whatever jacket you own already, just as long as there’s enough room for the airbag to inflate.

We have a full size run of vests at the store, as well as a demo vest for you to come try on your current jacket to determine if there’s enough room to work with this fully autonomous airbag system.

Watch the complete 5-part video series on the technology on our Vimeo channel, and come down to the store or contact us through the interwebs with questions or to place an order.

/// From the manufacturer 

Tech-Air 5 is a slim, self-contained wearable airbag vest designed to be worn under virtually any jacket. The system provides unrivaled upper body protection uniquely covering the rider's shoulders, critical in motorcycling accidents, in addition to the chest, ribs and full back.

The Tech-Air 5 Airbag System offers the most comprehensive coverage of any motorcycling airbag available today.

The state-of-the-art Tech-Air 5 System features six integrated sensors (3 gyroscopes and 3 accelerometers) to continuously monitor the rider’s position. An algorithm developed closely with MotoGP race data and data from over 2,000 lab-simulated crash scenarios determine when and how the system deploys. The airbag has a maximum inflation time of up to 40ms (or less, depending on vest size). The impact absorption while wearing the airbag results in a decrease of impact force by up to 95% compared to a passive chest or back protector. Inflation time is quick enough to deploy the airbag before the rider's first impact with an obstacle. In addition, the vest will protect stationary riders in the event of a rear-end collision.

The airbag has a battery life good for 30 hours of riding time on a single charge, and an LED display conveniently shows system status directly on the garment. The system features Bluetooth connectivity to pair with the Tech-Air App, which uses the rider’s phone to display the system’s operational status, battery status and provide detailed analysis of a ride. Over-the-air firmware updates are also handled through the app. Alpinestars includes a micro USB charger for quick recharging. 

Electronics System: 

• Active electronic system that features six triaxial integrated sensors (3 gyroscopes and 3 accelerometers)
• Crash algorithm that leverages AI to accurately monitor when to deploy the airbag in the event of a crash
• 30 hours of riding time after a full charge via micro USB charger
• Bluetooth and App integration

Airbag System:

• Covers shoulders, chest, ribs and full back
• Maximum inflation time of 20-40ms based on the volume of the airbag size
• Decreases impact force by 95% compared to a passive protector
• Includes argon gas canisters
• Highly ventilated back protector

Operation:

• Zip up vest and close magnetic flap
• Integrated LED display indicates operational status

Note:  The Tech-Air 5 Vest is designed to be worn under any properly fitting textile jacket, keeping in mind that the jacket must be large enough to accommodate the expansion of the airbag in the event of a crash. For textile jackets, riders need 4cm of additional space around the circumference of the body. Riders who wish to wear a leather jacket that is not Tech-Air compatible must be sure that the leather jacket has an additional 4cm of space around the circumference of the entire body. Riders can also pair the Tech-Air 5 Airbag Vest with any Alpinestars Tech-Air compatible jacket that features airbag expansion panels.