After much deliberation and research - I've just bought a Hit Air Jacket

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porkpie

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I, like many of you, have been watching and reading all the many discussions on here and COTH on the air jackets - usually Point 2. Again, like many of you, I had a few concerns about them such as the fact that the P2 inflated inwards, and what if it began to deflate just when you might needs its support on a fall etc.

However, having seen the Hit Air, I became warmer to the idea of getting one - the reason for this was the the Hit Air is a much sleeker looking jacket. You hardly know you're wearing it and as the tail flap part is actually folded up and poppered shut, you don't have anything flapping over the back of the saddle, which could surely get caught. Its so much neater. Now don't get me wrong - I wasn't being vain but I felt that it offered so many benefits being like that.

The deciding factor however (oh, apart from the huge price difference between the two), was that the Hit Air inflates outwards, therefore when you fit it, you only need to adjust the waist belt to make it reasonable snug. Its really easy and makes it quick to adjust if you're wearing it over your BP, or decide to wear it on its own. I know with the P2 you have to be very careful to ensure you leave enough room for it to inflate inwards.

I used mine for the first time XC schooling last weekend and just didn't know I had it on, and in the pics that I had taken, you can hardly see it against my black BP.

I have to say that I'm really pleased with my purchase. I realise that its not going to give the same level of protection as an Exo, but there are lots of other potential falls that it will help reduce injury, and that can only be a good thing. I feel comfortable that I've made the right choice and for the right reasons.

Thought I would post my thoughts on this as I imagine there are lots of others in a similar situation.
 
Thank you for the post :D

Contemplating one for D1... She has an Exo for cross-country, and a Kanteq for the rest of the time. Just did a dressage comp with the Kanteq on (first one for the horse, so erred on the side of caution) and it looked surprisingly neat and out of the way.

Just wondering if an Hit Air on top of the Kanteq (for showjumping) would be OTT...

I know. Wrapping her up in cottonwool. Thing is, I know only too well the ouch that an unexpected dismount can bring. It's blinking hard being a parent at times!

OP - did you buy from a shop or off the net? If a shop, did you get to try out the inflation before buying? What is the neck support like, and does it come down to protect the bottom of the spine?

Sorry, so many questions!
 
I actually purchased it at Burghley. I havn't yet felt it inflated (I'm sure its only a matter of time!!) - I didn't feel the need to feel that in order for me to make a decision over buying one. I have seen all the pictures of the Hit Air inflated and it would seem to give masses of protection around your sides, down over your lower back and coxits (spelling??!) and up around your neck.

I understand that when you purchase a Point 2 they actually inflate it for you so that you can feel it - I've seen it done and the people were really rather shocked by it. That didn't appeal to me and I continued to prefer the idea of the jacket inflating outwards.

I don't think its OTT to wear it over a Kan at all, although it would be over your Exo!!
 
I had also been looking at these posts regarding the Point Two inflating inwards and the Hit Air outwards and was unsure how this could work as the P2 air bags are on the outside of the jacket. To double check I thought I would email Point Two to ask them whether they inflated inwards and this is the reply I got:

"This is something that I keep hearing and I would like to say it is completely untrue as our jackets have to inflate outwards. The jackets are designed to hold you tight though so this may be where the confusion is coming from. We have carried out many tests on Point Two jackets and if you look at all our jackets from the Children’s ProAir, the Adult ProAir, through to the new P2-RS, all the material is different and it stretches in different directions in different sizes. This is no coincidence as it took a vast amount of testing to ensure that the inflated pressure is correct in each jacket in each size. If the pressure is not correct and it is not holding you tightly it will go from offering you fantastic protection to little or no protection.

We have completed large amounts of testing on all our jackets at TRL and SATRA to ensure that all jackets meet CE standards and therefore have the appropriate certificates for sale. We have also had all of our inflation speeds tested at CRITT due to way they test the inflation speed. As opposed to using a high speed camera, CRITT measure the speed of which it takes the jacket to reach minimum pressure inside to offer protection. When solely using a high speed camera the jacket may look inflated however has no internal pressure and therefore offers no protection. Our Point Two ProAir offers protection at 0.2bar and the P2-RS at 0.1 bar. The P2-RS will reach this pressure as quickly as 0.094 seconds but it is possible to see high speed footage of it inflated at 0.025 seconds however it would be offering you no air bag protection at this stage. It is for this reason that we are pushing hard to create a standard for equestrian air bag protection so the public can be assured that when they buy such a product they can have confidence the product will do them good and not just rely on sales patter."

Just thought I would share this all with you as well in case it helped with any decision making!!!
 
Interesting. I currently have an Exo for xc but as I am now doing more sj than eventing, may at some point invest in a kan and air jacket for things like sponsored rides as at the moment I use my old bp for those as whilst it's fine for xc warm up and round I'm not sure how comfy the Exo would be for a 2.5 hour sponsored ride for example! Thanks for the feedback as I too have been a bit put off the p2 by some of the things I have read about it.
 
very interesting, thanks for posting.
i have heard that the Hit Air outsells the P2 by a ratio 10 to 1 in the U.S... must admit i love the coccyx protection, really great design.
pip292, i can see what they're saying about it inflating... but i believe that the airbags are sewn on the inside of the adult P2 vest, and to the outside of the children's ones... hence, it is easier to fit the adult ones incorrectly (too tight).
the 'sales patter' comment sounds suspiciously like an attempt to diss the opposition again... ;) ;)
 
Hmmmm, most interesting Pip. Agreed, it does rather sound like a veiled 'diss' Kerilli - TBH another reason why the Hit Air was more attractive....
 
kerilli - I think that's not a diss to be honest. I think it's P2 making an attempt to be honest and not d"diss" other companies like they have in the past. I think they have a great product, but then so do other companies. It's good to have a bit of competition in the market, but at the same time I know I want to be sure of any safety kit I buy. If any company has reached or exceed any current standards then I would look to the best I can. Looks like Point Two have done it there. Why slate them?!
 
I hadn't really taken it as a diss as all manufacturers have their own sales patter, Point Two included and having standards for these products can only make it easier to decide which product is best for each individual and clear up a lot of the confusion over the different jackets around!! Interesting about the US sales as I thought I'd read somewhere that P2 were supplying both the US and Canadian national teams!
 
Possibly to get the sales levels up a bit, giving the national teams free jackets to wear. Not unlike what they have done in this country...

Good to hear about the HitAir. I wouldn't ever purchase a Pt2, but have been looking at the HitAir with interest.
 
ecrozier said:
Interesting. I currently have an Exo for xc but as I am now doing more sj than eventing, may at some point invest in a kan and air jacket for things like sponsored rides as at the moment I use my old bp for those as whilst it's fine for xc warm up and round I'm not sure how comfy the Exo would be for a 2.5 hour sponsored ride for example! Thanks for the feedback as I too have been a bit put off the p2 by some of the things I have read about it.
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I've been on two sponsored rides with my exo on and didn't even notice I was wearing it!
 
My husband offered to buy me a P2 for my birthday. He had been leafing through the horsey mags and catalogues and was convinced that P2 was the only way to go. I did the research though and went for the Hit Air instead. I know that I have made the right choice - for all the reasons that have been listed many times before.

If I am being honest though, I have long felt that the P2 marketing department have made some less than honest and accurate claims and as such, would not have actually felt inclined to buy their product anyway.

In the end, I was happy because I got my Hit Air and hubby was happy because it cost him less!
 
"If I am being honest though, I have long felt that the P2 marketing department have made some less than honest and accurate claims and as such, would not have actually felt inclined to buy their product anyway."

Yes - agree with you on this - I coudn't ignore the pushy marketing and the fact they got slapped on the wrist by the ASA. However, at the end of the day, and the above aside, I still feel the Hit Air is the better jacket.
 
Blimey ! Theres a lot of "Foals" about on this thread.... is "Foal" the new "Troll" ?

I cant afford to invest (see what I did there?) in either at the mo but if I could I would be going for the Hit Air. I am also a fan of the design as I feel it offers a more realistic protection for the everyday rider.
 
Brilliant Maeribec - the P2 competition is won by the number of views the vids get on YouTube and you've managed to sneak a link on here in the guise of adding to informed debate. That is genius :D

FWIW I thought P2 themselves said it inflated inwards, so there we go.
 
I have tried both on and had the P2 blown up on me and have to say it was a shock. Anyway, P2 did an offer on facebook for one afternoon selling all their jackets for $250 (sorry computer only has dollar not pound sign!!).
I bought one and when it came i decided i really didnt like it and found it quite bulky so i stuck it on ebay and sold it for $370 !! I now have the money to go and buy a Hit Air which i plan to do in March before i start competing.
I was quite chuffed with myself.
The hit air is so much less jacket to wear before it blows up.
 
I personally don't like the S&M strappy appearance of the Hit Air :D

And as someone who wants to wear it to prevent injury when thrown into a blackthorn hedge, I wouldn't want the airbags exposed when they blow up like it looks as if they are on a Hit Air. I also like the looser fit, I don't want the restriction when jumping hedges fast or riding in it for several hours.

Love the price, though, except the cannisters are a lot more expensive, though I'm guessing you can always by P2 cannisters???

We definitely need Hit Air tested the same way, the inflation time is crucial and if it is true that P2 is genuinely faster then it will be a safer product, possibly by quite a margin.

I am intrigued that people who will not buy P2 because of a bit of over-aggressive marketing will happily buy a Hit Air which has not been "time to full pressure" tested at all, to my knowledge. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
 
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Hmmmm The hit air looks better than the P2 IMO.

Something else to ponder as OH was insisting I got an air jacket when I was competing my mare, not relevant at the minute but I think I will keep an eye on debate so as IF she comes back to full fitness and Im out competing again then Ill have more of an idea which would be best :)
 
My daughter bought a Hit Air last year as she is often riding young or inexperienced horses and like the better fit and scaled down appearance of the Hit Air while still getting protection. She got to test it out when a young horses slipped and fell and not only landed on her and then bounced up but also threw her into a log x country jump. The vest instantly inflated and she was up and on her feet almost right away no worse for wear. We were very pleased with the protection offered and this clinched the decision for us. We understand that these types of vests have been used and well tested for some time for motorcycles so not a new or under tested product. While we were doing the research into both products we found that the P2 sales technique of asking if you didn't value your life or statements like "do you want to get killed", were too much like scare tactics and made us very suspicious of the quality of their product.
 
CPtrayes - as I understand it the HitAir is the time to full inflation whereas the P2 is time to start inflating - so there is virtually nothing to choose between them time wise.

Hit air is the more established company though, as they fill the motorcycle niche and have done for many years.
 
I have had both inflated on me by our sales reps. We sell both so I am in no way taking sides!!!

They both offer slightly great protection, the hit air felt more comfortable on the neck as it made a nice pillow, but the point 2 felt better round the bottom.

The point 2 felt more restrictive when it blew off . The bang was also slightly more like a shotgun, the hit air being a duller tone.

The canister on the point 2 is easier to change.

Hit air is cheaper, maybe less visible too?

Some people don't like the way the point 2 sits at the bottom of the saddle.

Funnily enough, the hit air rep said they did explode outwards.

The point 2 rep said they fit everyone.

The hit air fit more people as we have had trouble fitting people in the point 2 if they are between sizes. Ie tall but not wide. If they go up for the height they don't adjust enough.
 
Maeribec said:
@mrussel - I wouldn't be surprised to find tht alot of these foals are simply hit air reps in disguise. It's not like they have commented on any other threads..
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Utter Tosh.

I recently have purchased a hit air based pretty much on on the positives already mentioned on this thread i.e. the fit/neatness, the outwards inflation, the companies longer experience with the product, the less agressive marketing.

I recently wore my hit air out drag hunting and couldn't even tell I had it on it was that unobtrusive.

Regarding the inwards/outwards inflation comment - I would imagine there is some confusion in the definition of what this actually means and Maeribec is just playing a bit deliberately dumb. It is pretty damn obvious if you watch videos of a P2 and HitAir inflating what posters refer to ... obviously P2 inflate away from the body but within the confines of the outer shell.

FWIW a couple of friends who event have said that the P2 takes your breath away with a bit of a shock when it goes off.

I think they are BOTH good products, and irrespective of which brand you choose I am a supporter of the air vests. But for me personally, the hit air is the better product.
 
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=point+2+inflates+inwards&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari

And FWIW I think it's underhand to put a link to your video without mentioning that views will increase your chances of winning, and implying that you've added it purely to add to the debate. That's clearly nonsense. If you hadn't made the video would you seriously have joined the forum and added to this thread? I think not - otherwise such an old thread wouldn't have been bumped.

And TBH no hit air reps have ever joined in with these debates - whereas P2 have. Hit air presumably don't need to as they have such a healthy market in the motorcycle industry whereas P2 only have the horses hence the need to be more aggressive in their marketing.
 
cptrayes said:
We definitely need Hit Air tested the same way, the inflation time is crucial and if it is true that P2 is genuinely faster then it will be a safer product, possibly by quite a margin.
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If you check back through threads you will find that I have suggested hit air to people on here ever since P2 started their marketing campaign ,but I have to be careful what I say as I have had two warnings from TFC over it .However I know the inflation times are the same they are just measured differently.
Hit Air have a massive proportion of the motorcycle market and do you not think that inflation time would be a huge issue in that market!
Now choosing my words carefully Hit air were about before P2 so you can draw your own conclusions.
As for your comment about blackthorn hedges what makes you think one is more likely to puncture than the other they are just constructed differently the bags are just as exposed to damage on either.
I just want to pick up on the testing issue when P2 first came out they made all sorts of claims and even tried to tell BE they should be mandatory(I kid you not) BE asked for specific testing to be done and to this day these have not been done.I cannot elaborate more than that on here.
I have no problem with riders using them ,they have shown to help save injury but I still have reservations with regards implications in certain falls when they fail to go off before impact.Do not think they take the risk away remember the Lady sadly killed team chasing was wearing a P2.
 
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SpottedCat said:
CPtrayes - as I understand it the HitAir is the time to full inflation whereas the P2 is time to start inflating - so there is virtually nothing to choose between them time wise.

Hit air is the more established company though, as they fill the motorcycle niche and have done for many years.
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I believe that both products were originally for the motorcycle market and both have been around for quite some time.

The P2 time is, as I understand it, time to full pressure = full protection. The Hit-Air time, apparently is time to be seen to be blown up on a video, ie not actually tested for pressure. The difference is crucial. Whichever reaches full pressure quickest will be the safer product. We need both tested to time-to-full-pressure.

It bugs me that people lambast P2 time and again for their aggressive marketing and lack of testing when it is they who have done the most relevant bit of testing and not Hit Air.
 
First off, I'll hold my hands up and say I was completely turned off by the aggressive, scaremongering marketing that P2 employed. I was pre-disposed to dislike them - and distrust their claims about their product. Getting into hot water with the ASA was also not such a good move on their behalf.

I did get a Hit Air because of my dislike and distrust of P2 and also because not only was the jacket itself a lot cheaper, but so were all the other bits and pieces (although all were included with initial jacket purchase whichever you bought).

P2 pricing page - http://www.point-two.co.uk/index.php/products

Hit Air pricing page - http://www.hitairuk.co.uk/ProductsList.aspx

Personally, I genuinely think that the Hit Air offers better protection around the neck and lower back and after reading testimonials on biking websites from people who have had the dubious pleasure of using them in motorcycle accidents, I was convinced that, however fast they inflated, was going to be fast enough.

Neither the Hit Air or the P2 is ever going to prevent every possible accident/injury/fatality. Sometimes it is simply a case that "your number's up" - sad, but true. It is personal preferences but I really do dislike this stealth marketing that goes on in the forums. It's not honest and it's not honourable. If you want to advertise - then pay to do it!

Sorry.
 
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