Air jackets - Poll - For research :)

Which air jacket do you use?

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I was driving home from work on Christmas Eve when OH rang me telling me to meet him in a near by village. He'd gone to a local riding school which also has a tack shop to buy a couple of riding lessons as a christmas present for a friend's daughter.
They also sell point two jackets so he bought me one on the spur of the moment!
I've wanted an air jacket for years but was put off by the price.
 
My husband also bought me one for Christmas! He'd been telling me to get one for ages, I thought it extravagant, but now I'm so pleased. It is a Hit Air, so much more comfortable and easy to put on and wear than my Body protector, smaller and lighter. I know I'm going to get off without unplugging at some point though 😏.
 
I have a point two and really rate them. Having come off a few crackers and been up walking about and feeling fine I wouldn't ride without it!!
 
I don't use one - I do think that they help you to bounce, but the type of fall I fear, a rotational, they cannot help you - so as yet I have not bought one.
 
I thought it was force that set it off, so if you dismount whilst still plugged in it wouldn't go off?! I blinking hope so as I intend to get one & know I will forget to unplug before dismounting!
 
wills_91 said:
I thought it was force that set it off, so if you dismount whilst still plugged in it wouldn't go off?! I blinking hope so as I intend to get one & know I will forget to unplug before dismounting!
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Unless you weighed less than 5 stone AND got off very slowly ,the jacket will go off .
 
I don't own one and will not be buying one, as like another poster it's rotational falls that worry me and no air jacket will help.

That said, if they help with peoples confidence and peace of mind while riding, then they are doing a good job.

I would consider using one when riding a motorcycle.
 
wills_91 said:
I thought it was force that set it off, so if you dismount whilst still plugged in it wouldn't go off?! I blinking hope so as I intend to get one & know I will forget to unplug before dismounting!
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You will be spending a lot on new canisters then!!the only way they go off is when triggered by the lanyard that is why they are as useful as a chocolate teapot in any fall when you are still attached to the horse. The very falls when you need extra protection!
 
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Whichever one you have, just remember to plug it in as was with a friend XC schooling who forgot, fell off and was badly hurt. She may still have suffered her injuries even if it had gone off but having bought the air jacket due to a previous bad fall, it was rather frustrating.
 
I don't have one at the moment but it will be my next horsey purchase. I'm erring towards the hit-air at the moment, but also like the Helites that come in a shell jacket.
 
I have had a love hate relationship with air jackets . Physics is my home territory ,especially dynamics. So I first focused on the shortfalls of the point 2 but subsequently watched a number of fairly graphic demonstrations of its effective capability. It wont save you if the bullet has your name on it ,but it is a hell of a lot better than nothing . Folk talk about hit air expanding out , sorry but that is not good. In a crush situation you want max pressure asap. OK it might not save you but its the best option there is.The hit air will not give any protection in a crush situation. My personal (and qualified)opinion is that the point two will deliver some protection. You might find the point two more daunting when it goes off but I have watched video footage of it lifting and rolling a horse off the rider. Fraction of a second but you can die in a fraction of a second.
 
wills_91 said:
I thought it was force that set it off, so if you dismount whilst still plugged in it wouldn't go off?! I blinking hope so as I intend to get one & know I will forget to unplug before dismounting!
Click to expand...

I've got off several times still attached and my Point 2 hasn't gone off. Luckily as once it was to do an awkward gate on top of the Downs which could have been interesting. It only goes off if it is yanked sharply. As I tend to slide off gently to save my feet and knees it hasn't if I leapt off quickly if might have.
 
Mike007 said:
I have had a love hate relationship with air jackets . Physics is my home territory ,especially dynamics. So I first focused on the shortfalls of the point 2 but subsequently watched a number of fairly graphic demonstrations of its effective capability. It wont save you if the bullet has your name on it ,but it is a hell of a lot better than nothing . Folk talk about hit air expanding out , sorry but that is not good. In a crush situation you want max pressure asap. OK it might not save you but its the best option there is.The hit air will not give any protection in a crush situation. My personal (and qualified)opinion is that the point two will deliver some protection. You might find the point two more daunting when it goes off but I have watched video footage of it lifting and rolling a horse off the rider. Fraction of a second but you can die in a fraction of a second.
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That's an interesting point, my OH is an engineer, he compared the hit air & the point 2, he decided after doing quite a lot of research that the point 2 was the best option.
A good friend of ours was killed this year in a fall from a horse (whilst walking along the road, the horse spooked, she came off & sustained fatal injuries)
As you say if a bullet has your name on it there's not a lot you can do but I want to do the best I can to keep myself as safe as possible.
 
I have found the comments from engineers etc very interesting especially about the point two being better in crush situations with it expanding in rather than out.
 
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