Air Jackets . . . .

[awelshandawarmblood]

My youngster is being backed this year & planning on investing in an air jacket in case of any unplanned dismounts!

I've seen the Point Two, Gatehouse & Helite all look very similar which inflate inwards . . . . I'm leaning towards the Hit Air though due to outwards inflation & therefore a closer fit?

Do you HAVE to wear a BP under them?

Also, I'm a huge hi-viz wearer but I wouldn't want a yellow air jacket as I'd be using it jumping etc & would rather black/navy as its smarter. Could I put my HV tabard on over any of these without affecting deployment? Wondered if I could get away with a baggy tabard with just light velcro closures, I have hat bands etc to plaster everything else but I feel naked without a tabard due to the loons driving in the lanes I've seen riders obviously with their number bibs on XC over air jackets, but just wondered what's acceptable.

I've looked on the websites & nothing really said about wearing anything over the top.

 

[FFAQ]

I have the point two as my only BP. I wear a baggy tabard with rubbish velcro fasteners over the top and it deploys fine. So far my only tests of the jacket have been when I have forgotten to unclip myself (twice).

 

[ycbm]

They don't inflate inwards, they just inflate. The Hit Air specifically inflates outwards. I like the looser fit of a P2 it gives greater flexibility of what clothes you wear under it safely and its more ventilated in hot weather.

I wear anything velcro fastened over the top. Usually a high vis long sleeve vest.

No you don't have to wear a body protector unless you are doing cross country competitions, but if you do you will have even more protection. I wear one instead of a BP, I don't like BPs and I think the air jacket is good protection on its own.

 

[dixie]

I have a Helite gilet and it doesn’t inflate inwards.
I can wear it under my coat and hi viz and I’ve managed to check that it works very well. I have the coat quite loose fitting on top and just the poppers done up not the zip and that was fine.
it is also good enough to stretch over my body protector if I need it to and it also zips into my show jacket.
It gets a lot of use!

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

Ooh that's interesting & lots of good points! Thank you Everything I'd read made me think they actually inflated inwards, so that's a game changer! Seeing as I'll be measuring myself I didn't much fancy being squished!

Great if I can have my HV on top too - that's one of the main things that was worrying me. I'll have a look at the Point two & Helite now. I didn't even think about the looser fit being more comfy in the summer but that a big thing to take into consideration.

 

[ycbm]

One other main differences is how high they come up the back of your head. The P2 comes up to your hat, the Hit Air higher. I personally think that risks tipping your hat or your head forwards if you fall, and I recall one person on the forum with a neck injury saying it would have been bad for them. Some people prefer it though.

 

[Britestar]

I have the helite gilet and the xc one. I like the gilet in winter for warmth and the xc one in summer as its cooler.
I just have my normal hi viz over it, and it's never interfered with it going off.
I actually picked up the xc one on FB Market place for less than £200. It had never been fired ( has now, lol) and was being sold as a motor bike one, but is exactly the same.

 

[asmp]

I have the hi viz Hit Air but my daughter has a black one. She uses hi viz tabards or tops underneath - it has enough gaps for the hi viz still to be seen.

 

[Squeak]

I looked at them and spoke to the companies and tbh, I don't think there is actually that much between them safety wise and so I went for the point two as it was on a deal at a local tackshop. Ideally you could try them on and see which you prefer but obviously that isn't an option at the moment.

Point two do really good servicing of the jackets, I don't know if hit air do the same so that might be worth checking.

 

[ycbm]

I think the P2 still does inflate marginally quicker than the Hit Air and although it sounds like a tiny amount of time, there is only a millisecond between injury and death, or between walking again and not, so it matters to me that the P2 is that blink faster.
.

 

[Reacher]

I have had a P2 and a hit air. I had the P2 for several years and several inflations! I now have the hit air but am yet to test it.

I preferred the P2 chest fastenings - more adjustable than the hit air , and I also prefer the P2 metal lanyard clips to the plastic hit air ones as I think metal is more durable.

I sold the P2 as I am between sizes and had got the larger size and it felt very large on me, especially as the p2 made me feel like I was wearing a big plastic bag (sorry struggling to describe it any better) whereas the hit air is like wearing a harness. I have wondered if the latter is slightly less safe than the p2 as the straps can therefore move independently? )

I also wear a loose hi viz over the top.

You could check for 2nd hand p2 on eBay then get it serviced as much cheaper than a new one. (Servicing is around the £50 mark) Wish I had done! Of course then you may not be able to return if you buy 2nd hand and its wrong size.

Yes the hit air do servicing tho I haven't done mine yet - which reminds me it's about time I got mine serviced
https://www.hitairuk.co.uk/ProductDetails.aspx?AltProdID=SE

I rarely wear it without a BP underneath. I had a fall at Christmas when the horse fell - I wasn't wearing the air vest but if I had it would not have inflated as I was not thrown clear. (We are both fine!)

 

[Dontforgetaboutme]

There’s reconditioned P2 vests on their site but I got mine in a sale for the same price. It has gone off once when pony half saw herself in a mirror and ducked away. It obviously inflated before I hit the deck as felt nothing. It deflated quickly to my pony’s relief!

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I use a hit air. Never ride without it. I use a large standard over it. Fortunately I've only needed it once whilst hacking and it inflated fine!

 

[Shay]

One other main differences is how high they come up the back of your head. The P2 comes up to your hat, the Hit Air higher. I personally think that risks tipping your hat or your head forwards if you fall, and I recall one person on the forum with a neck injury saying it would have been bad for them. Some people prefer it though.

This is important. DD is relatively short even as an adult and the hit-air comes up far too high on her and would cause injury. The helite and P2 (if correctly fitted) sort of lock onto the base of the hat to keep the neck stable. I tentatively prefer the Helite (which was in fact the origional P2 before a buisness change and it is the only one with formal safety testing) but have had both Helite and P2. As mentioned - HitAir don't fit me either!

 

[Carlosmum]

I have a Hit-Air, I wear it every time I ride except when I am in the school. I wear a cheap hi-viz 'jacket' over the top, and a BP underneath if competing. My only suggestion would be to make sure you are using the correct length lanyard for the beast you are riding. A horse length one on a 14.2 pony does not give the bag enough time to inflate properly when ejected out the side door!

 

[millitiger]

I have the Helite gilet and it is brilliant.

close fitting enough that looks like a normal gilet when worn alone but also fits over my BP for cross country.

I had a P2 and hated how loose fitting it was when not inflated and just felt huge and cumbersome to ride in, which meant I didn’t wear it much.

whereas my Helite gilet is no different to a normal gilet (also has huge zip pockets, very handy!) so no more hassle to pop on for every day riding

 

[sarahmac77]

I got a P2 from their site- a reconditioned one. Half price and looks brand new!

 

[utter-nutter]

I have the point 2, have had a horse run over me more than once (when i came off team chasing) got back on and finished the course, wasn't even remotely stiff after, and after two separate back fractures I am prone to a 'bad back! (had an impressive hoof print on the air jacket!). I have a bp under so if i did come off and i can then remove the air jacket and continue with just the BP on (team chasing rules different to eventing in regards to falls, meaning you can get back on). Can easily fit high vis/number bib over the top. My mum rides and hunts in the black gilet version without a BP under it and again its fab, smart and 'discreet' enough to not be that noticeable over a black hunt jacket. Good luck! i have not tried the others mentioned.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

OP, I think you'll find if competing under RC rules, that you have to still wear a BP, regardless if you are wearing any air vest, worth checking if you do this.
PC still have this rule in place for comps.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Even in summer and with me wearing a polo shirt, the hit air shows up well. Even more so when I’m wearing long sleeves.

 

[willowblack]

After a few particularly hairy rides on my 12 year old, should know better horse resulting in an unplanned dismount in a dressage lesson ? before christmas I bought a helite from treehouse sporting colours between Christmas and the new year. I bought the one that can be worn on its own or zipped into a shell jacket because I wanted to wear it all of the time. Rode in it for the first time today and it was surprisingly warm considering it was blowing a cold wind and didn’t feel like I was wearing a body protector at all! Treehouse were really helpful and offered a Covid friendly fitting service too!

 

[asmp]

I have a Hit-Air, I wear it every time I ride except when I am in the school. I wear a cheap hi-viz 'jacket' over the top, and a BP underneath if competing. My only suggestion would be to make sure you are using the correct length lanyard for the beast you are riding. A horse length one on a 14.2 pony does not give the bag enough time to inflate properly when ejected out the side door!

And do rememberer to actually plug it in! Was with a friend XC training and she came off. Then realised she’d forgotten to attach the lanyard.

 

[hopscotch bandit]

I wear the hit air. Very good air jacket and amazing customer support.

 

[dixie]

And do rememberer to actually plug it in! Was with a friend XC training and she came off. Then realised she’d forgotten to attach the lanyard.

I spent all summer a while back jumping before I realised I had forgotten to put a canister in my jacket!

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply - lost to weigh up as to which one to get! A fair amount of stuff I hadn't even thought about!
My other half measure me today so I can order as soon as I've decided - I'd love to try some on but by the time that happens it'll be winter at this rate!

 

[nickyruby]

I worried about putting hi vis over mine, but then i heard this works well with the Hit-Air, I thought it was from Hit-Air as its called the Air Waistcoat. https://equisafety.com/collections/...istcoat-pink-please-pass-wide-slowly-thankyou

 

[ycbm]

I worried about putting hi vis over mine, but then i heard this works well with the Hit-Air, I thought it was from Hit-Air as its called the Air Waistcoat. https://equisafety.com/collections/...istcoat-pink-please-pass-wide-slowly-thankyou

Any velcro or popper fastened hi vis should work fine with any air jacket. I would not wear anything zipped or buttoned over one.

 

[Batgirl]

I have the hit air, for me the extra pelvis protection swung me.

If it's fitted properly it shouldn't cause any neck issues, mine has deployed 3 times, no issues and I have a very short neck.

You don't wear it tight so it is still loose.

I wear a super baggy zip up hi viz, or as others have said, anything velcro is fine.

FYI which ever you go for, they do help you float if you come off in the sea

 

[ycbm]

FYI which ever you go for, they do help you float if you come off in the sea

I think we need a little more information ?

 

[Batgirl]

I think we need a little more information ?

Picture the scene, after galloping up and down Redcar beach madly in March a couple of years back we were wading back in just enough water not to be touching our tummy. Rogue wave hits my old Arnie's belly, Arnie shoots up all 4 feet in the air, to me completely out of the blue, I ping off, air jacket deploys, I start floating away while my friend wets herself laughing and my horse stares at me.