Air vests and hi viz

[Vodkagirly]

I'm considering buying an air vest (not sure which type yet) but how do you wear high viz with it?
Can it still inflate with a waistcoat over?

 

[ycbm]

If you get a waistcoat that does up with velcro there's no issue. If you're wearing stuff that won't rip apart you'll need a bigger size. Or wear the hi vis, with long sleeves, under it. Or you can buy a hi vis air jacket.

 

[webble]

Yes if you have hi viz with loose velcro. I have a hi viz point two and it's great, the straps on the hi vis version don't stick out the way other colours do. I got blood and mud all over it and with a wet cloth and elbow grease it looks like new

 

[Britestar]

They inflate just fine under hiviz.
I have tested this too many times

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

You choose a hi-viz air vest

 

[ycbm]

I'm considering buying an air vest (not sure which type yet) but how do you wear high viz with it?
Can it still inflate with a waistcoat over?

In making your choice bear in mind that the air bag in the Hit Air can't be replaced and they recommend a new jacket after 5 years, and with the Point 2 you get the airbag replaced with a brand new one every time you pay £60 for a service, which sends it back looking brand new with a new lanyard of it needs one.
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[ycbm]

You choose a hi-viz air vest

Gets some funny looks in a dressage arena and out hunting

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I don't think even I would wear an air vest in a dressage test.

 

[ycbm]

I don't think even I would wear an air vest in a dressage test.

I do unaffiliated on a first timer, but only black!
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[asmp]

You choose a hi-viz air vest

I’ve got one of these but you can always wear a hi viz top/jacket under a Hit Air

 

[dixie]

I just do the zip up about half an inch but a Velcro one sounds the better idea !

 

[Vodkagirly]

I only want to buy one so it will be blue or black so good to know a velcro hi viz is ok.

In making your choice bear in mind that the air bag in the Hit Air can't be replaced and they recommend a new jacket after 5 years, and with the Point 2 you get the airbag replaced with a brand new one every time you pay £60 for a service, which sends it back looking brand new with a new lanyard of it needs one.
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This is very interesting. I was thinking of buying 2nd hand and sending for service. Several friends prefer hit air to point2 so was erring that way. I didn't know hit air only have a 5 year life span.

 

[Tiddlypom]

To be clear, the Hit Air vest air bags can be replaced, but are not routinely done so at the annual service - but they will do so if they think they need replacing. They do not recommend keeping an air vest on past 5 years, which I tend to agree with.

 

[ycbm]

[

To be clear, the Hit Air vest air bags can be replaced, but are not routinely done so at the annual service - but they will do so if they think they need replacing. They do not recommend keeping an air vest on past 5 years, which I tend to agree with.

Apologies, they can but they don't and when the tough fabric shell is 5 years old they won't, even if it's still perfectly serviceable.

My P2 outer is days back from service, looks new outside and is new inside and is now at least 8 years old, I've lost count.




ETA the are a certain number of explosive inflations that an airbag can survive. Let's imagine it's 10, for the sake of the illustration.


When P2 return a serviced jacket , you can then expect 10 inflations from it.

When Hit Air return a serviced jacket, the test inflation that they hopefully did during the service might have been the last one the air bag would sustain, and it will fall when you next need it.

There is no way a visual check could ensure that the air bag was fit for more trigger episodes. That's why P2 routinely replace.

This is entirely theoretical. I don't think there are any stats on airbag failure.

I do think there's a reason why almost every top level rider is wearing a P2 rather than a Hit Air.

Yup, admitted, got a bee in my bonnet that if I'm going to pay £450 for a bit of safety equipment I do want the safest I can get.
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[Vodkagirly]

To be clear, the Hit Air vest air bags can be replaced, but are not routinely done so at the annual service - but they will do so if they think they need replacing. They do not recommend keeping an air vest on past 5 years, which I tend to agree with.

I don't think this is widely known, I think most people buying a £400 piece of equipment have the intention of using for a lot longer.
Looking at 2nd hand market, lots are this age.
From favoring hit air yesterday, I now am thinking point 2 would be better.

 

[webble]

I don't think this is widely known, I think most people buying a £400 piece of equipment have the intention of using for a lot longer.
Looking at 2nd hand market, lots are this age.
From favoring hit air yesterday, I now am thinking point 2 would be better.

Having had virtually identical falls in both this year I would say the point 2 is a better option. The hit air was a real squeeze and had to be undone so I could breathe again whereas the point 2 was like a hug catching me and gently deflates itself.

My hit air was about 8 years old and that was the first time it had ever been inflated and it worked!! I contacted hit air about it and they said it needed replacing

 

[ycbm]

The other thing to consider when making your choice is airbag coverage. The Hit Air has air at the side where the P2 will have a bridge of material stretched between the front and back. The Hit Air comes up higher at the back of the head which for some is a bonus but for me anything higher than the base of my hat would be a negative. The Hit Air also has a gap in the airbags just before the base of the neck, which because of the way the bag sits in the outer, with the outer staying close to the wearer, leaves part of the spine almost completely unprotected. A common fall is to be swung backwards into a fence or onto a jump, and that seems to me to be a very likely place to hit a rail or a pole. So if you're a jumper or have a horse that throws people into arena fencing, you might want to bear that in mind.

Where the red arrows are.