Body Protectors /Air Jacket

[Sossigpoker]

Mine's a hit air and where the canister goes is a red plastic cover that slides over the ball/pin thingy to stop it coming out..... think there's a picture of a broken one in the thread above....

It's not there for transit, it's there to check that the ball is correctly in the socket.
If you transport it inside a bag where it can or lay flat , it can't go off accidentally.
It needs about 6 stone of weight for it to go off anyway.

 

[Sossigpoker]

I have to say that's a crazy thing to design in something you can forget to take off again so easily. It's not like a gun, nobody dies if it goes off by accident. I've flung mine around travelling with it all the time (not to mention hunting in it) and never had it go of by accident.
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It's not there for transit, it's a gauge you use when changing the canister.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I've heard back from Hit Air. The air bags are not routinely replaced when an air jacket is sent in for servicing, but are replaced as necessary if the jacket is 5 years old or newer. It is not done in older jackets as 'technology has moved on'.

IMHO 5 years is a decent expected working life for an air jacket.

 

[bouncing_ball]

I've heard back from Hit Air. The air bags are not routinely replaced when an air jacket is sent in for servicing, but are replaced as necessary if the jacket is 5 years old or newer. It is not done in older jackets as 'technology has moved on'.

IMHO 5 years is a decent expected working life for an air jacket.

So earlier poster couldn’t have airbags replaced as jacket too old?

 

[Birker2020]

I've heard back from Hit Air. The air bags are not routinely replaced when an air jacket is sent in for servicing, but are replaced as necessary if the jacket is 5 years old or newer. It is not done in older jackets as 'technology has moved on'.

IMHO 5 years is a decent expected working life for an air jacket.

Thanks for checking. I'm amazed.

 

[Coblover63]

So earlier poster couldn’t have airbags replaced as jacket too old?

Well if that had been explained to me during the phone call I would have understood..... but it wasn't mentioned. Never mind, we live and learn.

 

[Spottyappy]

I’m another one who just couldn’t take to an air jacket.
I also tried letting it off, and our horses all freaked, which also concerned me. Not helpful, either, if someone nearby were to fall off wearing one, as we could also End up injured that way.

 

[Widgeon]

I've heard back from Hit Air. The air bags are not routinely replaced when an air jacket is sent in for servicing, but are replaced as necessary if the jacket is 5 years old or newer. It is not done in older jackets as 'technology has moved on'.

IMHO 5 years is a decent expected working life for an air jacket.

I'm actually slightly horrified. Riding is expensive enough without shelling out £400 every 5 years for a new air jacket. I had naively assumed that such an expensive purchase would be robust enough that all the component parts could be replaced.

 

[ycbm]

I've heard back from Hit Air. The air bags are not routinely replaced when an air jacket is sent in for servicing, but are replaced as necessary if the jacket is 5 years old or newer. It is not done in older jackets as 'technology has moved on'.

IMHO 5 years is a decent expected working life for an air jacket.

That is better, but I wonder what the service is for then, just to wash it and set off a canister to test the trigger? I would be concerned that the air bag is not replaced. And what does "technology has moved on" mean? I don't think Hit Air have changed in design since they came out? I'm afraid that just sounds like a marketing ploy to force people to buy a new jacket every 5 years.

P2 did change the design of the trigger to replace some plastic parts that could get brittle and break with metal, and I recollect they changed those at the service. Later they changed the fitting from screw in, which could work loose, to bayonet, which can't and they gave a very handsome trade in on older jackets while also continuing to service the old ones for several more years.

P2 get mine back once in a while (certainly not yearly) and send it back with a new air bag and convert it from looking like it's been dragged through a hedge backwards (which it sometimes has ?) to nearly new, for about £70. I think it's 8 years old and going strong and I sent my previous one back and paid half price for the trade in.

I would be annoyed if they told me I had to spend over £400 on a new one just because it had reached 5 years old.
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[Sossigpoker]

That is better, but I wonder what the service is for then, just to wash it and set off a canister to test the trigger? I would be concerned that the air bag is not replaced. And what does "technology has moved on" mean? I don't think Hit Air have changed in design since they came out? I'm afraid that just sounds like a marketing ploy to force people to buy a new jacket every 5 years.

P2 did change the design of the trigger to replace some plastic parts that could get brittle and break with metal, and I recollect they changed those at the service. Later they changed the fitting from screw in, which could work loose, to bayonet, which can't and they gave a very handsome trade in on older jackets while also continuing to service the old ones for several more years.

P2 get mine back once in a while (certainly not yearly) and send it back with a new air bag and convert it from looking like it's been dragged through a hedge backwards (which it sometimes has ?) to nearly new, for about £70. I think it's 8 years old and going strong and I sent my previous one back and paid half price for the trade in.

I would be annoyed if they told me I had to spend over £400 on a new one just because it had reached 5 years old.
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I don't think they're saying that you have to replace it every 5 years though, they're just saying that if an air bag needs to be replaced , they won't do it.

If P2 start doing a jacket with lower back and neck protection, I'd swap to that for this reason as I do feel it's a bit of a cheat way to force someone to buy a new jacket.

 

[ycbm]

I don't think they're saying that you have to replace it every 5 years though, they're just saying that if an air bag needs to be replaced , they won't do it.

If P2 start doing a jacket with lower back and neck protection, I'd swap to that for this reason as I do feel it's a bit of a cheat way to force someone to buy a new jacket.

The P2 has protection for the lower back and the neck up to the base of the hat.

I wouldn't trust a five year old airbag, they are very flimsy things to withstand what they go through in use even if they don't go off.
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[Sossigpoker]

The P2 has protection for the lower back and the neck up to the base of the hat.

I wouldn't trust a five year old airbag, they are very flimsy things to withstand what they go through in use even if they don't go off.
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I didn't feel that the P2 went high or low enough for me so went with HitAir for that reason.
Should the air bags be replaced routinely in any case ?

 

[ycbm]

Should the air bags be replaced routinely in any case ?

That would be my view, having opened a P2 to look at it, and realising the amount of bending, flexing and friction they get in an average ride where you don't fall off.

I've been quite shocked to realised that Hit Air don't do it, and I'll never recommend one again.

I should add though, that there is no evidence I know of that Hit Air fail to inflate anymore often than P2.

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[Sossigpoker]

That would be my view, having opened a P2 to look at it, and realising the amount of bending, flexing and friction they get in an average ride where you don't fall off.

I've been quite shocked to realised that Hit Air don't do it, and I'll never recommend one again.

I should add though, that there is no evidence I know of that Hit Air fail to inflate anymore often than P2.

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I store mine carefully too , flat and inside a protective cover. I see some people just chuck them in the back of thr car , all crumpled up , and this doesn't look like the best way of preserving the integrity of the system.

 

[Birker2020]

I store mine carefully too , flat and inside a protective cover. I see some people just chuck them in the back of thr car , all crumpled up , and this doesn't look like the best way of preserving the integrity of the system.

Yes mine is stored flat in a box.
Rachel at Hit Air said the best thing to do is to store them hanging up but I want mine at the yard for easy access and to store them hanging up would mean its on display and not a good idea in case of theft (disclaimer - not from liveries but thieves).

 

[ycbm]

I store mine carefully too , flat and inside a protective cover. I see some people just chuck them in the back of thr car , all crumpled up , and this doesn't look like the best way of preserving the integrity of the system.

Mine has it's own saddle rack ? It's going to be very upset when it has to live in my van soon instead.
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[Tiddlypom]

I've just had a look at the Point 2 uk website to double check whether they routinely replace the air bags during servicing. Yes, they do ?.

Hit Air are definitely missing out a trick here ?. I certainly 'assumed' that air bag replacement during servicing was standard practice. Clearly not.

Hit Air, you need to up your game.

https://pointtwoairvests.com/collections/services-upgrades

 

[dixie]

That's very good value.

Mine is a Helite - I've never given it any thought about replacing the air bag but will try and check.

I use the gilet most often and its folded in a carried bag after use - so not a great way to store it !

 

[Sossigpoker]

I've just had a look at the Point 2 uk website to double check whether they routinely replace the air bags during servicing. Yes, they do ?.

Hit Air are definitely missing out a trick here ?. I certainly 'assumed' that air bag replacement during servicing was standard practice. Clearly not.

Hit Air, you need to up your game.

https://pointtwoairvests.com/collections/services-upgrades

View attachment 89898

HitAir definitely missing a trick here !

 

[ycbm]

I use the gilet most often and its folded in a carried bag after use - so not a great way to store it !

I can't get my head around being told it's better to have a Hit Air hanging up than flat when not in use with also saying the air bag does not need changing. If it's robust enough to last 5 years without being changed, which isn't it robust enough to store laid on a shelf?

Need some answers here Hit Air.
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[Sossigpoker]

I can't get my head around being told it's better to have a Hit Air hanging up than flat when not in use with also saying the air bag does not need changing. If it's robust enough to last 5 years without being changed, which isn't it robust enough to store laid on a shelf?

Need some answers here Hit Air.
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I suspect the issue with storing flat is that often people will be putting things on top of it , accidentally or not.

 

[Darcey22]

Body protectors are designed to protect against minor injuries,.as I found out when I broke my back while wearing one.
I now wear my HitAir every time I ride. I've had a couple of high speed falls in it and suffered no injuries, not even bruising.
I won't get on without mine.

Minor injuries? I thought they were supposed to stop you from major injuries

 

[Sossigpoker]

Minor injuries? I thought they were supposed to stop you from major injuries

No they are absolutely advertised as protecting against injuries that cause bruising. They are essentially just pads of dense foam, there's only so much that can do.