A High-End Jacket With Airbag
by Rick K. and “Burn” for webBikeWorld.com
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More:
▪ wBW Critiques Residence
▪ Owner Comments (Beneath)
▪ wBW Motorcycle Clothing Testimonials
Also:
▪ Helite Adventure Airbag Jacket Preview
▪ Helite Airnest Airbag Vest Overview
▪ Armor and Protective Clothing Testimonials
Summary
The Helite Adventure jacket contains the Helite “Turtle” airbag vest, which is similar to the Helite Airnest vest we reviewed in 2012.
But the Adventure jacket is not just about the airbag.
It’s an premium jacket in its own right and it is packed with functions.
Begin with a Cordura shell and a “Humax” water- and wind-proof breathable membrane liner.
Add enormous swaths of Superfabric to cover the elbows, forearms and shoulders and Knox CE approved shoulder and elbow protectors.
And, of course, there’s a removable thermal liner.
The exterior of the jacket shell contains plenty of higher-visibility reflective panels and there are a lot of pockets, like two that are waterproof.
All of this indicates that Helite could probably sell just the jacket without having the airbag and it would be one particular of the most feature-wealthy 3/4-length jackets offered.
But the Turtle airbag technique includes a SAS-Tec back protector. The program makes use of a replaceable CO2 cartridge, mentioned to inflate the jacket in 100 milliseconds.
Combined with the internal protectors, the airbag method with the back protector supplies a outstanding amount of protection.
The Helite Adventure jacket expenses $ 170.00 much more than the Helite Airnest airbag vest alone, which tends to make the jacket something of a bargain.
Altogether, this is very an exciting motorcycle jacket on numerous levels.
Introduction
Without having the built-in airbag protector, we’d still be writing about the Helite Adventure jacket as a higher-end 3/4-length jacket with lots of features. It looks excellent also, in the modern adventure-touring idiom.
Let’s cover some of the fundamental functions 1st, then we’ll describe the airbag technique that is incorporated into the jacket.
By the way, Helite also tends to make the “City” jacket, which appears extremely considerably like a non-motorcycle street jacket. It doesn’t have the Superfabric and other external styling attributes of the Adventure jacket but it does contain the Turtle airbag method.
The City jacket could be utilised as a scooter/city jacket for riding to perform with out searching like you just came from the Dakar Rally.
► Helite Adventure Jacket Slide Show ◄
The Helite Adventure Airbag Jacket
The Helite Adventure jacket is obtainable in black and the predominantly gray shown here, with a heavyweight Cordura shell and lots of pockets (two are waterproof).
The jacket has a breathable Texland “Humax” membrane water- and wind-proof liner (Texland is a Korean organization familiar to motorcyclists as the makers of Hitena, Exkin thermal liners and a lot more).
The front, rear and sides of the jacket have sections of very reflective fabric that actually “pops” when illuminated (photo below).
The collar has an adjustable slider with a snap on a separate tab and the front of the jacket has a YKK major entry zipper with an overlapping wind flap on the outdoors that then secures with metal snaps and hook-and-loop from the left to the right side.
The overlap is very large at about 65 mm, which is powerful in blocking the wind from entering.
Rear vent closed in the photo on the proper.
Ventilation
The Adventure jacket has 4 vertical vents, two in front and two in the rear and every single vent has a waterproof zipper. But one of the as-yet unsolved issues with any sort of airbag vest or a jacket with an airbag is the amount of ventilation that is blocked by the impermeable airbag.
The nature of an airbag prevents air from flowing by way of, and therefore via the jacket (in the locations exactly where the airbag blocks the ventilation), so any vents can only supply restricted air flow about the inside of the jacket shell.
Probably someday, this dilemma will be solved, possibly with anything like vertical tube-shaped airbag bladders with spaces in amongst for air to pass by way of or some thing comparable that may let far better ventilation.
On the flip side nonetheless, during colder climate (it is presently winter), the mixture of the Adventure jacket and the Humax membrane liner, along with the removable thermal liner, means there are no difficulties blocking the cold air from obtaining by way of.
The Humax liner functions nicely to minimize internal moisture buildup and there possibly aren’t numerous jackets that are as warm and toasty for winter riding.
Wide Variety of Adjustment
The arms of the jacket have two hook-and-loop strap adjusters to preserve the protectors in spot, so no difficulty there. The adjusters are hook-and-loop sorts, a single on the upper arm and one below the elbow protector about the forearm.
The nylon “D” ring that the adjuster strap loops around is cleverly hidden below part of the black fabric on the seam of the upper and decrease arms, which hides a portion of the adjuster strap and gives it an “endless” look.
This is one of the subtle touches that mark the Adventure jacket as more than your average generic 3/4-length jacket with an airbag stuck on for excellent measure.
Touches like this and the Superfabric are amongst the causes we consider the jacket could actually stand on its own, even without having the airbag.
The Adventure jacket has a very wide variety of adjustment (and corresponding sizing variety) to account for the airbag when and if it inflates. As an example, there are snap adjusters under each and every arm to tighten the fit at the underside of the shoulder if desired.
Dual hook-and-loop straps also on each side at the waist give the Adventure jacket a wide range of width adjustment.
Superfabric
A single of the most noticeable characteristics is the massive sections of Superfabric covering the outside of the elbows and forearms and the shoulders.
This is the most current version of Superfabric, which consists of tiny armor “plates” in all sorts of shapes and sizes. The Superfabric on the Adventure jacket is created from thousands of tiny polygon shaped Superfabric ceramic pieces.
The pattern is 8 trapezoidal-shaped pieces surrounding a central square forming an octagon, exactly where the trapezoids from a single octagon are also part of the surrounding octagons circling their squares, on to infinity.
It really is fairly anything to view and has a sort of mesmerizing effect if you stare at it also extended!
This is entirely distinct from the Superfabric of several years ago, which felt stiff and was challenging for the manufacturer to incorporate. The Superfabric of nowadays is very versatile in truth, it feels quite equivalent to the surrounding Cordura in terms of each feel and flexibility.
Pockets
The Adventure jacket has an superb choice of pockets. The two reduce pockets on the outside of the jacket deserve unique mention. They are covered with a flap and dual metal snaps underneath the outdoors corners.
The snap towards the inside is visible and has a rubberized cover the outdoors snap is hidden underneath the flap. In addition to the snaps, the flap has a 75 mm long section of hook-and-loop underneath, so these flaps are undoubtedly going to remain in spot.
The flap also has a section of rubberized vinyl along the reduced edge to supply grip. Lift the flap and underneath is a waterproof zipper to enter the pocket. So every of the reduced pockets is waterproof and really secure.
Above those two waterproof pockets and forming the flap are two more pockets. These are marked as non-waterproof but they’re enormous, about 200 mm deep and 150 mm wide. They secure with a black flap with two hidden snaps underneath.
Below the main pockets are secondary smaller pockets, covered with a waterproof zipper. These are less difficult to access, particularly when riding, as these pockets are located more or less like a thigh pocket on a pair of pants.
Both arms have a modest 100 mm by one hundred mm expanding pocket on the upper arm, sewn at an angle towards the rider. These also are covered with a flap with the rubberized grip and also with two small snaps hidden underneath. Also, each pockets are lined with vinyl.
Inside the left placket is a 175 mm lengthy YKK vertical zipper that reveals one more deep waterproof pocket it measures about 175 mm on the angle.
Finally, in the rear of the jacket there’s a complete-width storage pocket with a wide flap cover that has two snaps (rubberized on the outdoors) and a vinyl lining.
But wait — there are two much more pockets inside the thermal zip-out liner. The pocket on the left holds a telephone while the pocket on the proper has a horizontal zipper on best and can be used for much more storage.
The CO2 cartridge and inflation system is hidden in a pocket on the left side of the jacket.
Helite “Airnest” vs. “Turtle” Airbag Technique
OK, let’s get to the major point of interest with the Adventure jacket — the incorporated airbag protection system.
The airbag utilised in the Adventure jacket is the Helite “Turtle” airbag vest, which is new addition to the Helite item line. The Airnest vest that we reviewed in 2012 remains in production also.
We described the Helite Airnest Vest in our evaluation back in 2012, which also consists of a video showing the inflation of the airbag. The Airnest vest can be worn below or over a motorcycle jacket.
The distinction between the two is that the Airnest vest has a removable SAS-Tec back protector on the inside of the airbag, to account for racing leathers with an external “hump” or back protector.
The Turtle airbag vest has the SAS-Tec back protector on the outdoors of the airbag, to account for most motorcycle street jackets that do not consist of a protector.
It is attainable — but difficult — to get rid of the Turtle airbag vest from the Adventure jacket there is a complete-length zipper at the bottom of the hem on the inside of the jacket. But I looked around inside and can not very figure out how to get rid of it, so I’ll leave that one unanswered.
How It Functions
The Helite airbag system inflates via a massive CO2 cartridge that measures about 35 mm in diameter by 135 mm lengthy. The CO2 cartridges are sized by the weight of the rider:
- Airnest and Turtle Vest: 50 cc canister for young children 60 cc canister for small adult 100 cc canister for adult size L and XL.
- Adventure and City Jackets: Each jackets use the 60 cc canister for all jacket sizes.
The airbag is made to safeguard the back of the head, the neck, chest, ribs, collarbone, lungs, abdomen, pancreas, pelvis, and vertebrae.
Helite said that “about 40% of fatalities from motorcycle accidents in France in 2011 were due to a chest injury, so guarding the front components of your physique is as crucial as safeguarding your back.”
As with the Airnest vest that we reviewed, the airbag vest basically types two large loops about the front and rear of the physique.
The upper rear portion of the airbag then forms a “hump” that assists prevent the helmet from moving also far backwards. This helps to delay a helmet impact and gives help about the bottom of the helmet, related to a Leatt neck brace (review).
I borrowed a couple of graphics from the Helite Moto website to illustrate the technique:
The Helite airbag technique, graphic courtesy of Helite Moto.
Illustration of the CO2 inflation technique for the airbag. Image courtesy of Helite Moto.
The Airbag Inflation Program
The CO2 cartridge is nicely-hidden behind a big vertical zipper on the left side of the jacket in front. In reality, we had to search about for a although to find the cartridge, it’s that nicely hidden.
Probably if no one told you this jacket had an airbag, you’d by no means know it. Or at the very least, it would take a while to recognize it.
The CO2 cartridge screws into the best of the inflation technique. It’s truly a pretty easy system, with a heavy spring at 1 end and a ball between the spring and the sharp wedge that pierces the CO2 canister to inflate the vest.
The ball is on a metal cable that leads outdoors the jacket via a modest opening on the left chest side of the jacket. That attaches to a cord that you repair to the bike.
If the airbag deploys, simply screw in one more CO2 canister (very best to get them straight from Helite) and you are prepared to go once again, as lengthy as the jacket or the airbag hasn’t been broken.
Inflator Cable Attachment
The inflator cable and the cord are attached with a plastic spring clip, so you can leave the cord attached to the bike and then attach or detach it with the clip when you get on and off.
For the Adventure jacket, the cord requirements somewhere amongst 45 and 60 pounds of force to activate the airbag inflation technique.
Given that the Helite airbag makes use of a mechanical actuation program and not an electronic method, there are some variances to consider.
These contain the quantity of force required to deploy the airbag vs. the rider’s weight how significantly length you need to leave for the cord on the bike and what takes place if the accident includes a slow get-off, like in a lowside.
We never know all of the answers and hope that some Helite airbag vest or Adventure jacket owners who have seasoned an activation will write to let us know the particulars.
The Adventure jacket inside seconds of airbag inflation.
The inflated airbag also assists assistance the neck and below the helmet.
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Fit and Sizing
The Adventure jacket is obtainable in an expanded (pun?) size variety: S, M, L, then L+, XL and XL+. This jacket is a size XL and it fits about like a slightly roomy size large. We possibly could have worn an L+ as an alternative.
The model shown here has a 44″ chest and the Adventure jacket in size XL is listed as fitting a 43″ to 49″ chest, which is a very wide variety. Helite stated to make contact with them if you have a query on match.
One particular factor to note is that this Adventure jacket in size XL weighs just shy of four.five kg (ten lbs.). That’s quite hefty for a 3/four-length jacket, although it’s not really noticeable when riding and the array of adjustment straps on the jacket aid to hold it snug.
We estimate that the airbag system and the back protector almost certainly add about 1.five kg to the all round weight of the jacket.
wBW Video: Helite Adventure Jacket Airbag Deployment
On the Road With the Adventure Jacket
To be perfectly truthful, in terms of overall really feel, there’s no difference wearing the Adventure jacket than any other higher-finish 3/4-length jacket. The weight is there but when you happen to be sitting on the bike, it is not extremely noticeable.
As soon as you uncover a appropriate location to secure the airbag deployment strap on the bike, it’s then a matter of remembering to “buckle up” and snap the connector to the cable deployment strap that sticks out of the jacket mid-chest on the correct side.
This becomes a habit just like buckling the seatbelt in a car.
When you get off the bike, unfasten the snap connector and you’re prepared to go. If you don’t, you are going to feel a light tug as you get off the bike or begin to move away and this certainly is not sufficient to deploy the airbag.
In reality, most owners will almost certainly in no way deploy the airbag, or at least let’s hope so. It really is really considerably like a seatbelt and/or airbag system on your vehicle it’s there, constantly prepared to deploy but hopefully you will drive hundreds of thousands of kilometers or miles and never ever have to use it.
Helite said there are anything like more than 40,000 Helite airbags in the form of the Airnest and Turtle vests and the Adventure jacket in use all around the planet.
Conclusion
Two factors strike us as instantly apparent with the Helite Adventure jacket.
First, the jacket is loaded with all of the high-end characteristics one particular may possibly anticipate from REV’IT!, Dainese, Klim, Rukka, Alpinestars, and so on.
And second, the best-of-the-line jackets from these firms will cost about the very same (or a lot more) as the Helite Adventure jacket but you wouldn’t get the airbag method and perhaps not even the back protector.
So in comparison, the Helite Adventure jacket is a relative bargain.
Of course, there is no assure that the airbag will offer 100% protection in a crash, and since this technologies is so new for motorcycling, it might be some time prior to we have actual data to support the contention.
And there’s still a lot of evolution to be had in the science and technology of airbag protection for motorcycling.
But in the meantime, widespread sense indicates that the deployment of an airbag method should be an extra level of protection to be considered for many motorcycle owners.
The Helite Adventure jacket brings airbag technology into the mainstream and perhaps the ideal component about it is that the jacket is created in such a way that there is quite small noticeable distinction among this and a “standard” three/four-length jacket.
wBW Evaluation: Helite Adventure Jacket | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: Helite Moto | List Cost (2016): $ 799.00 |
| Colors: Black or gray/black | Created In: Pakistan |
| Sizes: S-XL | Assessment Date: January 2016 |
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►Your Comments and Feedback
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Not all comments will be published (particulars). Comments may be edited for clarity prior to publication.
From “G.J.” (January 2016): “Hi, I believed I’d get in touch re your assessment as I’ve been making use of 1 of these jackets for a couple of months now on Bloodbike duty in the UK – not a extensive test but if you like a decent operating assessment of the product.
And to be honest you’ve nailed it. It is an exceptional high quality jacket (much better than my Hein Gericke, and that’s a genuine compliment) and although pockets are slightly unusual compared with a normal jacket, you quite quickly appreciate them.
It’s really comfortable and warm in British winter circumstances, and as you say the use of the tether soon becomes second nature.
We’ve had some torrential rain here and the jacket has been totally waterproof. My only reservation is what it will be like in summer time, even though the opening the physique vents does make a noticeable difference, as does opening the cuff vents. And of course the liner zips out.
All in all, an impressive product and I am pleased that I swapped more than from the Airnest.”
From “C.H.” (January 2016): “This is the ideal motorcycle airbag set up I have seen however. I am interested to see how it performs out for you guys over the course of the testing period. I also enjoy the look on the face of your crash test dummy right just before you detonated the inflator!”
From “S.S.” (January 2016): “That is an interesting review, and the incorporated video is specially helpful to achieve a sense of just how quickly deployment occurs.
Is the design and style like an airbag in a auto, which is packed a specific way and has to be replaced by a dealer, or does the owner simply replace the CO2 cartridge and tuck factors back into place?”
Rick’s Reply: There is no re-packing, just screw in a new CO2 cartridge and you are ready to go, as lengthy as the jacket hasn’t been damaged.
From “P.L.” (January 2016): “I come about to have attended a demonstration of the Helite security vest nowadays, so seeing the jacket evaluation on webBikeWorld truly raised my focus.
Next year I think about replacing my present jacket with a jacket with integrated waterproof/breathing liner, sort Gore-Tex. Due to the fact my current vest soaks up as well significantly water. And I do not always carry further rain gear (which doesn’t breathe, either).
But obtaining a jacket with airbag also has advantages. Particularly as the jacket does not have carry huge value premium more than the simple security vest.
Could you tell me more about how the jacket holds up in wet circumstances?”
Rick’s Reply: It is challenging to say, as it really is winter here, we had a small snow in the hills the other day but no rain in very some time. The jacket is supposed to be waterproof and it has the Humax membrane lining.
Sadly I have to return the jacket so we’ll most likely in no way know for certain but I really feel pretty confident that it is waterproof, despite the fact that as pointed out in the overview, with the airbag inside, it can get quite warm in warm climate.
Helite Adventure Airbag Jacket Overview
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