P138
PRODUCT REVIEWI
ALPINESTARS TECH-AIR
I
f you're getting a little dizzy at the num-
ber of new airbag systems on the mar-
ket right now, you're not alone. This is
firmly the age of the bag, and as consum-
ers, we've never had such a choice when
it comes to what, really, is the biggest
safety breakthrough for riders since Barry
Sheene invented the back protector.
Alpinestars has been one of, if not the
first (depends on who you ask), to offer
airbag protection to consumers. New for
2024 is the Tech-Air 3, the latest airbag
vest from Alpinestars. The Tech-Air 3 of
2024 is a revised version of the unit we
saw come to market in 2022, not all that
different in terms of overall shape and
cut except for the zipper that runs verti
-
cally rather than offset, which Alpinestars
implemented to hide the fact you're wear-
ing an airbag in the first place. The new
Tech-Air 3 is designed to look as seamless as possible,
to the point that with the zipper all the way open, you can
fold the bladder inside the liner and out of sight. You get
two zippered hand pockets, two zippered chest pockets,
as well as an inner pocket for, I kid you not, storing your
gun. Because everyone needs a place to store their gun.
On the Tech-Air 3, you get one deployment per canister. A
new canister costs $99, but if you have three deployments,
you'll need to get the bladder itself replaced. That'll cost
$199, but you get a free canister with it (you might also want
The zip on the
back means
you can slip a
back protector
in if you want
some extra
safety from
your vest.
The canvas vest
looks the part and
plays the safety
game better than
anything else on
the market.
