VOLUME 61 ISSUE 19 MAY 14, 2024 P139
STANDOUT FEATURE
Comfortable, good looking, discreet
protection
RIDER ANALYSIS
I've been wearing AStars airbags in my
racing suits since 2017 but have tradi-
tionally shied away from using them on
the road because they were bulky and
heavy and often didn't fit well with the
tight style of leather riding jackets.
I'm glad this has changed. Admit-
tedly, I don't have much experience with
the old Tech-Air 3 vest, but I've worn
the new one on a few bike launches
and almost every time I've ridden on
the road since I got it a few months
ago. It's become part of my kit so
seamlessly that I don't even notice it.
The vest has a slightly nicer, snug-
ger fit than the outgoing model from
2022, plus the extra pockets are a nice
touch. I've had a number of crashes on
the racetrack in Tech-Air systems and
thank God I had them on because they
List Price: $649.95 (canvas); $749.95 (leather)
Website: https://www.alpinestars.com
• DISCREET
• EASY TO USE
• AIRBAGS ARE EASILY THE
MOST IMPORTANT SAFETY
INNOVATION IN DECADES
• MORE THAN ONE DEPLOY-
MENT WOULD BE NICE
3 CANVAS VEST
to invest in some rider training).
The hardware is the same as
the older Tech-Air 3 and uses
six integrated sensors (three
accelerometers including one
triaxial accelerometer, and
three gyroscopes including one
triaxial gyroscope).
When you have a crash and
the airbag inflates, the system's
full chest and full back protection
is Category II Certified PPE (Per
-
sonal Protective Equipment) un-
der European Law, and it'll remain
inflated for at least five seconds
from the point of activation.
The lithium-ion battery is
charged via the USB-C port on
the inside left of the garment,
just under the panel. From fully
flat, it'll take about four hours to
charge, which will give you about
have saved me from certain pain and
worse, but I've yet to (and hope never
to) utilize one on the road.
My mate, Troy at motorcycle.com,
has, in fact, crashed on the street in
a Tech-Air vest and now won't even
look at a bike without it on, so that's
good enough for me.
Overall, the new Tech-Air 3 is
comfy, looks good, is light, and is
a little more discreet than the 2022
edition. You can wear it inside your
jacket if you want, and I have done
so with touring gear, but it's best
worn on the outside of your jacket
for maximum comfort.
The system also comes in leather,
if that's your jam, and I'll admit it
does look pretty damn cool. The new
Tech-Air 3 is the first airbag vest I
now ride with constantly. I ride for a
living, so that's the best compliment
I can give it.
Rennie Scaysbrook
40 hours of ride time. A single
charge of one hour will give you
between 8 and 10 hours.
And, of course, the Tech-Air
3's status and any electronic
system updates sent out by
Alpinestars can be checked via
the Tech-Air app that you'll in
-
stall and connect with your vest
once you buy it.
That bladder can be folded out of
sight when the zip is fully open.
