Alpinestars Tech-Air 3 Airbag System Review

[Hugh Janus]

Alpinestars Tech-Air 3 costs $599.95 and is available now. (Courtesy of Alpinestars/)

After years of saving lives and reducing injuries on the racetrack, Alpinestars brings its airbag technology to the street in the form of the Tech-Air 3, a more compact and casual package. Designed to fit over or under a riding jacket, the Tech-Air 3 looks like a simple vest but has life-saving potential.

The airbag inside Tech-Air 3 covers a rider’s full chest, full back, and collarbones. Shoulders and elbows remain unprotected, which is why Alpinestars recommends also wearing a padded jacket. A small argon canister at the back left of the vest holds the gas required to inflate the system. A total of six sensors inside the vest, three accelerometers and three gyroscopes, work with a complex road-tuned algorithm to control when the airbag is deployed. When an impending crash is detected, the system inflates in 50 milliseconds and remains fully inflated for five seconds.

Coverage of the airbag inside Alpinestars’ Tech-Air 3 system. (Courtesy of Alpinestars/)

The Tech-Air 3 vest automatically powers on as you close the zipper and connect an internal magnet, which in turn connects the battery. After a few seconds, a light on the left side of the vest will turn blue and vibrate twice to let you know that the system is active. The vest is comfortable and doesn’t feel heavy or bulky. The airbag inside is nearly undetectable.

I typically wear a size large in Alpinestars jackets, but sized down to a medium in the Tech-Air 3. There was still plenty of room to wear the vest over my large Astars jacket with shoulder padding. Alpinestars says it’s safe to wear the Tech-Air 3 system with a backpack, as long as the straps aren’t cinched too tight and there is some room for expansion. I found the system to be uncomfortable with my Kriega Trail18, as the argon canister prevented the pack from fitting flat against my back.

To power off the system, simply unzip the main closure and disconnect the power source. Be careful to wait for the haptic signal that the system is powered off though. One rider on our test was too quick while removing his vest and accidentally set his airbag off. If the vest is zipped up on a hanger, the system will turn on as it’s zipped up, turning off shortly if it doesn’t sense any motion.

An LED light on the chest of the Tech-Air 3 displays the system’s status and haptic alerts communicate with the rider while the vest is worn. (Courtesy of Alpinestars/)

Each time the airbag fires, the system needs to be returned to Alpinestars and refilled for a cost of $99. After the third inflation, you’ll need to replace the inner airbag altogether, for an added $99. Alpinestars currently claims a turnaround time of seven days, but says it’s working on an East Coast facility to speed things up.

The system records crash data 30 seconds before and after deployment, so in the case of a non-crash inflation like the one mentioned above, Alpinestars will replace the argon canister for free.

Alpinestars has developed the Tech-Air app to work with its airbag systems. While the app adds some excellent functionality, it isn’t needed to use the Tech-Air 3. Connect by scanning the QR code on inside the vest, and the app offers ride tracking, battery life, and the current status of the system. The system can also be manually powered off through the app. Charging occurs through a USB-C port; the system has a claimed battery life of 40 hours.

Front and back of Alpinestars Tech-Air 3 autonomous airbag system. (Courtesy of Alpinestars/)

The Tech-Air 3 is designed to stay on at red lights and to be more sensitive to extreme lean angles than the track-tuned system used in the Tech-Air 10. The algorithm is being developed constantly, and wireless updates are available through the app.

The system seems slightly oversensitive now, but is getting better every day thanks to regular updates. Considering the intended use of the Tech-Air 3, it’s likely better to be too sensitive than not sensitive enough. Alpinestars’ guarantee to replace the gas canister after any non-crash deployments is also reassuring. For now, the system adds a high level of rider confidence and impact protection with negligible cost to comfort or convenience.

Source

[Buckster]