So a while ago I got one of those fancy airbag vests.
Here's a little video demoing it since I was curious how it'd feel when i got it.
Anyhow, I had a pretty legit highside (by my standards) at Autobahn Country Club and managed to test it out:
And then a super slow mo, you can see the airbag deploying in my shadow, and it definitely was inflated before I hit the ground:
I slammed against the ground and hit my helmet against it a bit, but mostly just slid (then was hit by my sliding bike) and came to a stop. I was in good enough shape that I was able to pick up my bike and move it off of the track. All that resulted was some stiffness in all of my joints and neck for the next few days.
Looking at the video, and how my helmet hit the ground, I don't think it's a stretch to say that the vest saved me from a really solid hit against the concrete, and thus possibly a concussion.
Due to sliding directly on the vest, some seams came apart and unfortunately the bag itself ripped at one of the corners, but I'll definitely be getting another one to replace it after seeing how quickly it went into action, and I'd rather not know how I fared without one.
As you can see from my helmet, it did make contact with the ground, snapping off the aero vent and scuffing a bit, but for getting kicked off of my bike and landing on my back I think it's as minimal damage as you could hope for:
This is the exact model I was wearing, and while pricey, it seems like fairly cheap insurance. Especially if you don't puncture the bag, since it's reusable with a $20 cartridge. I probably will never ride the track again without it.
Here's a little video demoing it since I was curious how it'd feel when i got it.
Anyhow, I had a pretty legit highside (by my standards) at Autobahn Country Club and managed to test it out:
And then a super slow mo, you can see the airbag deploying in my shadow, and it definitely was inflated before I hit the ground:
I slammed against the ground and hit my helmet against it a bit, but mostly just slid (then was hit by my sliding bike) and came to a stop. I was in good enough shape that I was able to pick up my bike and move it off of the track. All that resulted was some stiffness in all of my joints and neck for the next few days.
Looking at the video, and how my helmet hit the ground, I don't think it's a stretch to say that the vest saved me from a really solid hit against the concrete, and thus possibly a concussion.
Due to sliding directly on the vest, some seams came apart and unfortunately the bag itself ripped at one of the corners, but I'll definitely be getting another one to replace it after seeing how quickly it went into action, and I'd rather not know how I fared without one.





As you can see from my helmet, it did make contact with the ground, snapping off the aero vent and scuffing a bit, but for getting kicked off of my bike and landing on my back I think it's as minimal damage as you could hope for:


This is the exact model I was wearing, and while pricey, it seems like fairly cheap insurance. Especially if you don't puncture the bag, since it's reusable with a $20 cartridge. I probably will never ride the track again without it.