Klim’s AI-1 Airbag Vest is a new airbag vest designed to be worn under your protective motorcycle jacket to enhance impact protection. It’s a neat product with a lot of technology designed to make it reliable, practical and easy to wear.
We HIGHLY recommend you take the time to review the entirety of Klim’s product presentation above. This product includes mechanical and electronic systems which are relatively new and no doubt will be updated as time goes on and we will do our best to keep this page up to date with those changes.
Here are some key takeaways we’d like to share about this product:
Subscription required: In addition to buying the vest, you also are required to register the electronic control module that comes with the vest. The subscription makes it functional and updates the module during it’s life. At the time of this writing, the cost is about $120/year. We think this vest is very competitively priced, and the nature of the product requires ongoing oversight and service from the manufacturer after the sale. The initial product cost along with an ongoing subscription cost is how the vest and the necessary after-the-sale services are delivered to you.
Compatible with your existing gear: Aside from ensuring the jackets you own are large enough to allow for deployment of the airbag (see our sizing advice about this), this vest can be used with the gear you have. Early designs from other manufacturers required that you also own “compatible” jackets/suits that work with their vest, which was prohibitively expensive for many, so a stand-alone airbag vest is offers a great advantage to you.
Self contained: While this airbag vest isn’t as autonomous as the airbag system in your vehicle, it appears to be a very convenient device to use. First, there are no physical connections between the vest and your bike, such as power cords or a lanyard. Yes, you do have make sure to keep the control module charged (just like you do with your cell phone), but beyond that, you simply wear it and enjoy the protection. There are a couple basic indicator lights on the back of the vest to let you know when the vest is ready to roll and the product app on your phone is how you monitor and update in more detail.
You can reset the vest if deployed: So what happens if you set off the airbag vest? Unlike many competing designs, with this Klim vest you will be able to get back in action without having to send the vest back to the manufacturer (within limits). Replacement gas cartridges can be purchased and kept on hand which means you can be back in action shortly after a deployment. And one unique feature I see with this unit is the ability to verify the integrity of the air bag itself on your own. It’s done with a special fitting and a compressed air source. You can see for yourself that the air bags still hold air!
The airbag vest is also a back protector: The brains of this unit along with the gas canister are nested into a CE 1 back protector which in itself gives impact protection if you fall. When using this airbag vest, you’ll NOT be using a back protector in your jacket. If you are purchasing a jacket and this vest, skip buying the back protector sold for the jacket (if sold separately).
Two established well-know companies tell you this vest works: You as a consumer, or us as a gear retailer don’t have the wherewithal to independently KNOW if this is a legit product. We have to rely on the integrity of the brand that brings it to us, which is Klim and also the original manufacturer, which is IN&MOTION from France. Everyone involves acknowledges the arrangement and obviously endorses it. Right now, there are only a few companies in the world who sell a product like this, and I’m reassured by both companies involved.
Returns: Customer returns are inevitable in our business. Garment fit is most often the reason for a customer return and we get that. We’ve built a business around handling returns easily and efficiently, but an airbag vest requires some adjustments to our standard return policy. You are welcome to buy the vest, try it on, and touch and feel it to make sure you have the confidence to make it your own. But once you unbox the control module and/or remove or discard the documentation and tags we cannot accept it back. We wouldn’t sell a vest, nor would anybody want to buy a vest that gave the appearance of having been used. Breaking the seal on the control module box means we can’t know for sure, it hasn’t been messed with.
Personally I think it is wonderful that airbag products are now available for motorcyclists. And we are now reaching a point where they are convenient and comfortable and also affordable for the masses! :: Paul, 07-03-20
