New Dainese Airbag Vest - Wireless, Smart and Safe

Full, standalone, wireless, mesh airbag vest

So I’ve never been a fan of airbag vests, or jackets with integrated airbag technology because it is rather limiting, in my opinion.

If I choose a traditional, tethered airbag vests to wear over my gear, then there’s this rather ugly, cumbersome thing that I will have to wear on top of my awesome jacket. Admittedly, I’m lazy. And the idea of wearing a second piece of gear over my gear is too much.

I’m also a very petite, small woman so wearing something larger over my gear isn’t ideal either.

But if I choose a jacket with an integrated airbag vest option then I’m limited to a handful of jackets. Let’s just say I’m very picky about my gear and how I want to wear it. I like my jackets very much, and having to buy an all new jacket to have that added protection isn’t attractive either. I would be much more inclined to wear a vest like this underneath my existing gear so it’s hidden.

Dainese just released an airbag vest for ALL riders, not just for sport bikes or road racers or track junkies. It can be worn over OR under your existing jacket!

I know what you’re thinking because there are already airbag vests on the market. But not anything like this: fully wireless, smart and capable of sensing when or if you need it to deploy at any given moment while you’re riding. NO tether required.

This is also something that should be worn with your existing gear, whether it’s a track suit, mesh jacket or leather street jacket. It will NOT give you protection against road rash or save your skin.

I have always felt that Dainese’s proprietary airbag technology was better than anything out there. Now that their advanced tech is going to be available in freeform like this, from an integrated jacket is pretty huge in my book.

#IMightActuallyWearOne

//PRESS RELEASE//

COSTA MESA, Calif. – June 18, 2019 - Dainese presents Smart Jacket, the new D-air® airbag vest that can be worn underneath or atop any garment. Available for men and women, the new Smart Jacket is a foldable, functional article of clothing that does not require any connection to the bike. Used by MotoGP™ champions, D-air® technology has been developed by Dainese through more than 20 years of research in order to achieve the maximum level of versatility, and is now also built for use on the road. With the Smart Jacket, for the first time ever Dainese introduces stationary impact protection, adding a whole new level of safety.

Dainese’s new Smart Jacket is the first airbag vest featuring D-air® technology that can be worn either over or under any jacket or outfit, without requiring any connection to the bike.

The D-air® protector is worn separately from clothing, can be used riding any bike and on any road, and is available for both men and women. The Smart Jacket is also foldable for easy storage in a backpack or top box.

For men AND women. Awesome.

Dainese’s new Smart Jacket is the first airbag vest featuring D-air® technology that can be worn either over or under any jacket or outfit, without requiring any connection to the bike. The D-air® protector is worn separately from clothing, can be used riding any bike and on any road, and is available for both men and women. The Smart Jacket is also foldable for easy storage in a backpack or top box.

“Smart Jacket is the result of more than twenty-five years of research on the D-air® system, and combines in a single, intelligent, versatile, now available-for-everyone garment the ultimate in airbag technology for motorbikes, the same used by MotoGP professional riders”

—Cristiano Silei, CEO of Dainese Group.

The “brain” of Smart Jacket is the triggering algorithm: At a rate of 1,000 times per second, the electronic central unit analyzes data transmitted by 7 sensors and detects dangerous situations, activating the system only when necessary. Through two decades of development and extensive data collection, Dainese has refined its sophisticated D-air® algorithm to predict accidents, including stationary vehicle and stationary rider collisions.

The Shield is the heart of Smart Jacket protection, an airbag featuring Dainese’s patented technology that integrates proprietary internal microfilaments that guarantee inflation is even and controlled throughout the entire surface. When activated, The Shield envelops the body and delivers maximum protection to the rider.  The Shield covers the chest and back, ensuring the same degree of protection as seven Level 1 back protectors, despite not having hardshell protective gear inside. The result is an extremely light and practical garment that riders can easily fold and place in a lateral bag, a top box or in a backpack when not in use.

Smart Jacket is also designed with incredible ventilation for further versatility and comfort. The external fabric of the jacket is ventilated but the most innovative ventilation is found inside, as the Shield folds over on itself. In normal riding conditions, this enables air to flow through the front. In case of activation, the Shield expands and covers the entire chest area, providing maximum protection. The Smart Jacket also features water-repellent fabric and the integrated D-air® technology is waterproof to protect riders regardless of weather conditions.

Smart Jacket inherits the best practical features from the third-generation D-air® Road range, including the ability to have the airbag replaced by an authorized dealer. The long battery life – with 25 hours of operation when fully charged - makes the Smart Jacket even more usable, and the garment recharges quickly.  

Learn more about Smart Jacket at: https://www.dainese.com/us/en/smart-jacket.html#sj-form

Dainese Smart Jacket is available in six sizes, with versions for men and women

It will be in stores from July 2019 for $699.

Cool Reflective Accessories for Your Motorcycle

Woo hoo! Reflective stuff! Ok, maybe I'm the only nerd that gets excited about bright objects. But I like wearing black when it comes to my motorcycle gear. I look good in it too, what can I say? :P But I know that I need to somehow make up for all the darkness with some bright reflectives to stay visible and safe as possible. So here's a few accessories I like that can help you too.

Wearing Hi-Viz Yellow or Orange is certainly a great way to be seen by more people. There's no guarantee that you'll be seen by every person, but certainly reduces the risks in my opinion. However, for me, the bright color isn't enough for riding at night.

It doesn't matter how bright your clothes are if they aren't reflective, I really believe in lots of reflective pieces so when light hits you it reflects.

So here are 3 reflective accessories that I wanted to share that I really think are cool to use.

1/ Reflective Decals, RydeSafe

"RydeSafe Reflective Decals are cut from an engineering-grade “conspicuity film” which contains microscopic glass spheres that reflect light back to its source. So no matter what direction the light is coming from, our stickers reflect it back. In the case of a pair of headlights, RydeSafe Reflective Decals reflect it right back to the driver’s eyes resulting in a more visible and thus safer user." - rydesafe.com

They have a few different shape / pattern options. I opted for the chain links (white) and the modular kit (purple). I found mine on Amazon but you can buy them directly on their website as well. (Unfortunately they're still running an old promo code from October on the main page, so they're not on sale).

Even if you don't like these, just hop on eBay or Google and you'll find your favorite sports teams, animals, shapes, motorcycle manufacturers and more in the form of reflective decals. You're sure to find something you want to wear!

2/ Reflective Vests

There are a lot of vest options on the market. I still love my Spectrum vests, although they did close their business this past year.  The previous owner told me that it should be back next year under new management. They used a really really bright reflective tape that was Coast Guard worthy. If I do have to ride at night, I always wear my vest!

 

You'll find a lot of different vests to choose from, including options from the bicycling world. But as a motorcyclist I would try to find a vest that uses CE / EN Certified Fabrics (less likely to fade) and 3M Scotchlite Reflective Tape (even more visible, durable). These materials make a much brighter difference at highway speeds.

3/ Reflective Paracord

I just found these on Amazon from Paracord Planet. These photos show how reflective this rope really is. I love the idea of making a dog leash out of it. I shared it with my fabulous dogsitter so she could use it too :)

I bought neon yellow and purple. My plan is to weave them together somehow and then run them through the loops on the top of my Kriega R20 Backpack since the logos are the only reflective pieces. Sometimes I ride home at night with my backpack on so I want to add as much reflective as I can!

4/ 3M Reflective Tape

I bought a roll of this on Amazon so I could make my own patterns for my last helmets. I found a ton of rolls in various colors and widths there too.

I've also started a Pinterest board to collect these ideas; check them out here.

If you have any cool reflective accessories that you like using, please share!

Motorcycle Gift Idea, MicroTherm Down Vest

This is one of those baselayers that will work everywhere, doing doing anything/everything. But especially while riding.

If you're always cold, or you know someone who doesn't have heated gear and could use a lightweight but warm layer that will fit flat and easy under any jacket, one of these windstopper vests might be a good choice.

Generally, if you can keep your core warm, it'll help keep the rest of your body warm too. I can handle riding during in chilly weather (like tonight, 48 degrees!) but it's the freezing cold air going down my chest that I can't stand. By simply shutting off this piece of the cold air, it makes the ride far more bearable.

You definitely can't go wrong with heated, but if that's too much or not an option (e.g. on a scooter or older motorcycle), one of these kinds of warm/windproof vests will be a huge improvement.

Above Right - North Face Women's Windwall Vest., $99

Above Left - Eddie Bauer MicroTherm Down Vest , $119 (this is even offered in regular/petite/tall sizing!)