Helite Electronic Vest

STEVENRANKIN said:

Helite by the way makes a very nice touring style jacket with the bag built in.

Click to expand...

Really like the idea of a jacket with the airbag built in. Put on your jacket/airbag and you're ready to ride. Helite, Alpinestars, Dainese, make some nice airbag jackets (probably several other brands, too). I choose the vest (Dainese) because I have several jackets that I like and felt like I didn't need another.

STEVENRANKIN said:

.... Yeah, the Helite can be repacked but I don't think he is going to be repacking that one. To be honest, yes, it is a pain if the vest goes off by accident to repack some of them, but in all honesty for my three accidents, the vests would have looked like Reece's and would be trash....

Helite by the way makes a very nice touring style jacket with the bag built in. I purchased one only to find it wouldn't fit me in the gray color. I am not much of a black jacket person so unless I can'f figure out an alternate, the jacket is on hold....

Click to expand...

Actually, the Helite systems don't get "repacked", you simply replace the CO2 cartridge and re-set the activating mechanism. You do it yourself - very easy. (I would recommend you carry an additional CO2 cartridge with you when traveling - finding a replacement on the road can be tricky, particularly if you are out of the country.)

BTW - Helite makes a range of jackets and vests, including leather ones, that they don't widely market to the BMW community. You might reach out to them and see if they have an alternative to their touring jacket that you would like.

Steve

Since the accident Rhonda has invested in the Helite Jacket… this will be my next purchase.

To be clear: No repacking required just replace the cartridge. (I keep a spare in the tank bag)
Helite inspected the vest, replaced the cartridge and sent me a whole new vest and a note to share the old one (still serviceable) with another rider. I donated it to a new MOA member I recruited.

^^^ That's pretty cool of Helite.

As a company, you want people to buy new so you make money...
However, this type of customer service goes a LONG way in making previous customers into return customers.

In my experience, Helite offers consistently excellent customer service. They are also present at the annual rally with a pretty good stock on hand.

This is good information.

I think I'm going to splurge this winter and get this E Helite vest & new helmet & Jacket and pants.

In late Oct '21 I came off in a deer collision and hit the pavement doing about 50.
Got back on my K75 RT pretty roughed up, I've been roughed up worse thou, and rode home about a 70 min ride.
Walked in the door, and before I got my helmet and jacket off, a major cardiac event started.

Zero to crushing chest and hand pain in about 2 mins.

People who have been through it, say it's like having a elephant sitting on your chest, I can relate.

My ER nurse wife threw me in the van and hauled ass for our local ER.
3-4 mins after I staggered in there, I had a full blown heart attack.
Total bill with 41.6K life flight was 210K
I think having this E Helite vest on at the time might have been a good thing.
Nick

nickrides said:

This is good information.

I think I'm going to splurge this winter and get this E Helite vest & new helmet & Jacket and pants.

In late Oct '21 I came off in a deer collision and hit the pavement doing about 50.
Got back on my K75 RT pretty roughed up, I've been roughed up worse thou, and rode home about a 70 min ride.
Walked in the door, and before I got my helmet and jacket off, a major cardiac event started.

Zero to crushing chest and hand pain in about 2 mins.

People who have been through it, say it's like having a elephant sitting on your chest, I can relate.

My ER nurse wife threw me in the van and hauled ass for our local ER.
3-4 mins after I staggered in there, I had a full blown heart attack.
Total bill with 41.6K life flight was 210K
I think having this E Helite vest on at the time might have been a good thing.
Nick

Click to expand...

Wow, that’s way too close to the Damar Hamlin experience!! Glad you made it through ok, and you should have bought a lottery ticket when you got out of the hospital!

Best,
DeVern (looking hard at the Helite jacket)

Helite Turtle Vest

I have a Helite tethered air vest the Hi-Viz model. Two things I like about the vest, one the Hi-Viz covers the middle of my mesh hi-viz jackets both have dark centers front and back with hi-Viz sleeves, with the vest on it’s all bright
The thing I have found on hot days I do not zip up the jacket all the way and get lots more ventilation but still feel safe due to the vest coverage.


I lost my Coddiwomple flag and had my wife take a picture of me, the bike and the flag from the oilhead to help me get my points.
( cleaning up the garage is on the list just ask my wife )

GTRider said:

....
DeVern (looking hard at the Helite jacket)

Click to expand...

I've had a Helite jacket for the past 100,000 miles or so. I never ride without it and have been very happy with it on. With all the vents open, air flow is actually not much less than the BMW Ralleye Pro and unlike the BMW jacket, it actually is waterproof. I prefer the touring jacket with the built-in airbag over the vest, since I know I'll never ride without the jacket, but I might neglect to put the vest on. Personally, I like the look of the Helite jacket, but YMMV.

Jacket

I bought the gray touring jacket from Helite at the largest size, got it and it didn't fit, oh well, diet time maybe. Helite is in touch trying to fit me. St.

Wearing mine in 110F a few years ago while visiting Meteor Crater in Az.

I am a firm believer in airbag vests. But I am still looking for perfection: light, cool, reliable, good coverage, and easy to recharge.

Four years ago I bought a HitAir vest. It invented the technology that Helite uses. They are pretty comparable but the HitAir is more open in its design so better ventilated. However I still struggle with the tether, I bet I spend 20% of the time untethered. I have probably popped this vest three times on drops, five minutes and $30 to recharge is hard to beat.

A year or so later looking for better coverage I bought the Alpinestars Tech 5. I think this vest has the best coverage plus a significant back protector. It also has a track mode which is great for track weekends. Turn it on at the start of a ride and never think about it again. It is hot and bulky and must be worn under the jacket. I wear it in cold weather. I have popped this one twice on drops. Not supposed to go off at less than 10mph, but it does. $180 and three weeks to recharge.

About six months ago I bought the Dainese Smart Jacket vest. Less bulky than the Tech 5. Can be worn inside or out. Put it on and ride, no thinking about tethers. Not as cool as the HitAir, but very comfortable. Haven't popped it yet, but $300 and three weeks if I do.

After all this experience I think my ideal would be an electronic vest that you can recharge yourself. The electronic Helite might just be the ticket, but four vests might be a little much.

rangerreece said:

Bob,
On April 4th at 23:00 coming home from work I hit a deer at 50mph. The bike went down hard left, I was wearing a tethered Helite 1 vest over my BMW GS riding ensemble. It activated I slid/rolled 73 feet, I stood up with minor bruising. Bike totaled. The Helite deployed and activated no broken bones, or punctured lungs- back, hips, and neck all fully protected.

I bought my Helite tethered system after careful analysis of the products available back in 2016, before Ryan made his video, and we came to the same conclusion mutually exclusive of one another. I used to be an ALSE officer for the Army and I was waiting for the electronic non tethered technology to arrive, but when I compared the two options I went with the tethered option, and it saved my life.

View attachment 90638

Click to expand...

Hey Reece, Have you ever packed your Helite vest on a commercial airplane? Curious what the TSA folks are going to say. I'm taking mine on an international trip and even though the manufacturer says it can be checked.... I wonder?

pmcclain said:

Hey Reece, Have you ever packed your Helite vest on a commercial airplane? Curious what the TSA folks are going to say. I'm taking mine on an international trip and even though the manufacturer says it can be checked.... I wonder?

Click to expand...

My understanding is the vest is transportable but without CO2 cartridges. Vest yes, cartridges no.

I bought a HeLite tethered vest in 2022 after a major get-off. I like that there is air circulation between it and my Klim jacket. Friends have purchased the Klim unit - but I notice that they don’t wear it when it gets really hot in the summer because of the lack of airflow.

pmcclain said:

Hey Reece, Have you ever packed your Helite vest on a commercial airplane? Curious what the TSA folks are going to say. I'm taking mine on an international trip and even though the manufacturer says it can be checked.... I wonder?

Click to expand...

I took my Klim vest to South America last fall with no issues. I had the vest with the inflator cartridge installed and a spare cartridge in my checked bag and the electronic module was in my carry on bag. Seven flights on three different airlines for the trip there and back. The vest falls under the same rules as an avalanche vest does.

pmcclain said:

Hey Reece, Have you ever packed your Helite vest on a commercial airplane? Curious what the TSA folks are going to say. I'm taking mine on an international trip and even though the manufacturer says it can be checked.... I wonder?

Click to expand...

I have not, but I have dealt with packing similar material with chartered flights in the Army. It’s the removable CO2 cartridge that may become problematic, depending on the airline and its rules.

If it’s a problem, my suggestion: buy extra CO2 cartridges from Helite (or just the one you usually use…) your call, and ship it via mail to your destination, you can pack the vest without the cartridge in your luggage at that point.

At the end of your trip reverse the process mail the cartridge back home.

Check with the airlines first though, a phone call about the cartridge will clear up any questions. It would be frustrating to find out the airlines were cool with it after you made accommodations for an eventuality that didn’t exist.

I think you will find that under CFR14 code of Federal Regulations both the FAA and TSB classify CO2 cartridges as HazMat. If spotted they will not be allowed on the flight. I recently completed my bi-annual HazMat review as part of my pilot position and I believe that is the current status, however some airlines may have a more lenient view.

Geoff Weeks said:

I think you will find that under CFR14 code of Federal Regulations both the FAA and TSB classify CO2 cartridges as HazMat. If spotted they will not be allowed on the flight. I recently completed my bi-annual HazMat review as part of my pilot position and I believe that is the current status, however some airlines may have a more lenient view.

Click to expand...

Yes, you are correct. (Kind of my point) HazMat of various kinds can be shipped commercially and are done so on a daily basis but typically not with passengers, again, it depends on what accommodations the airlines have made for what hazmat materials they deem economically viable and necessary… like the fuel in their tanks for example.

mcmxcivrs said:

I took my Klim vest to South America last fall with no issues. I had the vest with the inflator cartridge installed and a spare cartridge in my checked bag and the electronic module was in my carry on bag. Seven flights on three different airlines for the trip there and back. The vest falls under the same rules as an avalanche vest does.

Click to expand...

Got me curious. I looked up United Airlines rules for dangerous items and found some contradictory info. Imagine my surprise.

Avalanche packs​

We allow avalanche packs that have a lithium battery under 100WH as checked or carry-on bags. If you’re checking an avalanche pack, you must remove the battery. An agent will inspect and approve your pack before we allow it on board.

Avalanche packs that contain 1.4s and CO2 aren’t allowed as checked or carry-on bags.

Life jackets​

We accept one inflatable life jacket as a checked or carry-on bag. It must be carbon dioxide-powered, and you must put the CO2 cartridges in a checked bag.
We’ll also accept:

• Two small nonflammable gas cylinders fitted into the life jacket
• Two small spare cartridges
• If the life jacket has flares or flare guns attached to it, you must remove them.

TSA is unequivocal that CO2 cartridges are not allowed either in checked or carry on luggage.

Even more shocking neither of them even have a category for motorcycle gear!