The vests are tethered at multiple points to
the inside of the Air-Tech-specific jackets and
suits, and the airbag system is instantly put into
stand-by mode by a switch on the zipper. Sam-
pling a textile jacket fitted with Air-Tech, I found
little difference between wearing it and a jacket
with a passive back protector.
So why the slow roll-out when the technology
is already a proven motorcycle injury-preven-
ter?
New Zealand Alpinestars distributor, Shayne
King, says the Italian company has retained full
control of the Air-Tech’s manufacturing and
quality, and this has limited supply compared
to many other products wearing the logo. He
also says dealers have to invest in training to
ensure the vests can be serviced properly,
and he wants to make sure that New Zealand
support is sufficient before increasing availa-
bility. The upside to the arrival of the Air-Tech
vests four years after their EICMA debut is that
there is now a wider range of clothing available
to wear over them. Contact Crown Kiwi (www.
crownkiwi.co.nz) for more information.