Friday, 8 July, 2022
Horse riding is a risk sport where the probability of falling is never zero. In 2017-2018, out of 810 fatal sports-related accidents, 14 were related to horse riding . To ensure the safety of riders, Seaver has therefore developed an airbag, the SAFEFIT. But there are other types of jackets that meet the same need... So, which is the best airbag for riding? In order to see more clearly, we propose today a comparison of the SAFEFIT with one of its main competitors: the Hit-Air Complete Airbag Vest.
The decision to invest in a riding airbag is primarily based on the following reasons safety. It is therefore important to understand the major differences between the two products in terms of protection of the rider.
First of all, Seaver is one of the few brands to have obtained the new new French certification NF S72-800:2021, now the only standard dedicated to riding airbags. The standard has more stringent requirements in terms of minimum impact absorption thresholds as well as maximum deployment time. The highly demanding tests are carried out by the Aliénor laboratory, a subsidiary of the Center Régional d'Innovation et de Transfert de Technologies (CRITT). All airbags must be approved for certification in France. Certification ensures maximum protection of vital areas. The only brands to have obtained it are Freejump, Horse Pilote and, of course, Seaver. All犀利士 details of Seaver certification are explained here. Note that this standard will be the only one in force from April 21, 2023 (EU2016/425).
Another Seaver advantage is 犀利士 -unknown-block-id-1042951798″>SAFERIDE, a feature for which no other brand has an equivalent. SAFERIDE allows your loved ones to follow your itinerary live throughout your outdoor outing, as well as to detect a possible fall and geolocate.
"My horse got spooked on a ride, I fell off and he left without me. Physically I was fine but I couldn't walk home alone. Thanks to SAFERIDE, my relatives were able to geolocate me and come and get me."
Louise, SAFERIDE user
The SAFERIDE functionality is independent of the airbag, but a year of free access is offered with the purchase of a SAFEFIT! A significant advantage in terms of rider safety.
If safety is the first criterion for a good airbag, it will not be very effective if it remains at the bottom of a cupboard or a grooming bag! In order to be able to wear it in any situation, without compromising sporting performance, it must not hinder the mobility. "Very light", "comfortable" and "breathable", as the riders say, SAFEFIT is very popular on the grounds!
With a weight of 600 grams in size M, SAFEFIT is the lightest airbag on the market. lightest on the marketThe SAFEFIT is the lightest airbag on the market, ahead of the HELITE Airjacket (1.5kg), the Airswift 2 PENELOPE (1.3kg), the HIT-AIR full airbag (1.05kg), the HIT-AIR Light Airbag (1kg), the Equithème Air (900g), the Twist'Air Horse Pilot (860g) and the Zip'In 2 HELITE (650g).
"My favourite thing about SAFEFIT is the lightness of the airbag, it doesn't bother me at all when riding."
First of all, thanks to its curved shapethe SAFEFIT adapts to the rider's morphology and does not hinder him, as Romain Ozzola testifies:
"When I tried on SAFEFIT, I immediately had a very good feeling: it's very tight, you feel very good in it, it really fits all your clothes and it's really comfortable. And when I wore it in competitions, really, the same: no bad feeling. And that's what I really liked.
Romain Ozzola
In addition, SAFEFIT is designed with a technical fabric compound of stretchy materials. This allows it to adapt completely to the rider's movements and does not create any extra thickness.
"What I like best about the SAFEFIT airbag is that it's super comfortable, you can't feel it because it's ultra light and doesn't move! And on top of that, you can put it either underneath or on top of your jacket, it's really TOP!"
In addition to being comfortable, the SAFEFIT is comfortable to wear in any weather.
Heat is not a problem in summer, as SAFEFIT is designed with a micro-perforated technical fabric. The fabric is designed with a microperforation system that promotes ventilation.
"To be quite honest, I have never worn an airbag too much, mainly because of the lack of aesthetics but especially because of the lack of comfort and lightness during my tests... Discreet, aesthetic and very light, the SAFEFIT was an obvious choice! It is the lightest on the market, which is why I forget about it when I'm riding and it doesn't make me hot at all thanks to its breathable fabric. It's a real safety asset that I can't get rid of!
"I mainly wear the SAFEFIT airbag for its aesthetics."
"Discrete", "aesthetic"and "slim-fitting"SAFEFIT is discreet, aesthetically pleasing and slim-fitting, as riders say. It goes unnoticed over or under your competition jacket. Moreover, thanks to its customizable piping, you can also choose to assert your style by wearing the colors of your club or, like Chloe Levyto recall the color of your saddle pad!
"An important detail is that the price of the two products is almost the same, with only a four euro difference between the Hit-Air Full Airbag Vest (€495.00) and SAFEFIT (€499.00). Hit-Air's Complete Airbag Vest II, on the other hand, costs €545.00, which is €46.00 more than the SAFEFIT.
On the other hand, SAFEFIT is payable in 4 or 10 times without charge as opposed to 2, 3 or 4 times for Hit-Air products.
"I find the Seaver much lighter, more comfortable and very discreet. I validate 200% 👍👍"
In order to make it easier for you to find your way around, here is a comparison table which should help you to see things more clearly:
Giler Airbag Complete HIT-AIR | Airbag Vest II HIT-AIR | SAFEFIT Seaver | |
---|---|---|---|
Standard | CE marking | CE marking | CE marking + NF S72-800:2021 |
Trigger time | between 90ms and 140ms depending on the size of the model | between 100ms and 150ms | |
Protected areas | Thorax, ribs, spine, cervicals, coccyx. | Thorax, ribs, spine, cervicals, coccyx. Removable backbone. | Thorax, ribs, spine, cervical spine and 20cm around these areas, which ensures the protection of vital areas. |
Mass | 1,05kg | 1,05kg | 600g |
Colours | Six colours available: black, navy, royal blue, white, red and brown | Two colours available: navy blue and black | Customisable border in seven colours: silver, blue, red, black, fir green, burgundy, pink |
Is worn... | Only over the rider's equipment | Only over the rider's equipment | Par dessus l’équipement du cavalier ou sous un vêtement compatible (<15% élasthanne) |
Awards | 495,00€ | 545,00€ | 499,00€ |
Payment facilities | 2, 3 and 4 times free of charge | 2, 3 and 4 times free of charge | Payable in 4 or 10 times without charge |
Now you know everything and can make your choice! 😊
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