Supporting Member betoney Posted January 17, 2022 Supporting Member Share Posted January 17, 2022 8 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said: Betoney, would an air vest been beneficial during your unfortunate incident yesterday? I'm not sure a vest would have helped in my scenario. I hit my knee and palm/ elbow on the ground as I was knocked over. Imagine being pushed over completely perpendicular to your direction of travel, my back or torso never touched down. ***2015 Candy Red FJ-09*** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member 2and3cylinders Posted January 17, 2022 Premium Member Share Posted January 17, 2022 1 hour ago, betoney said: I'm not sure a vest would have helped in my scenario. I hit my knee and palm/ elbow on the ground as I was knocked over. Imagine being pushed over completely perpendicular to your direction of travel, my back or torso never touched down. Do you think one of the automatic GP is attic GPS IMU equipped air vests would have gone off I know off in your case face? It sounds like one of those instances where a tethered air vest would not have gone off. Luckily you didn't need it Either way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member dazzler24 Posted January 17, 2022 Supporting Member Share Posted January 17, 2022 I've been intrigued by these various airbag vests for a while now but have always been concerned about the possibility of cooking in them with yet another layer over the existing jacket. My riding is done in the warmer temperature range in my part of the world and hence the concern. It seems like the Hit-Air MLV-YC devices are (currently) about the best when it comes to maximising air flow while providing good protection. This is just my perceived opinion. @2and3cylinders - you seem to indicate that - yes? I do like the idea of just replacing my existing mesh jacket with a Hit-Air (or equivalent) that incorporates the bag underneath but again, ventilation? Is the bladder, when stored, small enough for that not to be a problem I wonder? People may ask - what do you want good protection and be hot or less protection and cooler? For me, if I'm way too hot then I'm unlikely to ride or worse, not wear the vest. Comments/thoughts especially from those that have real world experience in any of them? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member 2and3cylinders Posted January 17, 2022 Premium Member Share Posted January 17, 2022 Daz, The heat here is usually accompanied by high humidity but not always. Temps also fluctuate wildly so a dedicated air bladder jacket, mesh or otherwise doesn't make sense for those with limited means. I did my due diligence diligently and chose the Hit-Air MLV-YC, and have not been disappointed with my mentioned caveates. If you can keep moving in hot weather, wet down regularly as I do, including soaking my head sweat and long sleeve Coolmax shirt, wear well armored mesh jacket and pants (Coolmax skiveys are great too), and a soaked gel crystal neck sausage, this air vest is the bomb. Now Alpinestar has revised and expanded their air vest offerings for 2022 but you'll pay dearly for the tech, which is very attractive and wonderful, less so if it's one and your done before sending it back to the motherland for another $300+. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daboo Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 10 hours ago, dazzler24 said: I've been intrigued by these various airbag vests for a while now but have always been concerned about the possibility of cooking in them with yet another layer over the existing jacket. My riding is done in the warmer temperature range in my part of the world and hence the concern. I've been wearing the Hit-Air MLV-YC for years now. While my "normal" temps aren't all that hot in Puget Sound, the temps when I'm touring definitely are. I actually find it helpful in extreme hot weather. David Hough wrote some great stories about riding in hot weather. One of the things that I picked up on was that at 93F (34C) the thyroid gland can't keep up with regulating your body heat. Mesh gear loses its effectiveness as the sweat on your body dries before it can provide any cooling effect. At 93F, he says to start closing off the air coming into your body. Not all of it, just enough to get the cooling effect off the air that's flowing through. The first summer after retiring, I was heading through Wyoming. Temps were up at 105F. I pulled into a rest stop where two other motorcyclists were at. They said their cooling vests under their mesh gear only lasted about 30 minutes in the heat. Mine lasted close to 3 hours. It was hot...but probably not as bad as it could've been. I've ridden for several days with temps in the triple digits. Last summer I was riding in 119F temps (in the shade). Was it pleasant? No. Definitely not. Did I ever consider taking the airbag vest off? No. And when this one wears out, I'll get another just like it. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member 2and3cylinders Posted January 17, 2022 Premium Member Share Posted January 17, 2022 Yep Whose cooling vest do you have? Used to live in SoCal and ride out to Anzo Borrego, Salten Sea, Yuma, Klamath, now that's hot! But dry heat... I tried Cycle Gear's years ago and returned it. Theere's one that takes their special ice packs but that's not practical and heavy on a long day and spares are expensive. There used to be the gel crystal ones but now they're treated with something like that. I just soak down and use a mist bottle and drink H20 a lot but we'll see how that goes now that I've had my 3rd prostate surgery! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kilo3 Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 1 hour ago, 2and3cylinders said: Ive had my 3rd prostate surgery! LOL Dude we get it, of the 28 found searches for prostate on this forum your shooting 24/28. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoAl Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 16 hours ago, dazzler24 said: I've been intrigued by these various airbag vests for a while now but have always been concerned about the possibility of cooking in them with yet another layer over the existing jacket. My riding is done in the warmer temperature range in my part of the world and hence the concern. It seems like the Hit-Air MLV-YC devices are (currently) about the best when it comes to maximising air flow while providing good protection. This is just my perceived opinion. @2and3cylinders - you seem to indicate that - yes? I do like the idea of just replacing my existing mesh jacket with a Hit-Air (or equivalent) that incorporates the bag underneath but again, ventilation? Is the bladder, when stored, small enough for that not to be a problem I wonder? People may ask - what do you want good protection and be hot or less protection and cooler? For me, if I'm way too hot then I'm unlikely to ride or worse, not wear the vest. Comments/thoughts especially from those that have real world experience in any of them? Last June rode several hours in Kansas with the temperature at 106F Had two t-shirts under my Dianese vest under a mesh jacket. Was not as bad as I thought it would be. LOL worst part was opening helmet visor, felt like a hair dryer on hight at my face! I could shift my position a bit and the vest would move just a little in the shoulder area to vary airflow and cool down where sweat had accumulated. It was a hot day! Started out in the morning from Springfield Missouri in the 70s. Temperature kept climbing. Stopped at a Loves just south of Salina KS where I got fluids and then picked up I135N. Was 100F when I stopped. When I left Loves it was 103F but very quickly went to 106F and stayed there! Rode up to I80 and stopped for gas - ran thru an entire tank in those temperatures. Will have to say I was vey pleasantly surprised at how well the vest did - or did not impede cooling. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member dazzler24 Posted January 18, 2022 Supporting Member Share Posted January 18, 2022 All good feedback guys - thanks. 🙂 @2and3cylinders - I do have one of those evaporative cooling vests stashed away somewhere that I'd forgotten about so will have to dig that out and give it a whirl under the mesh jacket. @daboo- I understand what you're saying about closing up when the temperature gets too high even though it seems counter intuitive. The Bedouins seem to know a thing or two about heat control after all and you don't see too many of them in shorts and T-shirts! Your statement - "I actually find it helpful in extreme hot weather." is good feedback. @PhotoAl- Your feedback about your vest not impeding your cooling in those temps is also good to know - thanks. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daboo Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 @dazzler24 I wouldn't sweat the heat. Oh my gosh. That was a groaner. Even for a Dad joke. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member maximNikenGT Posted January 18, 2022 Author Supporting Member Share Posted January 18, 2022 (edited) Alright gentlemen - I had to look this up because I had no idea that cooling vests existed outside of the race car world. Decided to look up passive and active cooling vests. Lo and behold - your very own personal cooling vest for motorcycle use. AlphaCool 12V Motorcycle Circulatory Cooling Vest System - My Cooling Store Edited January 18, 2022 by maximNikenGT 1 2019 Niken GT "Motorcycles - the brand is not important, the fact that you ride is." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member 2and3cylinders Posted January 18, 2022 Premium Member Share Posted January 18, 2022 4 hours ago, kilo3 said: Dude we get it, of the 28 found searches for prostate on this forum your shooting 24/28. Not really sorry. If you've been lucky enough not to have prostate issues I'm happy for you but it is life changing and can become all consuming. Members have been tolerant, supportive and understanding. Those who have had first hand experience (pun) have commiserated. There are support groups for prostate cancer but not for the other related problems which can be severe, embarrassing and painful. Sharing not only is cathartic but also helps others. Riding with this issue is very challenging and tests your resolve. It was also moderately relevant in this case and offered to "add a note of levity". Which you apparently missed or didn't appreciate... As they say, if you don't like it, skip it. I get it and will try to control myself (another pun). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member dazzler24 Posted January 18, 2022 Supporting Member Share Posted January 18, 2022 2 hours ago, maximNikenGT said: Alright gentlemen - I had to look this up because I had no idea that cooling vests existed outside of the race car world. Decided to look up passive and active cooling vests. Lo and behold - your very own personal cooling vest for motorcycle use. AlphaCool 12V Motorcycle Circulatory Cooling Vest System - My Cooling Store Whoo Hoo! And the bonus is you can use a few chilled cold ones in the cooler bag to 'assist' with the cooling process both before, during and after! 🤣 Cool! Pun intended - sorry. Ouch on the price though! ~US$500 P.S. I have a post within these hallowed forum walls somewhere about an actual air conditioning unit for motorcycle riders! EDIT - here it is. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member dazzler24 Posted January 19, 2022 Supporting Member Share Posted January 19, 2022 On 1/17/2022 at 1:59 AM, 2and3cylinders said: Hard to believe but there is no good photo or graphic of the bags deployed to compare to mine. What about this pic 2and3. It's not great but shows an 'after' shot. I also note that the vest uses a 50cc cartridge whereas your MLV-YC uses a 60cc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member 2and3cylinders Posted January 19, 2022 Premium Member Share Posted January 19, 2022 47 minutes ago, dazzler24 said: What about this pic 2and3. It's not great but shows an 'after' shot. I also note that the vest uses a 50cc cartridge whereas your MLV-YC uses a 60cc. Saw that but not very "depictive". Again the tush and rib bladder looks more subdued... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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