The Helite Adventure jacket includes the Helite “Turtle” airbag vest, which is similar to the Helite Airnest vest we reviewed in 2012. The jacket is a premium jacket and packed with features. The jacket is a HUmax water and wind-breathable membrane liner. Huge Superfabric covers the elbows forearms and shoulders. It has Knox CE approved shoulder and elbow protectors, which are a removable thermal liner. The exterior of the jacket shell includes plenty of high-visibility reflective panels, and there are plenty of pockets.
The Turtle airbag system includes a SAS Tec back protector as well. It uses a replaceable CO2 cartridge to inflate the jacket within 100 milliseconds. The jacket cost $170 more than the Helite Airnest airbag vest.
There is also the “City” jacket, and while it does not have the Superfabric like the Adventure does, it does also have the airbag system. The jacket looks like a non-motorcycle street jacket and could be used as a scooter/city jacket for riding to work without looking like you just came from the Dakar Rally.
On the Adventure jacket, there is an adjustable slider with a Snap-On separate tab on the collar, and the front of the jacket has a YKK main entry zipper with an overlapping wind flap on the outside that then secure with metal snaps. The jacket has four vertical vents for ventilation. The nature of the airbag prevents air from flowing through and thus through the jacket, so the vents can only provide limited airflow around and inside. During the cold weather, however, the combination of the Adventure jacket and the Humaz membrane liner, with the removable thermal liner, means there are no problems blocking the cold air from getting in.
While there is no guarantee that the airbag will provide 100% protection in a crash, and it could be some time before we have actual data to support the contention, the Helite Adventure has brought the airbag technology to the mainstream.