Alpinestars Tech-Air® 7X

The Alpinestars Tech-Air® 7X is a FIM-approved, fully autonomous airbag system developed from cutting-edge MotoGP technology and built for track riding. The system delivers comprehensive protection for the shoulders, chest, full back and tailbone, and can be used either as a standalone unit or integrated into Tech-Air® Ready riding suits as well as compatible third-party leathers (requires 4 cm of chest clearance).

The Tech-Air® 7X sits within the Alpinestars Tech-Air family as a vest designed specifically for track use. With track riding in mind, the vest offers a few clear advantages over Alpinestars' other systems:

- The Tech-Air® 7X allows two deployments before the cartridges need replacing — and the cartridges are user-replaceable, even in the heat at Alastaro, whereas earlier-generation vests had to be sent to Storm for cartridge replacement after a crash. The vest features two cartridges that fire one at a time, and they're hassle-free to swap — just open one flap on the back protector and they're right there. They're secured with hand-openable threads and a single connector, so there's no need to take the vest apart at an atomic level or read a 180-page manual. Cartridge price ~180,- euros / 2 pcs.

- The vest's shape is designed with leather suits in mind. The cartridge canister / back protector is shaped so that pulling a leather suit on over the vest doesn't cause any frustration, and the vest won't ride up around your neck as you slide your arms through the suit.

- New Alpinestars leather suits feature internal zippers on both sides of the chest area, designed for attaching the Tech-Air® 7X vest. This means the vest can also be fixed firmly as part of the suit using these zippers — and with that, it definitely won't ride up around your neck, even if the leather suit is a "seriously race-fit" size.

- The design philosophy behind the 7X prioritises reliability. It does away with the wireless keypads, activation belts and other "extras" found in previous models.

- It can be washed at home: the electronics and the "lung" can be removed from the vest with minimal effort, so all the fabric and skin-contact parts can go in the washing machine. Machine washable, as long as you follow the care instructions.

- The vest also works for street riding. Through the Tech-Air® app, you can switch the "race" mode off and into street mode, in which the vest will also deploy in low-speed accidents and stationary incidents. It's worth noting, however, that this vest is designed for use under leather suits — for example, the back protector is very long and also includes a tailbone protector that extends down to the trousers. It may therefore be an odd combo with trousers, so for street riding and occasional track use we recommend taking a look at the Tech-Air® Plasma model.

• FIM-approved airbag system for track and race use

• Two riding modes: RACE for the closed circuit and STREET for road riding (switchable via the Tech-Air® App)

• Fully autonomous and automatic system — no cables or external sensors

• 12 internal sensors and AI-based crash detection

• Airbag deployment in as little as 44 milliseconds

• Reduces impact force by up to 90% compared to a passive CE Level 1 back protector

• Protects the shoulders, chest, full back and tailbone

• Modular design: usable as a standalone unit or integrated into your riding gear

• Dual-charge system allows two deployments before servicing

• Lithium-ion battery with up to 20 hours of use on a single charge, with the option to fully remove the battery from the system for winter storage, for example

• A 1-hour charge provides around 8 hours of riding

• Automatic power on/off via the magnetic front flap — reliable and fuss-free

• Washable base layer, with removable electronics and airbag