Like the old American Express ads used to say, when it comes to an airbag vest, don’ t leave home without it.

WHEN I WAS RIDER’ S editor-in-chief, I wrote a column for the May 2024 issue called“ Invest in Yourself,” where I extolled the safety benefits of wearing an airbag vest. I was so convinced of an airbag’ s ability to prevent or reduce injuries, and possibly worse, that I required staffers to wear one whenever they were riding a motorcycle for work.

The technology that goes into autonomous airbag systems has become so good that the effort required to own, maintain, and wear an airbag vest under any jacket has become minimal. The cost of buying an airbag vest is also so affordable that there really isn’ t a good reason not to put one on every time you ride.

Is the $ 869.95 price of the Alpinestars Tech-Air 5 Plasma tested here( about the same as a premium full-face helmet) worth it to avoid a broken collarbone, broken ribs, and potentially life-threatening injuries to your internal organs? I’ d say yes at twice the price. For what it’ s worth, there are other versions of the Tech-Air system that are hundreds of dollars cheaper and offer comparable protection, but today we are looking at the top-tier option.

The term“ autonomous” means that the airbag system is stand-alone and has no tether. It uses sophisticated algorithms and sensors to detect when a crash is imminent and inflates the air bladder in milliseconds – before your body comes into contact with the ground or other hard objects.

In previous issues we tested the Tech- Air 3 and Tech-Air 5 versions of Alpinestars’ airbag vests. The Tech-Air 5 Plasma is the latest generation and offers valuable improvements. The Plasma is about 25 % lighter( 3.4 lb vs. 4.4 lb) than the Tech-Air 5 and has a much thinner stretch-mesh construction; it uses Alpinestars’ built-in Nucleon Plasma back protector; it adds an Off-Road mode in addition to Street and Race modes; it uses a single-canister rather than a double-canister system for the compressed gas; canisters can be replaced by the user( with up to six deployments before the air bladder needs to be replaced; replacement canisters are $ 139.95 each); and the USB-C port for recharging the vest is in an easier-to-access location.

In practice, using the Tech-Air 5 Plasma is like using other under-jacket airbag vests. Charge the vest before a ride( a single charge lasts up to 30 hours). Put the vest on over a T-shirt or baselayer( or perhaps a thin fleece on a cold day; the vest should fit snugly against the body), and when you zip it up, a magnetic system at the top automatically arms the system. Then put on your riding jacket or suit over the vest, ensuring there is about 2 inches of available space within your riding gear to allow the airbag to inflate when necessary. If your jacket or suit comes with a back protector, you should remove it. And if your gear is already on the snug side, you may need to go up a size, which adds to the overall investment.

On mild days, you’ ll forget the vest is there. On cold days, you’ ll appreciate the added warmth of the extra layer. On hot days, you may wish you left it at home, but only do that on days you don’ t expect to crash( assuming you have a crystal ball or the ability to predict the future).

Be forewarned: The magnetic automatic arming system is easy to use, but it also requires care. I had a friend toss his Tech-Air 5 Plasma into the back of my SUV when we met for lunch. The magnets happened to connect and the abrupt movement of the vest caused it to deploy unexpectedly. Also, when hanging up the vest in your closet, make sure the magnets don’ t accidentally connect or else the system will arm itself and drain the battery.

If you’ re an ATGATT sort of person who hasn’ t added an airbag vest to your kit, then you’ re overlooking valuable gear that can protect you and possibly save your life. I highly recommend the Alpinestars Tech-Air 5 Plasma for its ease of use, high level of protection, and smart design and features.

— GREG DREVENSTEDT

FOR MORE INFORMATION: VISIT ALPINESTARS. COM

44 / NOVEMBER 2026 / RIDERMAGAZINE. COM