Review Summary
- With an MSRP of $779.95, the DAir Street Smart Jacket (DA) can be worn over or under street gear and is only designed for street use.
- It features a comfortable design and during my testing, I wore it over and under multiple motorcycle jackets.
- It’s easy to store and will fit in a motorcycle tail bag.
- Once activated and deployed, it must be returned to an authorized DAir service center for reactivation.
Introduction
The DAir is marketed under several brands. Ducati dealerships that carry the DAir Jacket (which is weird since it’s a vest) have the Ducati emblem on it. At the Dainese store where I picked up mine, it is branded as Dainese. Same vest, just a different logo.
The DA is one of the two most comfortable airbag vests I’ve tested. The other is the Alpinestars TechAir 3.
Because I have tested and reviewed quite a few airbag vests, I contacted Dainese to determine if they would like to have me review one of their DA units. I was contacted by two of their representatives and the manager of the Dainese San Francisco location. Two regional managers were going to be in the SF location, so we coordinated schedules to meet.
Before I get into how the DA deploys, here are some images of the DA under as well as over one of my riding jackets, a KLIM Marrakesh.
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And here is the DA worn under the Marrakesh
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Deployment
I was not able to deploy the vest as I have with the other airbag vests I’ve tested. To have the DA deploy I was required to go to the Dainese store near me. I was also not able to film the deployment, but could photograph it. Here is my friend wearing the vest under his riding jacket after deployment.
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As you can see, the volume of air around the neck is much less than I would prefer to prevent injury to the neck and clavicle areas. In addition, the DA does not protect the coccyx area.
Restoration After Deployment
This is how the DA is restored after being deployed. As I mentioned before, the DA must be sent or taken to an authorized DA center for restoration. This image shows how the entire air bladder and electronics are replaced since it is a one-piece device.
After deployment, the bladder stays inflated for 30 seconds before completely deflating. Because the DA does not include a space for a passive back protector, I would not remove any back protection in a riding jacket if I were to use the DA.
Because the DA does not have a sleeve for a passive back protector, once it deploys and deflates you are left without back protection. So as you continue on your ride (assuming you can ride) the DA no longer offers any back protection. The same can be said for your helmet IF your helmet sustained enough damage to render it unsafe.
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Construction
I wanted to cover the very unique aspect of the DA which differs from the other airbag devices I have reviewed. The individual filaments contained in the air bladder prevent air from shifting from one spot to another. The filaments form a rigid structure in the air bladder.
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The DA contains one zippered slash pocket on the upper right side of the vest and two zippered hand warmer pockets. The back of the DA has two separate electronic and canister packs on each side of the kidney area. Two reflective strips are also included on both the lower and upper portions of the DA. I like the bright yellow interior of the DA.
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I appreciate zippered pockets on the DA for those times when it is worn outside of a jacket. And having zippers on each of them keeps items secure. Just use your head about what you carry in any air vest pocket. No straight razors, scissors, nuclear waste, enriched uranium, C4, or your mother-in-law. If you run around the pool with a sucker in your mouth, never mind.
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The DA has an adjustable waist strap that helps hold the garment in place. A very nice touch.
Charging the System
At the bottom of the DA is a zipper that runs the length of the lower seam. This is where the charging system is housed.
Unzipping this reveals the USB charge port.
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In my testing, it took 3 hours and 52 minutes to fully charge the system. The system ran continuously for 25 hours and 40 minutes in my testing. I ran this using a vibration device that simulated a running motorcycle.
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Registering the DA System
The DA comes with this sleeve that explains the setup procedure.
The app is downloaded to your desktop computer, NOT your smartphone. This is a link to that download.
Follow the instructions on the screen. During this process the DA will be registered to the owner of the safety device…meaning you.
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The software also allows the owner to place the DA in ‘shipping mode’ which prevents the jacket from accidentally deploying during transport. Once your DA arrives at its destination, it can be removed from Shipping Mode through the software.
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Activating the System
The DA is activated by connecting the two mating magnetic clasps which are located at the top of the DA. They’ve included a very clever snap that keeps the two magnetic clasps from inadvertently connecting during transport or storage.
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Once the two magnetic clasps are joined, the DA’s LED flashes.
Here are the sequence of lights and what each sequence and color indicates.
Please note that the system is NOT activated until it detects motorcycle movement as indicated by the LED’s color turning from blue to green.
The following is from the User’s Guide:
Here is a link to the DAir Street Smart Jacket user’s manual
“The impact conditions for which the D-AIR STREET SMART JKT System has received certification are described in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9.
The D-AIR STREET SMART JKT inflation time can vary according to circumstances and the intensity of the event considered and has been designed to remain inflated for around 5 seconds after being triggered. The system is activated and ready to trigger the airbag when one of the following two conditions occurs:
- Presence of vehicle vibrations;
- Speed exceeding 10km/h.
The system is deactivated and will thus NOT BE activated and NOT ready to trigger the airbag when both of the following two conditions occur:
- Absence of vehicle vibrations;
- Speed below 10km/h
WARNING: The D-AIR STREET SMART JKT will NOT be activated if the vehicle vibrations are not recognized and the speed is below 10km/h. When the vehicle is on (steady green LED) the system will be activated both when no GPS signal is present and at speeds below 10km/h. If the GPS signal is unavailable or is temporarily lost while riding (e.g. while travelling through a tunnel), the D-AIR STREET SMART JKT is maintained either disabled or enabled, based on the last speed value detected via GPS and based on the vibrations coming from the vehicle. The D-AIR STREET SMART JKT system may NOT remain activated when stopped and thus be ready to trigger the airbag in motorcycles equipped with Start&Stop or electric motorcycles at speeds below 10 km/h. Start&Stop mode should be disabled to make use of the protection against impact with another vehicle.”
Conclusion
The DA Jacket is a remarkable piece of safety kit. It is comfortable and well-designed. It fits comfortably both under or over almost any motorcycle jacket I own. I would retain my back protector in any jacket I wear using this device, due to its absence of a passive back protector. Or any facility to install one. The neck and clavicle areas lack the amount of protection and volume of other airbag vests I have tested. It will protect the rider in the event of a stationary hit from behind. It is worlds ahead of any passive CE-level armor utilizing air to shield a rider from potential injury.
Pros
- Very comfortable
- It can be worn over or under a jacket
- Excellent deployment time
- Easy to store
Cons
- Must be sent to an authorized DAir center to be inspected and reactivated after a deployment
- The lower coccyx area is not covered during the deployment
- No pocket or space for a passive back protector
- Shallow airbag volume around the neck and clavicle areas
Specs
- Manufacturer: Dainese
- Price: (When Tested) $799.95
- Weight, 4.32 pounds (size L)
- Colors: Black (as tested)
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L (as tested), XL, XXL, Sizing guide