Servicing, Recharging and Replacing Airbag Units

What happens after an airbag deploys, and what needs to happen even if it never does, differs meaningfully between tethered and electronic systems, and understanding the real costs and timelines involved matters for choosing a system and for budgeting realistically once a deployment happens.

Helite's own guidance confirms a tethered system can genuinely be reset by the rider, without sending the vest back to the manufacturer, provided the airbag itself shows no holes or tears after deployment. Resetting means simply unscrewing the spent CO2 cartridge and screwing in a new one of the same size. Helite cartridges come in four sizes (50cc, 60cc, 85cc and 100cc) matched to the specific garment, and using anything other than a genuine Helite cartridge is explicitly warned against due to real compatibility and safety risks with counterfeit or generic alternatives.

On timing specifically: Helite's system inflates in under a tenth of a second, stays inflated for roughly 15-20 seconds to support the rider through the initial impact, and takes 5-7 minutes to fully deflate on its own (unscrewing the spent cartridge speeds this up considerably, and the vest can be unclipped and removed immediately after a fall regardless).

Genuine Helite cartridges carry a 10-year guarantee with no expiration date, but the manufacturer still recommends an annual check even if the airbag has never deployed: unscrew the cartridge and weigh it on a scale, checking against the weight printed on the cartridge label (roughly ±3g tolerance for a 50cc cartridge, ±5g for 60cc). A cartridge showing rust or other corrosion on the outer surface should be replaced immediately, and cartridges should be stored below 45°C. Leaving a spare cartridge in a hot car, for instance, is specifically warned against.

Electronic systems like Alpinestars' Tech-Air generally require sending the unit to an authorised service centre after a deployment, rather than a rider-performed reset. Published pricing from Alpinestars' own retail and service partners confirms repack cost varies by specific model and scope of service. A canister-only repack costs meaningfully less than one that also includes the bladder, and pricing differs again between the Tech-Air 3 and Tech-Air 5 ranges. Alpinestars' own support documentation confirms the electronic control unit itself is reusable and doesn't need replacing after a deployment, which is what keeps the system cost-effective over repeated use. It's specifically the gas inflators (and, if damaged, the airbag bladder) that need replacing each time.

Some Tech-Air models have a defined deployment limit before a full replacement becomes mandatory regardless of condition. The Tech-Air 10, for example, is certified for up to three inflations, with an inflation test performed at each service to check whether the airbag itself survived undamaged; a failed test or the third deployment triggers mandatory full replacement of both inflators and airbag.

This is a genuinely important point that's easy to miss: electronic systems typically require scheduled servicing on a time or usage basis, independent of whether the airbag has ever actually deployed. An authorised Tech-Air service centre's own published requirement, for example, calls for a service every 2 years or 500 hours of use (whichever comes first) if no deployment or service has occurred in that window, covering a full diagnostic check, firmware updates, and functionality testing to catch wear-related issues (loose cables, unseated sensors) that might not be obvious to the rider. Skipping this scheduled service isn't simply a missed inspection; it genuinely risks the system failing to detect or respond to a real crash correctly.

The practical difference in ongoing cost and hassle between the two approaches is real and worth weighing directly. A tethered system's ongoing cost is essentially the price of a spare CO2 cartridge, resettable by the rider in minutes with no downtime. An electronic vest's ongoing cost includes real service fees after every deployment, a mandatory scheduled service regardless of deployment, and genuine downtime while the unit is away being serviced. Neither is objectively "better." The electronic system's autonomous, no-tether detection is a real advantage some riders prioritise, but the maintenance and cost picture is a legitimate factor in the decision, covered alongside the safety comparison in our vest vs integrated guide.