Pump the brakes. The world’s first airbag jean has hit the market.
After four years in the making, Airbag Inside Sweden AB, a Swedish fashion-tech company, has unveiled Mo’cycle Airbag Jeans, the “safest motorcycle jeans in the world” in partnership with Helite, a motorcycle airbag technology provider.
With the Mo’cycle Airbag Jeans, areas on the lower body—including hips, tailbone, knees and thighs—are covered by an airbag that reduces the risk of injuries.
To connect the jeans, riders must tie a mechanical trigger belt to the backside of the motorcycle. The belt buckles into pant’s thigh, connecting the rider to the motorcycle.
The airbag will “deploy within milliseconds” of being triggered. It activates when the rider is physically removed from the motorcycle at a force of approximately 40 kilogram (88 pounds) per second. A multi-directional ball will detach and trigger a spring-loaded piston piercing the CO2 cartridge and activating the airbag.
The airbag self-deflates after it’s activated and can be refilled with a new CO2 cartridge.
The jeans are made with Armalith denim, a patented abrasion resistance material comprised of 57 percent cotton, 10 percent Lycra and 33 percent Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE).
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Compared to Kevlar, Armalith reports that UHMWPE is five-times more resistant to abrasion, 40 percent lighter, has 2.5-times greater tensile strength, and retains its properties 10-times longer when exposed to UV light.
The jeans are also water repellent, breathable and can be worn in any weather.
While the jeans only recently moved from the prototype stage into full-scale production, Airbag Inside Sweden AB has already manufactured over 200 pairs and says more are coming. It has also released an airbag vest. Functioning the same way as the jeans, the vest was created to handle impact hits on the front and back.
“This is just the beginning for Mo’cycle. In fact, we eventually plan to release a wide range of washes,” said Moses Shahrivar, founder of Airbag Inside Sweden AB. “The whole concept is still new for riders. So, I believe the awareness for Airbag Jeans will soon increase dramatically.”
The jeans are available in relaxed and straight fits in blue or black. Jeans retail for 499-599 euros ($532-$639), and the vest for 499 euros ($532). The items are available for purchase on Mo’cycle’s website.