Freejump X'Air Safe — Is the 2-in-1 Airbag Vest Worth $1,700?

Rider safety gear has evolved fast. Five years ago, most Australian eventers wore a traditional cross-country body protector — bulky, hot, and passive. Then airbag vests arrived, worn over the top of the body protector. Now Freejump has combined both into a single piece: the X'Air Safe. The airbag lives inside the body protector, so you're wearing one garment, not two.

The question is whether the integrated design actually works better in practice, or whether it's just marketing. After researching the certifications, the materials, and the real-world testing data, here's what the X'Air Safe actually does — and where it makes sense for Australian riders.

The Freejump X'Air Safe — a 2-in-1 body protector and airbag vest, made in France.

What Exactly Is the X'Air Safe?

It's a cross-country body protector with an integrated airbag system built into it. The airbag is inside the vest — not clipped on top. When you separate from the saddle, a lanyard attached to the saddle triggers a gas cartridge that inflates the airbag in 89 milliseconds (for size M). The inflated airbag protects the spine, neck, ribs, and vital organs.

The genius of the design is that you get passive protection (the body protector foam) AND active protection (the airbag) from a single garment. Traditionally, riders wore a body protector for passive impact protection and clipped an airbag vest over the top for active inflation. Two layers meant more weight, more heat, and more restriction. The X'Air Safe eliminates one layer entirely.

The outer shell is military-grade Cordura — the same fabric used in combat gear. It's abrasion-resistant, tear-resistant, and UV-stable. Inside, a 3D mesh layer provides breathability. The foam system uses two layers: a dense outer foam that distributes impact, and an inner rubber foam (also used in bulletproof vests) that absorbs shock. Everything is laser-cut and assembled in Freejump's workshop in France.

How Much Protection Does It Actually Give?

Freejump's testing data shows the X'Air Safe provides 8x more force absorption than a body protector alone, and 4x more than a body protector worn with a separate airbag on top. The reason the integrated design outperforms the two-piece setup is impact distribution: when the airbag is inside the body protector, the force spreads across the foam and the inflated chamber together, rather than the airbag pushing against a separate body protector layer.

What Safety Standards Does It Meet?

This is where the X'Air Safe stands out. It meets three independent safety standards — most competitors meet one, maybe two:

• NF S72-800-2022 — The French airbag standard. This is the most stringent airbag certification for equestrian use, testing inflation speed, impact absorption, and reliability.
• EN 13158-2018 Level 3 — The European body protector standard. Level 3 is the highest protection level, required for eventing and cross-country.
• BETA 2018 Level 3 — The British body protector standard, also at the highest level. BETA is the standard recognised by British Eventing and most international eventing bodies.

For Australian riders competing under EA rules, the EN 13158 Level 3 certification means the X'Air Safe meets the body protection requirements for eventing. The NF S72-800-2022 airbag certification is above and beyond what EA requires — it's an additional safety layer that most airbag vests on the Australian market don't have.

How Does the Cartridge System Work?

The X'Air Safe uses a compressed gas cartridge to inflate the airbag. When you fall, the lanyard pulls free from the vest, triggering the gas generator. The cartridge is half the size of a standard airbag cartridge — one of the design advantages of integrating the airbag inside the body protector rather than having a separate larger chamber.

There are five cartridge sizes, matched to the vest size:

After any deployment, you need a new cartridge of the same volume. The rearming process is straightforward — the plug has a guide that prevents cross-threading, and the ball-holding clip keeps the lanyard ball in place during reassembly. You also need a Freejump keyball lanyard ($115) and a Y saddle strap ($30). The X'Air Safe Technic Shirt ($270) is designed to be worn underneath for optimal fit to connect the system to your saddle.

How Does It Compare to a Separate Airbag?

Freejump also makes a standard Freejump Airbag at $1,165 — a separate airbag vest that clips over your existing body protector. The X'Air Safe at $1,700 is the integrated version. The price difference is $535, and for that you get:

• One garment instead of two — less weight, less heat, simpler to put on
• 4x better protection than the two-piece combo (per Freejump's testing)
• 20% weight reduction compared to body protector + separate airbag
• Smaller cartridge — half the size of standard airbag cartridges
• Military-grade Cordura shell — the standard airbag uses a lighter fabric

If you already own a body protector you're happy with, the standard Freejump Airbag is a good upgrade. If you're starting from scratch or replacing your body protector anyway, the X'Air Safe is the better investment — you get more protection, less weight, and a single piece of gear to put on.

The X'Air Safe is worn by top eventers including Tim Price, William Coleman, and Nicolas Touzaint.

Is It Worth $1,700 in Australia?

Look at it this way: a quality body protector alone costs $250-$400 in Australia. A separate airbag vest is another $600-$1,200. Buying both separately puts you at $850-$1,600 — and you get less protection, more weight, and two pieces of gear to manage.

The X'Air Safe at $1,700 is more than either individual piece, but less than many two-piece combos, and you're getting 4x the protection of the two-piece setup. For eventers and anyone jumping cross-country, that's a straightforward calculation. For show jumpers who don't wear body protectors, the standard Freejump Airbag at $1,165 makes more sense.

The X'Air Safe also comes with a 4-year warranty when you register it on Freejump's website — 2 years standard plus a 2-year extension. That includes a free security overhaul check in the first 2 years. If you're spending $1,700 on safety gear, knowing the manufacturer will inspect it for free is worth having.

Frequently Asked Questions