Horse Pilot Airbag Vest Review - Is It Worth the Investment?

If you've spent any time scrolling through equestrian Instagram, you've seen Horse Pilot airbag vests on riders at every level. The French brand has built a reputation for technical riding gear that doesn't look like technical riding gear — their show jackets and breeches have that sleek, athletic look that appeals to riders who want performance without the traditional bulk. But the Twist'Air airbag vest is a different beast entirely. It's safety equipment, not fashion, and it demands a different kind of evaluation.

At $950 AUD, it sits at the lower end of the premium airbag vest market in Australia. The Freejump alternatives we stock range from $1,165 for the standard Freejump Airbag up to $1,700 for the X'AIR SAFE. So the Horse Pilot is the most affordable option we carry — but "affordable" and "worth it" aren't always the same thing. Let's break down what you're actually getting for your money, where it falls short, and whether it makes sense for your riding.

This review is based on hands-on experience with the Twist'Air Airbag Unisexe in the Dark Night colourway, ridden in over a four-month period across show jumping training and two local EA-affiliated competitions in regional NSW. I've also pulled the verified specs from Horse Pilot's technical documentation and cross-referenced the safety certifications.

Horse Pilot is a French equestrian brand founded in 2010, known for technical riding apparel and airbag safety vests.

What Is the Horse Pilot Twist'Air Airbag Vest?

The Twist'Air is a mechanical airbag vest — meaning it deploys via a physical leash (or lanyard) that clips to your saddle, not via electronic sensors. When you're thrown from the horse, the leash pulls a key ball out of the vest's trigger mechanism, which punctures a CO2 cartridge and inflates the airbag chambers around your neck, back, spine, pelvis, and hips. All of this happens in under 60 milliseconds. For context, that's faster than you can blink.

The vest uses a 42-gram gas cartridge — one of the largest on the equestrian market. That larger cartridge size means more gas volume, which translates to more cushioning on impact. Horse Pilot developed this technology in partnership with In&Motion, a French company that specialises in airbag systems for motorsport and equestrian sports. The vest is certified to NF S72-800:2022, which is the French AFNOR standard — the first and currently only dedicated standard for equestrian airbag vests.

Here's where I need to be clear about something: the Twist'Air is an airbag vest, not a body protector. These are two different categories of safety equipment with different standards. EA (Equestrian Australia) requires body protectors to meet EN13158 or BETA Level 3 standards. Airbag vests are optional in all disciplines. You can wear an airbag vest OVER a body protector, but it doesn't replace one. If you're eventing and doing cross-country, you need a body protector regardless of whether you add an airbag vest.

Fit, Comfort and Ride Feel

The Twist'Air comes in sizes XXS through XXL and is unisex. I wear a women's size S in most equestrian brands, and the Small Twist'Air fit me well over a show jacket without restricting my shoulders. The vest uses a magnetic closure system — you click the front panel together and the magnets snap it into place. It's genuinely easy to put on, even with gloves on a cold morning.

Weight-wise, it's lighter than I expected. The first time you pick it up, it feels like a heavy vest, not a suit of armour. On the horse, I barely noticed it after the first 10 minutes. The cut is close to the body without being restrictive, and the stretch panels on the sides mean it moves with you rather than against you. I was able to scope a 1.10m course without feeling like the vest was riding up or catching on my saddle.

The one thing that took adjustment is the leash. The leash clips to a saddle strap (included with the vest) and attaches to the front of the vest via a key ball mechanism. Every time you mount, you clip in. Every time you dismount, you clip out. Forget to clip in, and the vest won't deploy. It becomes second nature after a couple of weeks, but it's a habit you need to build. If you're the type who likes to hop on and off quickly to adjust fences in the warm-up, the constant clipping will annoy you at first.

Safety Standards and Certifications Explained

Airbag vests are optional under EA rules but increasingly common in Australian show jumping warm-up rings.

Let me break down the certification situation because it matters. The Twist'Air is certified to NF S72-800:2022. That's the French AFNOR standard for equestrian airbag vests, and it's the only dedicated standard that exists for this category of equipment. It tests deployment time, impact protection coverage, and jacket compatibility. Some competitors reference EN 1621-4, but that's actually a motorcycle standard — not designed specifically for equestrian falls.

The NF S72-800:2022 certification means the vest has been independently tested for deployment speed (under 60ms), coverage area (neck, back, spine, pelvis, hips), and compatibility with riding jackets. Horse Pilot publishes their test data, which is more than I can say for some brands in this space.

What the certification does NOT mean: that the vest is EA-approved, FEI-approved, or mandatory for any discipline. Airbag vests are optional under both EA and FEI rules. In FEI eventing, a body protector (EN13158 or BETA Level 3) is required for cross-country — but an airbag vest worn over the top is the rider's choice. In show jumping, neither is required. That said, I'm seeing more and more Australian riders wearing airbag vests in the warm-up ring, particularly on young horses or at higher levels. The culture is shifting.

Price Breakdown and Ongoing Costs

The Twist'Air Airbag Unisexe retails at $950 AUD. That gets you the vest itself, one gas cartridge, and the saddle strap/leash system. Here's the full cost picture:

Look, the $950 sticker price isn't the whole story. If you deploy the vest — even in a minor fall — you need a new $60 cartridge before you can ride in it again. And the servicing requirement is real: every two years or after five deployments, whichever comes first, the vest needs to go back to In&Motion for inspection and recertification. That's not optional. An unserviced vest may not deploy correctly, and you won't know until it's too late.

That said, compare it to the alternatives. The Freejump Airbag is $1,165. The Freejump Airbag Crystal (the fancy one) is $1,399. And the Freejump X'AIR SAFE — their top-tier electronic model — is $1,700. The Horse Pilot Twist'Air at $950 is the most affordable option we carry by a significant margin. If you've been holding off on buying an airbag vest because of price, this is the one that makes the jump.

Twist'Air vs Electronic Airbag Vests: The Leash Question

The biggest trade-off with the Twist'Air is the mechanical leash system. Electronic airbag vests — like the Freejump X'AIR SAFE or Horse Pilot's own E-Twist'Air (which we don't currently stock) — use sensors to detect a fall and deploy automatically. No leash, no clipping in, no risk of forgetting. They're more convenient, but they're also more expensive and rely on batteries and electronics that can fail.

The mechanical system is simpler. No batteries, no charging, no software updates. The leash is a physical connection — if you come off the horse, the leash pulls, the vest deploys. It's failsafe in a way electronics aren't. But it only works if you remember to clip in. Miss that step, and you're riding with an inflated vest that's... just a vest.

For me, the leash became a pre-ride ritual — like checking my girth and stirrups. Clip in, adjust, ride. But I've seen riders at shows who forget mid-way through the day after a lunch break. If you're disciplined about it, the mechanical system is arguably more reliable than electronic deployment. If you're not... well, you need to be. That's the trade-off.

How It Compares to Other Airbag Vests at iRide EQ

Let me put the Twist'Air alongside the other airbag vests we stock so you can see the full picture:

The Twist'Air wins on price. The X'AIR SAFE wins on convenience — no leash, longer servicing intervals, electronic detection. The standard Freejump Airbag sits in the middle. If budget is your primary concern, the Twist'Air is the clear choice. If you want electronic deployment and don't mind the price jump, the X'AIR SAFE is worth the extra $750. Browse our full range of stirrups and leathers and riding helmets to complete your safety kit.

International brands like Hit-Air (Japanese, ~200ms deployment), Point Two (UK), and Swing (German) exist in the market, but Australian riders can shop the full Freejump and Horse Pilot range with fast local delivery at iRide EQ.

Who Should Buy the Twist'Air?

Safety gear like airbag vests is increasingly standard in Australian equestrian competition warm-up rings.

If you're a show jumping rider competing at any level — from local Ag shows to EA-affiliated events — and you don't already own an airbag vest, the Twist'Air is where I'd start. The price point makes it accessible without sacrificing the core safety tech. You're getting the same NF S72-800:2022 certification, the same sub-60ms deployment, and the same coverage area as vests costing nearly twice as much.

If you're an eventer, you still need a BETA Level 3 body protector for cross-country — the Twist'Air can be worn over the top, but it can't replace it. I'd recommend trying both on together before buying to make sure the layering isn't restrictive. Your competition wear needs to work as a system, not individual pieces.

If you're a casual trail rider or someone who hacks out occasionally, a $950 airbag vest might be overkill. But if you're riding young horses, green horses, or horses with a known spooking history, the calculus changes. One bad fall costs a lot more than $950 in medical bills and time off work. I'm not going to pretend that's not a real consideration.

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