2022 has kicked off with a bang (we hope she got lunged sufficiently first). At the very start of the year, we're seeing some big changes to the air vest market. Ride EquiSafe has become the global leader in equestrian safety equipment and we continue to add to our product lineup, but also to curate the offerings available. We know that not all vests are created equal and if there's a vest we don't carry, there's likely a very specific reason why.

We've also seen a lot of shops get into the business of selling vests, which is providing more opportunity for accessibility, and that's a great thing. However, make sure your retailer is well educated on the product and truly know how to do a fitting. One downside is that we've seen stores with a high volume of products, just a few air vests, and high staff turnover creating a lack of expertise. The result is that we're seeing a lot of ill fitting vests on people.  Check out one our previous blog posts about questions to ask your retailer when buying a vest.

Let's take a deeper dive into your air vest options.

There are essentially two classes of air vests: traditional and low profile. We'll focus on low profile in this post and save traditional for another.

Low profile vests are really where we're seeing massive growth in both the offerings available and the number of people wearing them. The hunter/jumper/equitation, dressage, and pleasure markets are driving that growth.

These vests are designed to look like garments, are ultra lightweight, and barely noticeable. There are nuances to how each one fits, how the canister and trigger system is designed, and how they inflate. It's important to understand these nuances to make an informed decision about which vest is best for you and it's why we carry nearly every vest on the market. It allows us to be brand agnostic and really get our clients into the best vest.

Low Profile Equestrian Vests

Traditional vests were generally made to be worn over a body protector and they tend to be made of a more rugged canvas-type material. Those are the type that you would typically see an eventing rider wear on cross-country. There are some instances where that type of vest makes it way to another discipline and it's part of the free, custom fitting service that we provide to help determine which vest is most appropriate for each person.

The differences in these vests are primarily how they're cut, which directly impacts how they fit. There are also differences in canister and trigger design as well as inflation design.

To determine which vest is most appropriate for you, contact us for a free, no obligation consultation. Ride EquiSafe is the only company in the country that specializes in equestrian safety, and we carry the broadest selection globally to ensure your safety needs are met.