A number of Airjacket manufacturers are now using non Certified CO2 canisters in their products.
In the same way that all PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) must be tested in a European laboratory to gain the appropriate Certification,
CO2 canisters fall under the requirements of Transportable pressure equipment 1.8.7.7 ARD/RID 2023 , OVD in conjunction with Directive 2010/35/EU. As Transportable pressure equipment, the CO2 canisters should have the following registered inspection-body mark, π , along with the manufacturer’s name on the canister. See illustration
You should buy an official Helite canister for your Helite jacket because third-party canisters can cause critical deployment failures and will completely void your manufacturer’s warranty. While generic CO2 cartridges might look similar, Helite engineers their components with highly specific technical dimensions that off-brand alternatives do not match.
Thread Pitch and Mechanical Fit
- Custom Thread Sizes: Helite uses proprietary or uncommon thread pitches (such as specific metric or UNF sizes depending on the model). Off-brand canisters often use common threading that will either strip the jacket’s internal mechanism or fail to screw in completely.
- Gas Leaks: A loose or improper fit prevents a perfect seal, meaning the gas could leak into the atmosphere instead of filling your jacket during a crash.
Puncture Blade Alignment
- Blade Thickness: Helite jackets feature a specific 5.9mm internal piercing blade designed to puncture their own heavy-duty seals.
- Slow Inflation: Generic canisters often use thicker or thinner end caps. If the internal mechanism cannot pierce the metal cleanly, the jacket will inflate too slowly or fail to deploy entirely.
Exact Gas Volume
- Tailored Inflation: Helite jackets rely on precise gas volumes (50cc, 60cc, 85cc, or 100cc) matched explicitly to the size of the vest.
- Under or Over-inflation: Generic cartridges often come in standard cycling or air-gun sizes (like 16g, 25g, or 38g) that do not match Helite’s cubic centimetre metrics. Using the wrong volume will leave the bladder under-inflated and soft, or over-pressurised to the point of popping.
Quality Control and Longevity
- 10-Year Warranty: Official Helite canisters come with a 10-year warranty and have no expiration date as long as they are unpunctured.
- Corrosion Resistance: Official canisters are built to strict European safety standards to resist structural decay. Off-brand options are highly prone to rusting or wall thinning, creating an explosive hazard right against your torso.
It is particularly important that in respect of the Helite Motion Air product ONLY Helite Certified CO2 canisters are used in this product.
Many non certified CO2 canisters look like this:
If you are unsure ask the supplier to supply their test certificate as per the below for our Helite Canisters
