The air jacket is inflated by a canister of C02, stored on the front of the jacket. When the rider separates from the saddle, the canister is activated by the release of a lanyard that is clipped from the jacket onto an attachment on the saddle. The air bags will inflate within one tenth of a second roughly equivalent to the blink of an eye. The Hunter will hold the rider tight for 15-20 seconds and then slowly deflate over two to three minutes. While the jacket is inflated, the rider will continue to have full movement of their waist, arms and legs, and partial movement of their head.
The Hunter provides enhanced protection to all the major thoracic and upper abdominal organs, the spine and the collar of the neck. It also helps guard against crushing injuries in the event of a rotational fall.
The safest way to wear the Hunter is in conjunction with a conventional body protector. Some riders who use the Hunter at home or while hunting tell us they prefer to use it on its own where they previously would have worn no safety equipment at all.