Tucano Urbano Airscud Flex review | Adds airbag tech to your existing jacket, but for a price

3 out of 5

Tucano Urbano Airscud Flex

from Tucano Urbano
£299.99 View offer
Updated: 12 September 2024

The Airscud Flex is Tucano Urbano’s latest airbag-ready jacket, and is designed with dual use in mind: it can be worn over lightweight clothing for protection while riding in the city, or alternatively you can wear it underneath a looser-fitting motorcycle jacket to add airbag protection to your existing outfit… just as long as it doesn’t already have a back protector.

Reading between the PR lines, it’s aimed more at urban riding than anything else, although its In&Motion airbag tech has an Adventure mode alongside Street and – far more bafflingly – Track. It sits in the range alongside the firm’s full jacket, which is actually slightly cheaper.

Tested by Gareth Evans for five months/1000 miles

Pros

  • Fits well with quality materials
  • Well vented and fairly practical
  • Clever airbag technology solution

Cons

  • Expensive to buy (subscription more expensive still)
  • Back protector only – no other protection
  • Looks bulky under jacket
  • Comfort
    4.0
  • Practicality
    3.0
  • Looks
    4.0
  • Quality
    4.0
  • Protection
    3.0
  • Value
    3.0
  • Verdict
    3.0
Construction Two-fabric outer shell, polyester mesh
Type Gillet-style airbag jacket
CE Rating CE level 1 back protector, class C oversuit
Armour Back protector
  • Polyester mesh on chest and back for ventilation and lightness
  • Polyester mechanical stretch on hips and shoulders
  • 3D mesh lining
  • Integrated In&motion airbag system
  • CE certified EN 1621-2 back protector
  • Rear access zips to In&box, the In&motion operating system
  • Softshell collar for greater comfort
  • Safety lock button on collar
  • Central zip with double scratch-proof tank protector flap
  • Elastic side panels
  • Two zipped front pockets and one inside pocket with button
  • Drawstring at hem for improved fit
  • Reflective prints for improved rider visibility

How comfortable is the Airscud Flex?

Now, Tucano Urbano claim there’s “no problem with sizing: if you wear an L, get an L”.

I would counter this claim, because I do wear an L, and my Airscud Flex is a rather tight-fitting XL. Somewhat fortuitously I’ve also been testing a larger-sized RST leather jacket, and the two things work well together, but the Flex won’t go under the replacement jacket: a tighter-designed Spada. I also look a little Bibendum-esque wearing it under a leather jacket…

With that said, and an accompanying suggestion to visit a store to try one on yourself if you’re interested, I would also state that while on the small side, the fit itself is pleasingly well managed, with no annoying extra fabric bunching up anywhere, elasticated hips and shoulders. The zip and safety popper on the front feel robust. You can barely feel the back protector as a result. And furthermore the soft shell collar is pleasingly comfortable against your neck.

Is the Airscud Flex practical?

The Flex has two zipped outer pockets and one inside pocket, but don’t store anything too big in there or it’ll feel far too bulky.

Inner pocket on the Tucano Urbano Airscud Flex airbag jacket

Does the Airscud Flex look good?

I suppose this largely depends on how you use it. Worn on the outside of your clothes, the Airscud Flex looks like any other gillet-style riding gear. Worn beneath another jacket, it can make you appear friendlier with cake than you perhaps are.

Is the Airscud Flex good quality?

The Flex feels well made, with plenty of quality materials used in its construction. There’s no sign of any wear or quality issues.

Protection and CE ratings

From a safety perspective, the Flex is a CE certified ‘Class C’ oversuit, which means it’s been designed to offer impact protection only for the areas covered by the impact protector (in this case the back) and has been designed to be worn alongside other CE-rated safety clothing to enhance protection. It offers no abrasion resistance, so that’s worth keeping in mind if you’re planning on riding with this over a t-shirt in hot weather, for example.

And then of course it features the app-controlled In&Motion airbag system we’ve come to know quite well over the years, making the whole proposition quite a lot more expensive. This is subscription-based, costing £12 a month (or £400 to buy yourself the box outright), and features a few handy features wrapped into its slick smartphone application.

The In&motion module in the Tucano Urbano Airscud Flex airbag jacket

This version has an automatic emergency calling function that can detect a crash and call for help. It also has an unlimited warranty and its software can be updated over the air.

Is the Airscud Flex good value?

I think this looks like an expensive proposition for most UK bikers. There are several RST airbag full jackets (that use the same In&Motion technology) on offer now for less than the Flex, and the firm’s own airbag jacket also costs less to buy.

I suppose it makes sense in hotter climates used as an outer jacket, but that being said, we’d never recommend riding with no abrasion resistance either, even at lower speeds in cities.

This leaves me in a bit of a quandary. Unless you REALLY like your current non-airbag jacket, but it’s just a little too big… in which case the Flex fits the bill.

Tested by Richard Newland for five months, 1,500 miles - "The first airbag jacket I ever tried was so heavy that I wore it twice and returned it. But Helite’s e-Turtle 2 couldn’t be more different.

"You just slip it over the top of your jacket and do up the clips, press the ‘on’ button three times to get the green light – and go. You don’t need a back protector either, as a Level 2 one is integrated into the vest.

"It doesn’t require a tether or any other systems – although you can add their fork sensor pack (you can pair up to five with one jacket), which halves the reaction time, and protects you in static/sub-12mph crashes, such as getting hit from behind at the lights. The vest can deploy numerous times (in 0.094s) provided no damage is done to the 28-litre bladder, all you need to do is replace the gas canister (£20- £23), which is so simple that you can do it at the roadside.

"It has a four-year warranty, and only needs servicing every two years, while the bladder has a lifetime warranty. It lasts about 25 hours per charge.

"I wear it on every journey – as do many police, blood bikers and other professionals. Superb."
  • Quality
    5.0
  • Value
    5.0
Type Over-jacket vest
Deployment Electronic sensors
Price: £249.99 (was £449.99)
RST Paragon 6 Airbag tried and tested by Justin Hayzelden for four months, 2,800 miles - "Pro Series is the catch-all moniker for RST’s top-of-the-line textiles and heading up the touring section is this Paragon 6 Airbag jacket, packed with technology from French safety specialists In&motion. Although it comes with the inflation unit and bag built in, the control unit – called the In&box – has to be acquired separately, either by lease at £12 per month or £399 outright.

"It sounds like a faff, but actually makes sense, as the unit is subject to continuous updates from user generated data, downloaded directly from In&motion over wi-fi via an intuitive app. Once fully charged, the In&box should have a battery life of 30 hours – I top it up once a week, which easily covers the daily commute plus a few miles for smiles.

"The jacket itself is constructed from ballistic reinforced MaxTex, a tough polyester weave that earns it an AA CE certification. This outer layer has been treated with a hydrophobic coating to act as a first line of defence in the wet and it’s pretty effective, causing water droplets to just bead up and roll off.
"Although it holds up well in showers, prolonged heavy rain can cause it to ‘wet out’ – which is when the Sinaqua inner membrane comes into play. This layer has so far proved impregnable to damp.

"It’s breathable too, so you don’t suffer that ‘boil in the bag’ feeling. The ‘quick dry’ inner mesh lining takes care of comfort, whilst a removable thermal layer helps keep things toasty in winter.

"There’s a detachable ‘throat coat’ to seal the gap between collar and helmet, an absolute godsend when the wind chill’s down to zero. In summer, effective airflow can be achieved via an array of zippable vents both front and rear.

"Airbag aside, the Paragon 6 makes a great touring jacket, but combined with safety tech that has been a proven lifesaver at the top level of motorsport, it offers additional peace of mind – and at a surprisingly affordable price."
  • Quality
    5.0
  • Value
    5.0
Type Integrated
Deployment Electronic sensors
Price: £569.98 (was £649.99)
Tried and tested by Michael Neeves for nine months, 3,000 miles - "What makes this airbag vest so appealing is the simple fact it’s so easy to wear. Unlike bulky first-generation airbag tech, it’s so light I never think twice about slipping it on for every ride.

"Just stick it on under any jacket with enough wiggle room to give the airbag the space it needs to go off and you’re all set. It incorporates a conventional back protector, which gives you a sense of security on the bike and neatly contained within is the ECU and gas canister it needs for inflation.

"Because you’re basically wearing a (very comfortable) fabric- covered plastic life jacket, there’s little airflow, but I’ve never overheated even on 30-degree days. It charges via a USB and links to an app, where you can quickly set it for road or racetrack use. It has to go back to A-stars to reset."
  • Quality
    5.0
  • Value
    4.0
Type Under-jacket vest
Deployment Electronic sensors

Tucano Urbano Airscud Flex – the final verdict

Overall, this feels like an expensive solution when compared with full airbag jackets, many of which are available for less money with better protection and the same airbag system, but it does allow you to add airbag tech to existing kit without buying a whole new wardrobe.

While you’re here: How MCN tests products

At MCN, our team of expert journalists have decades of experience gained over hundreds of thousands of miles. We don’t test our kit to destruction; we use it exactly how you do, in the real world and in all conditions. That means we can deliver impartial buying advice you can rely on.

Each of our writers has an in-depth understanding of the needs of today’s biker… because they are one.

If you can’t see a review against an airbag jacket on this page, it’s because we haven’t tested it yet. These airbag jackets will only be included if we think they’re important and relevant in the market, and rest assured, we will be working on bringing you a review as soon as we’ve done the miles.

To find out more, head to our dedicated page explaining how we test motorcycle products.