These are my concerns also. I have bought a lot of crap from China, but also stuff that is as good, or even better, than the originals they imitate. I just recently bought a camping chair - better than the original.

I also bought a water fiter - which looks like it is far better than the Lifestraw it imitates - with so many more acessories. But then I had second thoughts - I have no way of knowing wether it actually filters the water anywhere near its specifications. Nor have I any way of knowing if the plastics it is made out of is full of carcinogens. It will never be used.

As for the air bags. It is a very simple technology. A pull cord triggers a sprung hammer that punches a hole in a standard CO2 canisters, and the bag inflates in about a second. The vest needs to be able to hold the air without exploding/tearing upon either deployment, or the increased pressure at impact. This should be easy enough to test, even multiple times over.

Even though we have no guarantees that these Chinese items are made to western regulatory spesifications, or tested by reputable organizations, or that they can be held accountable - I'm not ready to write off these chinese vests just yet.

Today I ride without. Since I don't race, a dirt cheap airbag vest - one that maybe even only worked as it was supposed to only 80% of the time - that might still be worth the money. As such a vest wouldn't make me feel braver and ride more reckless, it wouldn't be false security to me. Spending 600 USD for something I'm not even convinced I will be using frequently - that I can't afford. Also, something that only had a 60% chance of working wouldn't be forth neother the money nor the hassle of using it.

In order to be convinced to buy one, I would have to read some convincing and positive deployment reviews. After purchase, I would ofcourse also test the deployment of it before using it myself. I find it strange how people ride with these things and have never tested them. My inflatable life vests for my sailboat - I test and service those no less than every two years.

Buying fakes is something I would not do - and not only for moral reasons, but because fakes are allmost allways inferior to the real thing (materials, workmanship, qyality control, etc). I would also not buy grey market items - products sold either under the original brand or a different brand - but where they use "leftovers" from the original manufacturing and supply some ineferior components to make up the remaining product. I would only buy a white label product or a genuine Chinese brand. Products inspired by the originals, and that don't brake patents???

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