About Helite
Helite NZ is an official New Zealand distributor for Helite airbag technology, designed and manufactured by Helite France in Dijon. Every product we sell carries over two decades of dedicated airbag engineering behind it, tested in real crashes, worn by riders, workers and everyday people, and backed by CE certification.
- 2002
- Founded in Dijon, France
- 250,000+
- Airbag systems sold worldwide
- 50+
- Countries Helite is distributed in
- CE
- Certified airbag technology
Figures as at June 2026.
Who Helite are
Helite was founded in 2002 in Dijon, France, by Gérard Thevenot, a French engineer specialising in fluid mechanics with a long career in light aviation, hang gliding and paramotoring. The high accident rate in those sports led him to develop a wearable airbag system to protect pilots on impact, and Helite filed its first personal protection airbag patent soon after.
That original idea, protecting the body in the split second before or during an impact, is still the foundation of every Helite product today. The company has spent more than 20 years refining the technology, expanding from aviation into motorcycling, horse riding, cycling, industrial safety and seniors' falls protection, while staying focused on one thing: personal airbag safety systems, engineered and tested in France.
What they make
Helite designs and builds wearable airbag systems across several ranges, each using the same core principle: a trigger, either a mechanical lanyard or an electronic sensor, releases a CO2 cartridge that inflates the airbag before or on impact, protecting the areas of the body most at risk.
- Motorcycle
- Airbag vests in mechanical and electronic systems. Available now through Helite NZ.
- Cycling
- Airbags for commuters, everyday riders and e-scooters. Coming soon to Helite NZ.
- Seniors
- Hip'Guard, designed to reduce the risk of hip injury in a fall. Available now through Helite NZ.
- Industrial
- Air'fall industrial safety airbags for people working on site. Coming soon, mainly for trade customers.
Proven, trusted, certified
Helite's track record is what sets them apart from newer entrants to the airbag market. Every system is made in France and validated through prototyping and crash testing before release.
Helite is widely recognised across its international markets as a leading manufacturer of wearable airbag safety systems, a position built on two decades of R&D, patents and real-world use across motorsport, equestrian, industrial and consumer safety applications.
Why buy from Helite NZ
Buying through Helite NZ means you're getting the genuine product, backed by local support, not a grey import or a parallel listing from an unauthorised reseller.
- We're an official Helite distributor for New Zealand, so you know exactly what you're getting and where it came from
- Local advice on fit, sizing and choosing between mechanical and electronic systems, from people who know the product and New Zealand conditions
- A direct line to us if you have questions before or after you buy, rather than dealing with an overseas call centre
- Help registering your product with Helite France, who hold and manage the manufacturer's warranty through my.helite.com
- Faster access to new Helite ranges as they launch in New Zealand, including cycling, industrial safety and seniors' falls protection
Award-winning technology
Helite products have won innovation awards in France and at CES in Las Vegas.
2024
Road Safety Innovation Prize
View H-Moov2019
CES Innovation Awards Honoree
View B'Safe2019
Road Safety Innovation Prize
View B'Safe
Protection you can trust,with support close to home
If you're weighing up airbag protection, the technology only works if you trust it enough to wear it. Helite has spent more than 20 years earning that trust, and Helite NZ is here to make sure you get the right product, fitted properly.