We talked with some of the top athletes in extreme sports and asked them what makes Bagjump their top choice. This is what they said. 

With athletes constantly trying to push new boundaries, having the right training equipment can be the difference between success and failure. Whether we are talking about parkour, BMX, or motocross, Bagjump has been supporting athletes in pushing these limits. For this week’s blog post, we talked to several athletes and their families about their personal experiences with Bagjump and why we are the industry leader for airbags in high-risk sports. 

The Standard for Safer Landings 

We designed our airbags to make the impossible possible. Athletes rely on them, and we are setting the standard of what quality and safety in extreme sports should be. To gain better insight from the athlete’s perspective, we talked first to Lukas Steiner, a parkour athlete for whom we designed a Bagjump airpit custom-made for his gym. We talked with him first about the versatlity of the product: “We use it for parkour, gymnastics, tumbling, tricking, and bars,” he told us.  

Going more in detail about the concept of safety, Lukas also mentioned the huge impact Bagjump is having in his gym. “We started a transition from foam pits to airbags about 10 years ago,” he said. “With airbags, we are seeing far fewer injuries – especially when it comes to legs, knees, and hips.” 

Confidence in Tackling New Tricks 

There will always be a mental barrier that can block you from practicing riskier stunts. In these cases, providing the right level of safety to an athlete can make the biggest difference in their performance. To learn more about this, we talked with BMX and MTB Japanese sensation Ryoma Okada. First, he told us how the adaptability of Bagjump airbags can enhance performance. “We look for the safest. The safest product today are airbags that are flat, large, and soft,” he said. 

Additionally, Ryoma told us about how his Bagjump airbag gave him the confidence he needed when he was only starting. “The first time I attempted a backflip on a Bagjump airbag, I fell on my back, and the next time, I landed on my head. I was worried about landing on hard ground. But because I used an airbag, instead of feeling fear, I had fun and didn’t get hurt.” 

Lukas also shared his thoughts on confidence when tackling new tricks, but warned us about the extra confidence it provides. “As a parkour athlete, when you train a lot with airbags, you get used to it. This is great for beginners. But as time passed and you transition to the streets, you do lose a bit of confidence.” 

Progressing Faster with a Safety Net 

While Lukas warned us that Bagjump airbags can make the transition from the safer airbag environment to the hard concrete a bit challenging, we found that others prefer it this way. For 13-year-old BMX rider Connor Stitt, Bagjump airbags have been key to progressing faster than most athletes his age and becoming the example he is today. We talked to Connor’s mother about his progress and how important Bagjump has been in it. 

“Connor always used a Bagjump Bike Landing Airbag to practice new tricks,” his mom shared. “We decided not to have any wood ramps to avoid risks at his age.” In fact, his family mentioned that without a Bagjump airbag, some of the incredible stunts Connor has achieved at his young age would never have been possible. “We’d recommend a Bagjump airbag to any parent whose kid wants to do an extreme sport,” they said. 

Connor Stitt is probably one of the best examples of an athlete’s progression and how a Bagjump airbag helped him push new limits. Connor completed his first double flip with a BMX at the age of 9 and his first triple flip at the age of 12. Connor’s mom concludes, “As parents, it’s a game-changer to have a Bagjump product. It’s made us feel safer, and we wouldn’t allow it otherwise.” 

Confidence for All Ages and Skill Levels 

With a Bagjump airbag, athletes are not only pushing the extreme but also maximizing their potential. A few months ago, we reported how U.S. athlete Christian Arehart landed the world’s first quadruple backflip on a mountain bike. This was an epic event we love to rewatch over and over again, and Christian was also very open about the role Bagjump played on this. “Without a Bagjump airbag, stunts like these wouldn’t be possible,” he told us. “It is by far the safest option,” he concluded. 

So yes! Whether our Bagjump airbags are used by professional superstars like Christian or by young sensations like Connor, we are recognized as the game changer for athletes training in high-risk sports. We are confident about this. By offering a safer, more durable, and more reliable landing solution, we make high-risk sports training more accessible and secure for everyone – no matter their skill level.