New Air Bags for Backcountry Avalanche Protection

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/technology-improves-avalanche-gear-for-backcountry-skiers/ar-AA8woHu

Maybe they could fill with helium and lift you write above the avalanche? Lots of helium of course

Wow,

The technology just keeps on evolving. For those of you who remember the cartoon "Inspector Gadget" I wonder if someday they will have a "Go go gadget copter" (a helicopter backpack).

I am joking of course, for now. Who knows what technology and deep pockets will present in the future?

Z

Despite not actually doing any backcountry skiing, I read quite a few blogs on the topic. This technology has been around for a few years now (with the price finally decreasing enough to start getting market penetration). What is interesting, is that if you look at the statistics for avalanche fatalities, many/most (too lazy to go look at the actual numbers again) are due to trauma sustained during the slide (being dragged through trees/rocks or off of cliffs).

The community seems divided on the technology, due to the fact that mbecause they feel that it gives people a false sense of confidence and will allow people to get in over their heads (similar to the discussions on here regarding PLBs and GPS). Previously where someone might say "I'm not going to go out there, it might slide" the concern is that more people are saying "well, if it slides, at least I have my airbag". Where this gets more tricky than the PLB/GPS debate for hikers, is that a party triggering a slide has the potential to impact any party traveling below them.

Didn't James Bond have something like this?

Mike P. said:

Didn't James Bond have something like this?

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As a self-described nerd and James Bond aficionado I can answer this question. Yes and no.

Pierce Bronsnan's version of James Bond had an inflating sphere that surrounded him and his love interest in "The World in Not Enough". Today's avalanche safety air bags offer floatation rather than the protection of being encapsulated in an inflatable cocoon.

Sean Connery's version of Bond did have a personal helicopter but it was not a backpack or briefcase version (as referenced in my Inspector Gadget post).

Like I said, I'm a nerd.

Z

One thought that came to mind is, what if your slightly buried, seems like it would be impossible to dig yourself out attatched to these large bags?

sierra said:

One thought that came to mind is, what if your slightly buried, seems like it would be impossible to dig yourself out attatched to these large bags?

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If you are slightly buried, there's always a possibility you can dig yourself out no matter what is on your back. But avalanches generally set up like cement so unless you have both hands free it's unlikely that you'll be able to free yourself no matter what.

Avy airbags have been around for several years, many skiers have them, many more in Europe than in the States. You can rent one for your trip rather than buying it to keep the cost reasonable, and since you can't fly with the current style charge it makes sense to get it on location. As mentioned above, gear doesn't make you safer if used improperly. The first, second, and third line of avalanche safety is avoidance, not survival.

David Metsky said:

If you are slightly buried, there's always a possibility you can dig yourself out no matter what is on your back. But avalanches generally set up like cement so unless you have both hands free it's unlikely that you'll be able to free yourself no matter what.

Avy airbags have been around for several years, many skiers have them, many more in Europe than in the States. You can rent one for your trip rather than buying it to keep the cost reasonable, and since you can't fly with the current style charge it makes sense to get it on location. As mentioned above, gear doesn't make you safer if used improperly. The first, second, and third line of avalanche safety is avoidance, not survival.

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I can see your point about being buried and more so about avoidance, proboly the best tool in your kit right there.

Out here in CO, there seems to be more buy-in, and anecdotally there may have been a small number of lives saved. There also have been deaths where the airbags inflated but were absolutely destroyed in the tremendous forces of the avalanche. But yeah, avoidance is #1,2,3,...#n where n is a large number. I know a true expert backcountry skier who no longer skis here (he has enough resources to go wherever he wants) because of the fundamental unpredictability of the light powder here on basically any slopes he would want to ski. (I ski on shallower slopes with much less inherent danger). I don't have an avalung or airbag but if I were a real gearhead and/or got out into the backcountry more than a couple times a year, I'd think about it.