Avalanche Airbag Backpacks - REVIEW

Photo courtesy of ABS

Avalanche Airbags - REVIEW

By Vince Shuley

The tools and skills available to survive the backcountry have improved in recent years, but the number of people skiing in avalanche terrain is always increasing.  With more and more people in the backcountry it’s only a matter of time before we read about another avalanche fatality.

People will keep putting themselves in danger no matter how many people die or how much education is available. So how can we equip these reckless (and in fairness, occasionally unlucky) souls to survive in the backcountry?

The device we are looking for to increase the odds is the avalanche airbag. A compressed gas cylinder is rigged to an expandable airbag and packaged within a backpack. A trigger is pulled on the shoulder strap to deploy the airbag once the victim is caught in the slide.

Avalanche airbags work on the principle of inverse segregation. A flowing granular fluid under gravity (such as moving snow) will deposit the larger particles on top and the smaller particles on the bottom.  The idea of the airbag is to suddenly increase the volume of the victim, thereby floating them to the top layer of the avalanche before the moving snow stops  and solidifies. Provided the airbag is properly deployed in time, the chances of a complete burial are significantly reduced.

So now that we’ve looked how avalanche airbags work, let’s look at the different units available. There are currently three different companies marketing airbags on the market in North America: Snowpulse, ABS and Backcountry Access.

All airbag models in this review are advertised as being approved by Department of
Transport (DOT) and Transport Canada (TC) for airline travel, though it is
advised that you contact your carrier  prior to travel to obtain the
necessary documents for taking your compressed air cylinder on board.

SNOWPULSE LIFEBAG 30L

RRP - $1198 (Lifebag frame and 30L attachment, pictured)

Photos courtesy of Snowpulse

The Snowpulse is the most readily available airbag in BC and
can be found at retailers throughout the province. The deployed lifebag is a
single 150L airbag that wraps around the head and neck. This design (dubbed
‘Head on Top’ technology) is meant to float the victim on their back while
protecting the head and neck from trauma. Out of all airbags on the market, the
single airbag design from Snowpulse felt the most secure for the head and neck.
Snowpulse claim that trauma injuries account for 10-20% of avalanche fatalities
and even more in heavily forested areas.

Deployment: Pulling the trigger felt smooth and the ergonomic handle was easy to grab wearing gloves. The pressure from the inflated bag firmly and evenly cradled the head and neck, effectively immobilising them.  The upper body felt a little constricted as a result.

PROS

• Best head and neck protection
• Readily available
• Interchangeable packs on Lifebag model

CONS

• Expensive
• Restricted upper body movement once deployed

Website – snowpulse.com

ABS Vario 30L

RRP -  $1384 (ABS back frame and 30L Vario attachment, pictured) 

Photos courtesy of ABS

ABS has the most experience in the field of avalanche airbag safety having continuously evolved their design over the last 25 years. They are also the only company that use dual airbags. The two inflated bags have a combined volume of 170L and are sealed from one another, meaning if one gets damaged the other will stay inflated. The principle ABS use is to avoid both burial and trauma at the same time by increasing both the buoyancy and the volume of the victim. By floating the victim horizontally onto their stomach, injuries from the turbulent lower layers of the avalanche are avoided.

Deployment: The activation handle felt easier to engage on the ABS than the Snowpulse, as the pyrotechnic trigger felt more like breaking a seal rather than stretching a cable. The inflated bags were positioned away from the head and neck, not bracing them at all but allowing free movement of the upper body . 

Note: After deployment you must refill the cylinder and replace the spent cartridge in the activation handle

ABS offers a number of innovations to complement their airbag system. These include:

• pyrotechnic trigger system - shorter pull distance for deployment
• OPTIONAL  group specific remote wireless trigger. Members of the party can trigger each other’s airbags up to 300m away
• OPTIONAL Carbon air cartridge. Half the weight of a regular steel cylinder. Ideal for backcountry skiers

PROS

• Dual airbags with highest capacity (170L)
• Interchangeable packs on Vario model
• Great list of optional extras
• Unhindered upper body movement once deployed

CONS

• Most expensive airbag
• Little trauma protection
• Trigger handle requires replacement cartridge after each use

Website – www.abs-airbag.com

Backcountry Access Float 30 

RRP -  $569 

Photo courtesy of BCA

Backcountry Access is a company based in Boulder, Colorado that strives to provide the products and knowledge to save lives in the backcountry. BCA believes that affordability is key to people wearing the avalanche airbags in the first place, as well as providing a competitive product. The Float 30 sells for $499USD, about half the price of the ABS or Snowpulse. How are BCA able to price so competitively? By distributing the product themselves there is no middleman between manufacturer and retailer, effectively minimizing the price mark up. The bag itself is a slightly simplified design with no way of carrying skis or a snowboard.

Deployment: This airbag was unavailable for deployment at the time of review.

The Float uses a single 150L airbag which inflates out of the top of the pack much like an oversized pillow. The canister is triggered with a cable and once inflated there is minimal protection of the head and neck. The Float 30L doesn’t have the advanced features of the other packs (i.e. trauma protection on the Snowpulse, dual airbags from ABS) but it does offer a very affordable alternative that works under the same principle of increasing the volume of the victim. 

PROS

• Most affordable airbag on market
• Can refill canister yourself with the access to the right equipment

CONS

• Little trauma protection
• Fixed capacity pack (30L)
• Can’t carry skis or snowboard

BCA have stated that the Float 30 will be available in Canada around the end of March.

Here's a video of Bruce Edgerly from BCA deomostrating the Float 30

Summary

For many consumers the price will be the deciding factor and the Float 30 is by far the best value product.  If price is no object the Snowpulse would offer the best protection for  North America’s heavily treed slopes. The ABS has the most innovative design and would be the best choice for high alpine (above tree line) skiing.

NOTE: Avalanche Airbags will increase chances of survival in an avalanche but DO NOT guarantee your safety. Do not take any additional risks because you are wearing an airbag.