2011/12 buy an Avy Airbag? discussion thread

[chiller]

Just got my Wary 33l avipack in the mail. Really impressed with the pack and the storage. Fits nice and looks well planned out. Taking it out tomorrow to see if I notice the weight change which I'm sure I will. The price tag and the rear access on the pack is what did it for me. 700.00 with canister seemed like a great deal.

[chiller]

Why did I buy this pack?...I'm part gear head, worry wort and idiot. The more I learn the dangerous I get. I try and follow the weather, avi reports and keep my eyes open. I've taken classes, watched video, and been in stupid situtations. Will this pack save me...IDK but my guess is it will greatly speed up the time it takes to find my burried carcase. I hope I never pull the trigger.

That being said I am stoked on how this pack works. Hiked with it yesterday and the added weight was not an issue. The pockets and zippers are intuitive. The rear access panel at first was kinda uncomfortable pressing against my back but you are able to press the zipper/panel in and it becomes unnoticeable. Buckles work good and straps are clean. Although I can't move the air bag in between packs like the mammut will do next season, the airbag components are so well hidden you don't even notice them. Very happy with my purchase, its a great pack with a nice added safety feature.

[iamchappy]

I really like my AviPack pack too, the more i play around with it the more i like it, like the reversible compression straps that allow for vertical carry if you choose not to use the diagonal carry. Even works well using side vertical carry using the compression straps. The pull out helmet net was a great idea. The felt lined goggle pocket could of been a bit bigger but that is about the only thing i would change. Next year they will have an 18l pack which will be a great little lightweight side country pack. It should still offer a nice amount of room considering the air delivery system takes up so little of it.

[1000-oaks]

My apologies if this video of a Snowpulse in use in Verbier 2011 has already been posted, this guy was one happy mo-fo. Even only being halfway buried it took awhile to get him out.

[iamchappy]

One more thing i would like to add about Wary AviPack, this is a small no name company that thoroughly tests their products and spends a ton on R&D blasting off Avi's on dummy's with airbags and scrutinizing all of the effects on the equipment and the dummy's, they never bring to market a product that they feel isn't fully ready by the highest standards. They got their start solely in the snowmobile market but brought in the right personal to develop the AviPack for the skiing industry needs.

I am going to give the Pack a good testing myself this week in the Teton Backcountry and will give a review on how the pack worked for me..... hopefully without ever having to do an airbag deployment, and if i do and i survive, i will let you know all about it.............

[icelanticskier]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^right on meesh!!!!!!!!!

go git'r!

rog

[grinder]

looks like it was the year for it.

found some cheap here
Last years are on sale cheap here:

http://www.cleansnipe.com/cheap-ski-...=noctccsu1afaa

http://www.cleansnipe.com/cheap-ski-...=noctccsu1afaa

[RonMexico]

Is anyone using the Snowpulse Lifebag System (not the RAS)? While I know it is not the intended purpose of the pack, it seems like having the 'C Collar' potentially protect your neck and head could potentially be beneficial. I've heard that having the bag packed into the straps makes them wide and cumbersome, however.

I like the setup of the ABS system too, but the 'explosive' charge used to initiate the inflation of the airbags just seems like an unnecessary add-on and one more thing that could potentially fail. Any feedback on this?

[ishotit]

I have the Snowpulse Guide 35 with the Lifebag. The shoulder straps are bulkier but I do not find they get in the way at all. In fact, having the weight of the airbag components so close to the body helps the carry.

[raisingarizona13]

They sure are expensive. I haven't needed one yet during my 18 years of back country skiing but I guess if I was going under I would feel pretty stupid for not having one. I'm not sold on it yet, and I don't get out any where near as much as I used to, if I wasn't in Arizona I would throw down on it, it makes sense.

The argument on it causing people to go out and do stupid things is a lot like the helmet argument. There may be a few "those guys" who just say fuck it I have an airbag but they will get themselves killed or nearly killed regardless. Most people on here are experienced enough that the airbag wouldn't make them more dangerous, it would just be a nice backup if/when something goes wrong.

We all make mistakes, but snow science is never exact and honestly we never really know for sure.

[yonskion]

I just got a Float 36L.
I have been using a 36L pack for years in the BC and it seems 36L is what it takes.

[WARY]

Here's a link to an air bag save....

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/8...-his-life.html

[WARY]

Another link........

Big slide.

http://news.hjnews.com/news/article_...9bb2963f4.html

[iamchappy]

One more thing i would like to add about Wary AviPack, this is a small no name company that thoroughly tests their products and spends a ton on R&D blasting off Avi's on dummy's with airbags and scrutinizing all of the effects on the equipment and the dummy's, they never bring to market a product that they feel isn't fully ready by the highest standards. They got their start solely in the snowmobile market but brought in the right personal to develop the AviPack for the skiing industry needs.

I am going to give the Pack a good testing myself this week in the Teton Backcountry and will give a review on how the pack worked for me..... hopefully without ever having to do an airbag deployment, and if i do and i survive, i will let you know all about it.............

The test is done! Had a great time in Jackson last week with plenty of fresh snow and variable conditions.
The Wary 33 is a "GREAT PACK", it carried well and i never noticed it while skiing. It fits so nice and conforms to my back without feeling bulky, which is amazing for a 33l pack. The pack can carry everything you might need for a long tour, or just have what you need for sidecountry tours, tighten down the compression straps and it flattens out. Because the air delivery system is so small the pack really holds a lot, if you wish to carry along rope and climbing gear as well as an extra layer, climbing skins and water you will have no problems.
I choose to carry my skis on the sides instead of the diagonal carry, that's just my preference, but found it worked well either way.
I came close to actually using the airbag had our first cut not fractured and avalanched at the top of Pinedale which we skied after hiking over from the top of Cody bowl.
I cant say anything bad about this pack or it's shortcomings, as i found none. Everyone should consider this pack on the top of the list
I plan on buying another one next year when they come out with a 18 or 20l pack.
Here is a shot of us hiking up to Four Shadows, No Shadows on Cody peak.

[RonMexico]

I'm struggling hard with which pack to buy. At this point it's down to the Snowpulse Lifebag Guide 30 or the ABS Vario system (start with ultralight 18 and get additional zip-ons from there).

Here's what my issue boils down to: I like the fact that the Snowpulse blows up around your head and neck and may (although not proven) provide some additional trauma protection. Also, with its location at the top of the pack, it seems like it may give you a better chance of being seen in a partial burial as well. The downside is that it is just one size. While I would no doubt wear it for the majority of my skiing, it is not big enough for an overnight hut trip, and might be too big for shorter/sidecountry trips. Granted this is maybe 2% of my skiing each year, but it seems silly to spend $1,000 on something that I cannot take with me 100% of the time. I could also see convincing myself to leave it at home on those days we might do a sidecountry lap out of the resort, but aren't sure, just because it is a little bigger than the pack I would usually take. Just the other day we did a quick (~1 hour/3 mile) lap at Vail Pass in a relatively safe zone and I wondered whether I would have brought the Snowpulse because of the added size and weight.

As for the ABS, the main benefit to me is I can have as many zip-on attachments as I need and therefore take it with me every time I am not in a resort controlled area. The dual bag concept, where if one pops the other may still provide lift, seems beneficial too, although not significant. The downside to this pack is the total lack of trauma protection. I know the stats are there to prove that it has saved people, but as it becomes more popular in North America where a lot of skiing is done in and around trees, I wonder if those stats will falter a bit.

This is what I see as the pros and cons of each bag, now I just need to make a decision on which to get. Let me know if you guys have any insight. As always, thanks for the help.

[hoarhey]

Just posting to say that I have a snowpulse bag from the first year.
New, never used.

It's the snowpulse model base unit with zip-on 15, 30 and 45L packs (I have all three) from before snowpulse had to stop offering that functionality.

I'm considering selling it.

Let me know if you might be interested.

[RonMexico]

^^^ I appreciate the offer, but if I end up going with the Snowpulse, I want it to have the new 2.0 cartridge system that involves a puncture unit instead of the valve that the older models use.

Anybody have any thoughts on the merits of the Snowpulse vs. ABS?

[iamchappy]

^^^ I appreciate the offer, but if I end up going with the Snowpulse, I want it to have the new 2.0 cartridge system that involves a puncture unit instead of the valve that the older models use.

Anybody have any thoughts on the merits of the Snowpulse vs. ABS?

You need to consider how it carries on your back, fit is really important to me, ease of refilling, and weight, to me those are priorities.
I didn't like how my Float 30 carried on my back, the weight and the space the air delivery system took up reduced the packs available space.
The Wary pack solved all those problems. My buddy tried the Wary pack yesterday after using the Float 30 and agreed that the Wary pack was way better.
I always found it was better to have a pack that was big enough to fit all the gear that i would possibly want to carry, than to small, better to under stuff a big pack than over stuff a small one.

See if you can try someones pack on or find a shop that carries them, and hopefully make a decision from that....