View Poll Results: What style backcountry backpack do you use?
- Voters
- 17. You may not vote on this poll
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Bare bones (no additional safety)
8 47.06% -
Snorkel (Avalung)
2 11.76% -
Air Canister Style (BCA Float)
6 35.29% -
Fan Style (BD Jetforce)
1 5.88%
Results 1 to 10 of 10
Thread: Backcountry Avalanche Backpacks
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10-02-2019, 04:11 PM #1Registered User
- Join Date
- Nov 2016
- Posts
- 1,383
Backcountry Avalanche Backpacks
So I've seen quite the range of avalanche backpacks that try to save you in the case you get buried. The main ones I know are the air canister style, the fan style, snorkel style (avalung), and then bare bones, no additional safety. They all seem to have good theories in mind, but I haven't found any real studies on it actually working, compared to beacon/shovel/probe being pretty proven to greatly increase your chances of surviving. Also prices range from $80 for a decent bare bones backpack to $1200 for the BD jetforce. What do you guys trust, aka which ones are you rolling the dice on to save your life lol. What're the pros/cons of each? The Float seems to be the most popular in my neck of the woods, seems to be the optimal price point
Last edited by brundo; 10-02-2019 at 04:36 PM.
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10-02-2019, 04:29 PM #2
There are airbag studies on survival. It’s like any gear and increases your odds I bought an airbag for this reason and it’s a sunk cost over many years.
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10-02-2019, 04:46 PM #3
Wrong forum.. Try the Slide Zone.
But only after searching harder, this has all been researched.
Start here > http://arc.lib.montana.edu/snow-science/
.... and your poll is useless since on any given day you might use any of several of the options due to conditions, terrain or numerous other factors.
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10-02-2019, 05:21 PM #4
I'm usually solo and don't want the extra weight so bare bones. Avalung would be the worst option for solo I think because it would just prolong the inevitable. Other options may help or you may just wish the fuck you would die because there is a tree limb in your eye socket from when you stayed on top through a grove of trees and now you can't reach your Inreach. This obviously depends on terrain. Big open bowls a float option could be very beneficial if solo I think. But I'm not sure how often that might still require extraction assistance from someone else.
I'm pretty cautious when solo (well all the time, really, but I think group heuristics do come into play for most of us whether we want to admit it or not) Dostie's take on solo: https://earnyourturns.com/30584/solo-avalanche-safety/Last edited by 3PinGrin; 10-02-2019 at 05:48 PM.
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10-02-2019, 05:47 PM #5
I don't tour much, but when I do I use a BD pack with availung. If I were skiing in Europe or AK, I would invest in an airbag. In the wasatch, there are so many trees and trauma related injuries/deaths that staying on top may not be a great thing.
Last edited by schindlerpiste; 10-03-2019 at 06:31 AM.
“How does it feel to be the greatest guitarist in the world? I don’t know, go ask Rory Gallagher”. — Jimi Hendrix
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10-02-2019, 05:53 PM #6
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10-02-2019, 07:30 PM #7
I have owned an airbag, and an avalung pack. Sold them both. Now I just ski with a basic pack.
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10-02-2019, 07:37 PM #8
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10-02-2019, 08:06 PM #9
Tech Talk for "which pack", Slide Zone for "should I use one" (lots of links to survival stats there).
Look up "Slide the Avalanche Podcast". Somewhere in the first 6 or 7 episodes he discusses his philosophy on the subject.
On a related topic, I keep thinking of an Avalung for tree wells.
... ThomGalibier Designcrafting technology in service of music
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10-02-2019, 08:17 PM #10
jong
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