I agree, experimental testing would be difficult. I’m thinking more data analysis to see if there is any relationship between burial depth and ski/snowboard attachment. Controlling for variables such as avalanche size, terrain, etc. would be important, but not impossible. But to your point, speculation seems like a weak basis for universal acceptance of a “fact.”
Personally my powder touring skis now have brakes instead of leashes. But I’m often left wondering what I would do I or a partner lost their skis. If you read the Silverton Avy School report related to the lawsuit thread, one of the victims (instructor) lost his equipment and needed to borrow a rescuers skis to get out. Losing equipment can also necessitate a rescue. How do you weigh the risks/consequences of equipment loss against the risks of attached skis in a slide if you can’t quantify the comparative risks/consequences?
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