Avalung: yes or no?

[Hicks]

Posted this in the slide zone but need a quick answer, thanks everyone.

http://tetongravity.com/forums/showt...092#post602092

[snorkeldeep]

i have one, and use it sometimes. its a nice insurance policy, but shouldnt change your decisionmaking.

[Schralper]

No, I've got one.
If it's that sketchy is it really worth it?
Have you tried skiing a full run with it in your mouth?
No, you can't ski w/o it and then jam it in during a slide/sluff.
I've had a hard time when I used it and I breath thru my nose most of the time anyway.
Screw that mouth breathing.
They work, but I don't wanna be the unpaid product tester.

[corn dog]

Personally I think its a great complement to a transceiver. There are quite a lot of stories of people being dug out in reasonable time, but dead anyway from suffocation. Looks like the latest one on teton pass fits that description, but thats a guess. I got one, have not been caught with it so I can't really comment on the chances of getting it in your mouth in a timely fashion.
But then I bought an ABS backpack, I like the survival numbers with that thing. No, I don't want to push anywhere near the edge in terms of choosing what to ski, but a few hundred $$ to greatly improve your chances of survival made up my mind.

[fez]

i just pull my neck gaiter up over my mouth and nose when it gets sketchy.

[Arty50]

The II is so small and unobtrusive that I have to ask why you wouldn't ski with it. Maybe you don't get it in your mouth, or it pops out. Or maybe it stays just fine. Insurance is never foolproof, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't invest in it.

[mntlion]

goot for tree wells. not sure how good for avi's

[vtdownhiller]

I posted a thread the other day on this topic...I have been considering it, although I only ski 2 weeks in jackson, 2 weeks in valdez with a guide....don't know if I would like it outside my jacket with a pack

[72Twenty]

I posted a thread the other day on this topic...I have been considering it, although I only ski 2 weeks in jackson, 2 weeks in valdez with a guide....don't know if I would like it outside my jacket with a pack

Sounds like you can certainly afford one.

[Blatant]

I use this, it's a great two season aparatus....

[vtdownhiller]

Sounds like you can certainly afford one.

I spend my money wisely...that isn't fair

[Poacher]

Yes why not,
take bigger risks- hell no!

-No Killingtime locals are very wealthy unless they are a trustafarrian, own a shop or restraunt/nightClub!

[Hicks]

i just pull my neck gaiter up over my mouth and nose when it gets sketchy.

O.K., but what are you gonna do when you get caught by surprise when most casualties happen?

Well, I might get one for the multiday BC tours where an ABS is too heavy/inconvenient. Thanks for all the replies.

[seatosky]

I've got one. Haven't used it yet, got it for xmas and haven't been out into the BC since the 20th or so. Tried it on with my beacon & pack and it's pretty unobtrusive. I'd say don't expect to rely on it but at $100 why not have one.

[frorider]

some people here are unclear on the concept. go to black diamond's website to understand why it has nothing to do with simply blocking the snow from your mouth vicinity.

later this year BD will intro their new packs with the avalung (unobtrusively) built in. also functions better than the current generation.

http://www.telemarktips.com/FirstLook9.html

[natty dread]

All the guides at ARL in AK use them. Pretty good endorsement, seems to me.

[fez]

O.K., but what are you gonna do when you get caught by surprise when most casualties happen?

Well, I might get one for the multiday BC tours where an ABS is too heavy/inconvenient. Thanks for all the replies.

probably quit joking around, i was just kidding about that. forgot the grinny face to make it obvious.
though i do often keep the neck gaiter up on deep days in bounds because it makes it easier to breathe with non-stop face shots or after a digger that you can't just bounce up from, i wouldnt expect it to work in compacted snow from an avalanche or for longer burials. I really hope we get a day where i need that this season. It has been a while.

[Ripzalot]

they make great conversation pieces when on the lift.

-or-

if you hum into it, you can play the bagpipes.




i've got one, worn a few times, never used it. seems like prudent extra prtoection but in reality probly never get used.

[fez]

i've got one, worn a few times, never used it. seems like prudent extra prtoection but in reality probly never get used.

you could apply that logic to any of your avalanche gear i suppose.

[PNWbrit]

Heard a good analogy from an avie instructor this past weekend.

Beacons, Avalung, etc. are like the seat belts and airbags in a car - they shouldn't alter how you do everything possible to avoid being in an accident or avalanche

Never decide it's o.k. to ski something because you have a beacon/avalung on.

[HRDCORESNOWRIDE]

would be sweet to have as weve had some close calls, even hear on the east coast. better safe then sorry i guess. would be a cool thing to play with too at home. have your buddies bury you in a snowbank, and then see how long you can breath without coming up for air. how long do they say that thing works when under snow? Kinda reminds me of scuba.

[72Twenty]

I spend my money wisely...that isn't fair

It's not fair that you spend your money wisely?

[Hicks]

have your buddies bury you in a snowbank, and then see how long you can breath without coming up for air. how long do they say that thing works when under snow?

Actually that was practically tested a while ago, they buried s.o. for an hour without running into problems.

[subtle plague]

have one.
like it.
not sure if i can keep it in my mouth when tumbling down with an avie. but i never want to find out.

it is a nice addition to a beacon and the ABS backpack or the avalanche ball.
one of those things you never want to use. I got scared when i jumped headfirst into the snow with my avalung. it worked, but i never ever want to be realy buried. especially not in such an awkward position.
and you have to train your breathing. if you panic you might start breathing through your nose.
it comes with a noseblocker thingy (how do you call those), but who skis with that on his nose ?

[Ripzalot]

you could apply that logic to any of your avalanche gear i suppose.

true dat. same goes for helmet and protection equipment like knee/elbow/wrist pads, spine guards and padded shorts.. at the end of the day, you have to decide which additional piece of gear you want to deal with and ride with.

avalungs wont help you if you are pummelled with debris or go violently end over end. they probly will only help in the most marginal of avalanche types. still, it might buy you that extra few minutes of rescue time, or at least a few minutes of prayer time.