|
previous topic :: next topic |
| Author |
Message |
dangler
Since 26 Feb 2006
1780 Posts
WINDY SPOTS
XTreme Poster
|
 Wed Feb 01, 12 1:27 pm ultimate bkcounty accessorie |
 |
|
one of those,"why didn't I think of that", ideas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVO52Cks-z0
_________________
Kite Repair? AND WINGS Call me.(509) six 37-four five 29 |
|
|
Wind Slither
Since 04 Mar 2005
2623 Posts
The 503
METAL
|
| Wed Feb 01, 12 3:23 pm |
|
|
Really? That little nylon air bag is going to "float someone to the top" of an avalanche?
I've heard of deploying an air bag to create an air space to buy you some time for others to dig you out... |
|
|
dangler
Since 26 Feb 2006
1780 Posts
WINDY SPOTS
XTreme Poster
|
|
|
Pepi
Since 16 Jun 2006
1831 Posts
Pure Stoke Sports
Shop Owner
CGKA Member
|
| Wed Feb 01, 12 4:36 pm |
|
|
Actually becoming a pretty standard safety item for backcountry skiers.
Europeans have been using them quite regularly the past couple of years and from what we have heard is that it increases the chances for surviving an avalanche by about 90%.
Swiss Avalanche Institute listed 180 bag avalanche deployments recorded last year with 3 fatalitities and 177 survivors.
Effective at saving lives, to say the least, with a 98% survival rate.
Still a bit expensive to stock in a small retail business such as ours, but likely to become a standard item someday, a soon as we can justify stocking $700 backpacks.
_________________
Pure Stoke Sports
Hood River, OR
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hood-River-OR/2nd-Wind-Sports/35891485558?ref=mf
www.Purestokesports.com |
|
|
Blazeheliski
Since 30 Mar 2011
659 Posts
Mosier
Addicted
|
| Mon Feb 06, 12 4:07 pm |
|
|
| Pepi wrote: | Actually becoming a pretty standard safety item for backcountry skiers.
Europeans have been using them quite regularly the past couple of years and from what we have heard is that it increases the chances for surviving an avalanche by about 90%.
Swiss Avalanche Institute listed 180 bag avalanche deployments recorded last year with 3 fatalitities and 177 survivors.
Effective at saving lives, to say the least, with a 98% survival rate.
Still a bit expensive to stock in a small retail business such as ours, but likely to become a standard item someday, a soon as we can justify stocking $700 backpacks. |
I am curious how it is activated. I can see being able to activate it if you are the one who triggers the avalanche, and you are able to see it break loose all around you or just below you. But what about if the avi is triggered above you and it hits you from behind at full speed? Is it triggered by impact, or is there a mechanism you have to activate? I have been hit by an avalanche like this that was triggerd way above me and it knocked the wind out of me before I even knew what hit me. I wouldn't have been able to activate anything. Luckily - I was close to the top when it stopped, and there were people close to dig me out. |
|
|
dangler
Since 26 Feb 2006
1780 Posts
WINDY SPOTS
XTreme Poster
|
| Mon Feb 06, 12 11:07 pm DEWWWWWD!!! |
|
|
That musta been scary as SH!T. you hafta pull a handle like a parachute, so only good IF you see it coming. One of the vids showed a guy demoing different models, one was nice as it enveloped your head and neck with a big pillow to avoid trauma.
I would equate getting caught in an avalanche with getting attacked by a great white, it might scare you the fook off the (frozen) water, good on ya for gettin back on that bronco.
_________________
Kite Repair? AND WINGS Call me.(509) six 37-four five 29 |
|
|
genek
Since 21 Jul 2006
2165 Posts
East Po
KGB
|
| Mon Feb 06, 12 11:36 pm |
|
|
Pretty common gear for sledders. Bigger objects float to the top of avalanches kind of like big chips float to the top of a bag and the little ones fall to the bottom.
_________________
The Slider Project, LLC
Support the cause!
http://www.sliderproject.com/ |
|
|
Blazeheliski
Since 30 Mar 2011
659 Posts
Mosier
Addicted
|
| Tue Feb 07, 12 7:29 am Re: DEWWWWWD!!! |
|
|
| dangler wrote: | That musta been scary as SH!T. you hafta pull a handle like a parachute, so only good IF you see it coming. One of the vids showed a guy demoing different models, one was nice as it enveloped your head and neck with a big pillow to avoid trauma.
I would equate getting caught in an avalanche with getting attacked by a great white, it might scare you the fook off the (frozen) water, good on ya for gettin back on that bronco. |
Dang - I sure hope getting attacked by a great white is less common than an avalanche, or you are going to scare me out of the Oregon ocean kiting!  If you ski backcountry very much searching for really steep stuff, or heliski very much - you will see your share of avalanches. Most of it is just small slough events that you can ride out while still standing. Sometimes you will get hit by some small class 1s. I have been in a couple of those. That one that knocked the wind out of me was probably a class 2 since it burried me a little bit. I just missed getting hit by two class 4/5 avalanches. With those suckers - no amount of gear is going to save you when the snow/ice chunks are as large as houses. Avalanches that size are pretty rare. The snow sleders see more avi situations than backcountry skiers I would imagine, since they can cover more ground in the same amount of time. I guess that's why they have adopted this device as pretty standard equipment as mentioned above. |
|
|
J_Matic
Since 14 Oct 2011
158 Posts
InDaHo
Stoked
|
| Tue Feb 07, 12 8:35 am |
|
|
The O2 canisters cause an explosion much like a car's airbag sending the pack into super-size me shape for flotation during the active portion of the avalanche. Once the avy stops, the rider is likely to be at the surface or only partially buried. In a class 5 slide, all Bets are off tho b/c these really only work in moderate slide sloughs.
98% success rate in 20 years of testing by ABS, if I had a cool grand I'd def have one for big-mountain riding.
For kiting, well easy as sending it hard and gliding above the debris below. |
|
|
Windance Crew
Since 18 Apr 2008
473 Posts
Hood River Kite Shop
Obsessed
|
|
|
DROCK999
Since 31 May 2007
852 Posts
Left Coast
Opinionated
|
| Tue Feb 07, 12 10:14 am |
|
|
| Wind Slither wrote: | Really? That little nylon air bag is going to "float someone to the top" of an avalanche?
I've heard of deploying an air bag to create an air space to buy you some time for others to dig you out... |
it increases your surface area which definitely helps, also they can help give you protection most people die from trauma in avalanches, not suffocation or asfixiation. definitely gonna be picking myself up on of the Daking ABS packs next season
_________________
BIP- "YOUR GIRLFRIENDS FAVORITE" |
|
|
Inept_Fun
Since 14 Apr 2005
1417 Posts
Hood River
XTreme Poster
|
| Wed Feb 08, 12 8:41 am |
|
|
[quote="DROCK999"] | Wind Slither wrote: | Really? That little nylon air bag is going to "float someone to the top" of an avalanche?
I've heard of deploying an air bag to create an air space to buy you some time for others to dig you out... |
Yeah i like how people with 0 knowledge of the backcountry and going to comment on how good something works or doesnt work. Like they never tested it once and they are just saying its going to float u to the top. lol.
_________________
I heart dangling |
|
|
mikie
Since 06 Nov 2011
21 Posts
|
| Wed Feb 08, 12 9:44 am |
|
|
| they work very well. First off no 02 in air cannister, is normal air. I am a helicopter ski guide and I have seen it work great twice for my clients. The big drawback it makes you think you can go anywere under any condition, a false since of security. A better idea to have good backcountry avalance knowledge. Another good device is the Avalung from Black diamond. |
|
|
Wind Slither
Since 04 Mar 2005
2623 Posts
The 503
METAL
|
| Wed Feb 08, 12 10:23 am |
|
|
I have very little backcountry knowledge or experience...that first video didn't seem too convincing...but it sounds like these things are standard issue and have a proven track record. I took an informal class with those locators...my take away was, if you get buried, you're screwed.  |
|
|
Inept_Fun
Since 14 Apr 2005
1417 Posts
Hood River
XTreme Poster
|
| Wed Feb 08, 12 9:37 pm |
|
|
| Wind Slither wrote: | | I have very little backcountry knowledge or experience...that first video didn't seem too convincing...but it sounds like these things are standard issue and have a proven track record. I took an informal class with those locators...my take away was, if you get buried, you're screwed. |
If the person doesnt get killed from Trauma its actually pretty likely that if wearing a beacon they will get rescued. Im not even that experienced but have done plenty of drills and can usually recover multiple burials in under 2 minutes.
_________________
I heart dangling |
|
|
genek
Since 21 Jul 2006
2165 Posts
East Po
KGB
|
| Wed Feb 08, 12 10:44 pm |
|
|
A lot of it depends on the depth of burial too. If the avalanche is relatively small and you're 6ft down or less then yeah your odds are decent. If you're much more than that then it's probably a body recovery mission. Keep in mind real avy debris is often very hard and digging through it takes way more work. A long time heli guide told me that most of the time is usually spent in the digging not finding the person.
But yeah, all gear aside you can't beat knowledge and good decision making. Being buried alive is not a good way to go and if you're out there often enough sooner or later you'll run into some avalanches.
_________________
The Slider Project, LLC
Support the cause!
http://www.sliderproject.com/ |
|
|
J_Matic
Since 14 Oct 2011
158 Posts
InDaHo
Stoked
|
| Thu Feb 09, 12 9:46 am |
|
|
| Inept_Fun wrote: | | Wind Slither wrote: | | I have very little backcountry knowledge or experience...that first video didn't seem too convincing...but it sounds like these things are standard issue and have a proven track record. I took an informal class with those locators...my take away was, if you get buried, you're screwed. |
If the person doesnt get killed from Trauma its actually pretty likely that if wearing a beacon they will get rescued. Im not even that experienced but have done plenty of drills and can usually recover multiple burials in under 2 minutes. |
'Drills' and a real emergency evacuation are 2 completely different things. When shit hits the fan and you're staring at car size chunks of debris your inexperience comes out no matter what.
Been there, done that. In 2 minutes in class means 10+ min in the field. At that point, 60% of victims are already gone. The best means of avoiding burial is to ride safe and limit risky slope-riding.
Just sayin' |
|
|
|
