Haggis_Trap, Yep just about all the airbags for this coming season, (except ABS) are removable and swapable (if thats a real word)
This has caused some confusion Especially with the Mammut and Snowpulse airbags.
The Wildsnow airbag review is OK however you must remember that things are changing pretty quick and the review is now a little out of date, plus written with a very US view point on many issues.
On the BCA Float's then the system to remove and swap over to the larger bags is OK but not something you would want to do to often as its a bit of a pain, the other systems are much easier and simpler.
We tested the BCA Float over the whole of last season, to be fair to the bag, it does what its says, its light and pretty good for lift based off piste and at a very good price point, IMHO I would recommend the Float bags for people using a couple of weeks a season, I would not recommend for whole season use, the one we used did not survive the season
^ the wild snow link was updated at the start of last winter - contains all 2013 models.
I am sure they will update it when next years packs are released
My mate used a BCA pack all last winter with no durability problems.
Though I guess it depends if you try and overfill the 22L capacity - which would be easily done....
The Mammut is certainly better built (as you say!), has an ice axe loop, and probably a little bigger- but also closer to £500/600 all in.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Presumably removabilty means more aftermarket packs can be supplied which work with the basic system or are the "burstable" seams patented etc. If the system is swappable then I can see myself going for BCA if the cylinder is now IATA compliant.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
fatbob,
Quote:
Presumably removabilty means more aftermarket packs can be supplied which work with the basic system or are the "burstable" seams patented etc. If the system is swappable then I can see myself going for BCA if the cylinder is now IATA compliant.
No Patent on the burstable seams as far as I know, and the new 2013 IATA regs do not specify cylinder size, so should be fine.
There will I am sure be more after market packs coming out that will be airbag "ready" as they call them, there are quite a few already, Scott, North Face etc etc to name a couple, but I feel that the main brands that make the bags will be the winners, I think the interesting market development will be what ABS does in the future, my bet is that they will get taken over at some stage when its right for the guy who owns it.
When I was buying mine in Sallanches, the guy ahead of me was a Chamonix pisteur known to the salesman and was buying one for his girlfriend/partner - he himself had an issued ABS, which gave me some comfort (ie a pro would be happy to buy BCA for personal use). The sales guy did moan about the durability of some of the stitching and zips on the Scott bags , especially post deployment and that they were going to have to return kit to Scott.
The only -ve I ve heard on the BCA bag is that it only has one ballon unlike the ABS and there is apparently some documented piercing of a single bag where the other ballon saved the day by remaining inflated.
The only negative points I would make are again re larger shovel heads in the "tools" compartment, and I would have liked a compression strap on the lower part of the bag when it isn't full to tighten it for lift riding - but this would compromise potentially the airbag openings. Some of the other less well doc'd positives are the handle and its stowage which I think is way better than tha ABS stuff.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
boardiac wrote:
Quote:
Kel wrote:
Seriously guys your all going on about re-filling the gas canister. If you were caught in an avalanche and actually had to pull the rip cord in anger, I very much doubt you would ever use it again.
Why???
Yes, I would love to know too!!
Well maybe it's just me, not that I go off piste much but if I did and I got caught up in an avalanche and had to deploy the air bag in an attempt to prevent me from getting buried and got away with it, I would count my lucky stars and put the air bag with spent canister straight on eBay and stick to piste skiing.
Like I say maybe its just me, maybe my kahuna's aren't big enough
Seriously guys your all going on about re-filling the gas canister. If you were caught in an avalanche and actually had to pull the rip cord in anger, I very much doubt you would ever use it again.
Why???
Yes, I would love to know too!!
Well maybe it's just me, not that I go off piste much but if I did and I got caught up in an avalanche and had to deploy the air bag in an attempt to prevent me from getting buried and got away with it, I would count my lucky stars and put the air bag with spent canister straight on eBay and stick to piste skiing.
Like I say maybe its just me, maybe my kahuna's aren't big enough
Just wondering what airbags allow A frame carrying of skies?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
As always, no thread on airbags would be complete without this old demo
Just wondering what airbags allow A frame carrying of skies?
Its possible on the new Ortovox packs and also on the Snowpulse Mammut, but not all models, most packs are diagonal due to the airbag inflation and not having the skis interfering with this.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
barry,
Quote:
As always, no thread on airbags would be complete without this old demo
It was such a shame, after this they over filled the cylinder and the poor old blow up doll got a little more than she bargained for and went pop!!!! Otherwise I think there might have been a few more people caught out
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livetoski, Thanks for that. I knew most packs didn't allow it but I thought there was some that did. Which ones in the Snowpulse range do, do you know?
thanks
DF
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Dublinfella, On the Snowpulse Mammut backpacks you can A frame on the following:
Ride Protection 22
Ride RAS 22 and 30,
Pro Protection 35
Light Protection 30
There is also a Ride 45 RAS touring pack which I have not added to my site yet.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
livetoski, Cheers, hopefully I get the cash together and then give you a shout.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
livetoski wrote:
Dublinfella, On the Snowpulse Mammut backpacks you can A frame on the following:
Ride Protection 22
Ride RAS 22 and 30,
Pro Protection 35
Light Protection 30
There is also a Ride 45 RAS touring pack which I have not added to my site yet.
Which of the snowpulse Mammut range can you vertically carry a snowboard on ??
Cheers
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
qwertyuiop7,
Quote:
Which of the snowpulse Mammut range can you vertically carry a snowboard on ??
You can vertical carry snowboards on all the Mammut Snowpulse packs with the exception of the little 18 Rocker RAS bag which is diagonal only.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
livetoski wrote:
qwertyuiop7,
Quote:
Which of the snowpulse Mammut range can you vertically carry a snowboard on ??
You can vertical carry snowboards on all the Mammut Snowpulse packs with the exception of the little 18 Rocker RAS bag which is diagonal only.
So i would be ok with the even smaller Mammut Rocker Protection Airbag 15L ?? Not wishing to appear too dim buy asking, but on the photos on your site there dont seem to be any carry straps at all on the front tof the bag??
Phil
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
qwertyuiop7, On the Mammut Snowpulse packs the straps hide away inside, you pull them out when you need them, this way if your riding lifts or using a heli then there are no loose straps to catch
I have added a couple of close up pics to the website, you can see the ski carry straps and on the right hand side of each image you can see the small flaps where the snowboard carry straps hide away, you just pull them out to get the snowboard carry straps, don't have an image yet of a snowboard attached, when I do will will upload, but it maybe Sept or Oct before I have the new packs so we can take a photo or two
FWIW I've got last season's Float 32L and really happy with it. Chosen for comfort and practicality over other models for my requirements. Most of my off piste skiing is lift accessed so I wanted a pack which was comfortable to wear on a regular basis as well as being big enough to take kit for a full day tour. I find it pulls in nicely when I just have a probe, shovel and extra layer, and is not heavy or bulky (and I'm only small) but is large enough to fit all the other stuff in if going touring. I didn't think that I would find one comfortable enough to wear on a daily basis (when skiing off piste) as I thought they would all be big/heavy/uncomfortable but happily use one without thinking twice now. Mine hasn't had a lot of heavy wear so can't comment on it's durability. Also I don't fly with it. I know the system is interchangeable with the 22L but I personally don't have an issue with the 32L size/weight wise.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
barry wrote:
As always, no thread on airbags would be complete without this old demo
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Yep, planning on buying one this season I think...
Quick question that seems relevant (esp to you retailers ). I've read that manufacturers say you should activate an airbag once per year, and one place (a video I think) said you should activate a brand new system when you receive it to ensure it works. Is this correct advice? If so, if I had a non-refillable cylinder does that mean I've just spent ~£100 to test my system, or can customers return discharged non-refillable cylinders and get a full one back for a more reasonable fee?
Is anyone planning to stock the Mammut Light RAS 30l this season, any thoughts on how it compares to the Ride 30l, apart from (presumably) being lighter?
After all it is free
After all it is free
sah, Yep on the Light RAS from me, the activation of cylinders to test the system is something that ABS themselves advocate, the ins and outs of it as a test has always struck me as a little odd, there are better ways to test it and get used to the system.
In terms of test activation then we (I) will always supply a test cylinder FOC on the Mammut range is this is required, just need it sent back to me!
The annual testing is wise and also makes sure you know how to repack the bag etc etc, again the cost is just a refill which is mainly the postage charge of getting a full cylinder back to people.
The Light is as you say lighter also less durable fabric and has less padding and carry options, its main use is touring rather than freeride
Hope the above helps
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Quote:
Hope the above helps
Yep, great, thanks! The pictures of the Light do look like it has thinner fabric.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
livetoski, I'm looking at the ABS Vario 25 or Ride RAS 30, both look durable with enough capacity (is there much difference with airbag in the Mammut?) for day tours including a rope etc and the option for larger packs for longer trips. The Vario has different back lengths which would be good for my stumpy frame, how doe the Mammut adjust for shorter folk? I understand ABS do a "normal" harness attachment without the airbag, this would be useful for using the bag as hand luggage when flying; do you supply these? If so how much are they? Thanks
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
On the rocks, The Mammut site shows a Ride Short model. Not sure if anywhere in the UK stocks it but it might suit?
From the reviews I think even the RAS 30 might be pushing it for a full on kit with rope (presumably you'd have crevasse self rescue gear too, maybe even climbing gear), so I'm resigning myself to carrying a rope on the outside if I ski with one (at the current rate that is about once every 10 years anyway:-) ). I'd prefer a more traditional rucksack opening for this reason (i.e. a lid with 2 buckles). I know the Snowpulse are like that (e.g. the Lite 35), but when I tried one on I didn't find them very comfortable due to the airbag being inside the straps.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
If anyone is interested, this is an article I wrote last season. It compares the main brands of Airbag, including weight and price, and discusses Pros and Cons. For your information, the Air and Snow system mentioned in the article doesn't seem to be any closer to coming to market ! We live in hope. Anyway, the article is at: http://tiny.cc/bozt3w
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
All, see the following link, I have an ABS for sale, great day sack, very compact and well engineered:-
Ah... too late Anyway, it's too small for my needs but looks nice for lift-served use.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I've got a snowpulse/mammut ride protection on order and have been thinking about a test activation/inflation when I get it. As I understand the system I should be able to test that operation of the trigger mechanism without actually using a cartridge and the bag can be unravelled without being inflated for inspection, so the benefit of a test inflation might be minimal. However, more out of curiosity I'd like to see the bag fully inflated.
Rather that using a cartridge up for a test inflation I'm therefore thinking that it must be possible to make up an adaptor to connect the bag to a bicycle/car tyre pump or airbed pump and use this instead. It won't inflate the bag as quickly but that is not the purpose of the test.
Has anybody tried this ?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
livetoski, do you know when the Mammut RAS w/ carbon cylinder will start shipping? Obviously not needed just yet but I'm curious
CharlotteSykes1990
CharlotteSykes1990 Guest
I've bought one its great
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well I have had one for many years and totally recommend having one, I think it is a no brainer. I also have a 2 year old snow pulse airbag with shovel & probe as new for sale if any one is interested then PM me.... Thanks
Not entirely sure how I feel about someones accident, luckily(?) committed to film being used as blatant advertising but wow the skier does amazingly well to stay on his feet until he gets taken out by the front of the avalanche.
Part of the problem I have with this as advertising (unless it's just luck they happened to have a close up of him undoing the safety strap from the handle to edit in) is that it completely plays down the value in good decision making and instead basically says "strap on an airbag and jump on the nearest gnarly line" and makes it look like a get out of jail free card.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
^ couldn't agree more.
look at the wind loading in the first sequence.
we all make mistakes - but lets not glorify them.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
meh, Haggis_Trap, guys, can i ask a question from you. I also see this as a advertising 'set-up', but apart from that, if a skier sets off a slab below, isn't it wise to STOP there and NOT to hurtle straight down attempting to outrun the ever increasing slide? I can hear me answering my own question, Yes, if possible.
After all it is free
After all it is free
meh, I think this video may be the reason he was doing what he was doing, not right but you would have to pay me mega bucks to advertise a Ford Kuga
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Tim Heeney, yes it's wise to try to get to the edge of the slab and try to "get off" although in the video the edge to start off with is a bunch of rocks/cliff and by the time he approaches the crown of the secondary slide I can imagine the force of all that snow moving downhill would make moving sideways to get off extremely hard without getting swallowed up. Looking at the video of the final advert livetoski posts it looks at least like the guy had triggered slides earlier in the day that he skied out of so was perhaps set on doing that no matter what.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
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My amateur view:
re : advertising - I think that is principally the fault of the film edit - I would bet that everything pre 0:25 secs is shot "after the fact" and edited in on top - It seems much higher qual, lingering on the logos (Ford and Poc, not just ABS). Sadly, it leaves a highly "contrived" feeling to the whole incident. But realistically, even the raddest freeride nutter isnt going to want deliberately get into that terrrain with a big slab coming after them.
re: "should I stay or should I go " - with the benefit of Harry and Helicopter hindsight it looks as if there may have been a whisper thin escape over to the skiers right where the slab breaks below him. BUT the POV footage shows how much more restricted his vision is along with the momentum he has built up at that point. So skier's call but I think generally the advice is keep going, stay on top, look for terrain exits or protection. Lose your poles, lose you skis, swim and keep swimming, buff over your mouth/avalung in, keep arms in front of your face to keep air pocket and keep moving as snow settles around you to try and keep some space. You may be close to the surface (esp with an airbag) so reach out and stretch all limbs which may if you are lucky break the top and give a bit of "sign". Most importantly , know that your buddies know and practice the drills, especially the digging ....
What surprises me in these cases is that these skiers don't pull earlier - you can still ski with an inflated/inflating bag.
Other views from more experienced/pros etc please?
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Especially with the Mammut and Snowpulse airbags.
). I've read that manufacturers say you should activate an airbag once per year, and one place (a video I think) said you should activate a brand new system when you receive it to ensure it works. Is this correct advice? If so, if I had a non-refillable cylinder does that mean I've just spent ~£100 to test my system, or can customers return discharged non-refillable cylinders and get a full one back for a more reasonable fee?
