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Latest in Avalanche Safety Gear !
Posted: 15 May 2010 05:57 PM  
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They look like a birthday party at McDonalds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8l_ZpADfsQ

 
 
Posted: 16 May 2010 03:42 PM   [ # 1 ]  
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Reminds me of an avalanche device I bought about 30 years ago in the ‘balloon’ category. It was more discrete than the McDonald’s party and consisted of an armband with an inflatable orange balloon wrapped in a plastic soft shell. In case of an avalanche, we were supposed to pull it, a chemical reaction (I guess more of an explosion) would inflate the orange rubber ballon, still connected to the armband by a few meters of thin nylon cord.

I had always wondered if I would and could pull it if caught, and whether it would work. A few years ago I found it when packing things, and tried: it worked - and worked well - after all these years. Then the questions remain about the ability to trigger it when caught, and whether following a cord in an avalanche is effective, and also if the balloon, or the cord, or the armband - or the arm - could resist the forces at play in a serious avalanche…

Apart the ABS which has a different objective (floating above the avalanche and being somewhat protected) it doesn’t seem anything succeeds in the avalanche device market other than the ARVA?

Stay safe!

 
 
Posted: 17 May 2010 02:54 PM   [ # 2 ]  
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it doesn’t seem anything succeeds in the avalanche device market other than the ARVA?

What about the Avalung?

Ken

 
 
Posted: 17 May 2010 03:24 PM   [ # 3 ]  
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The airbag and avalung seem to be complimentary to an ARVA (beacon). If you have an airbag I can’t see too much point having an Avalung though. The advantage of the avalung is that it is not heavy for touring.

BTW: Black Diamond are launching their own take on the Airbag next season which uses compressed air cartridges (can be refilled by anyone with a powerful compressor).