North Face has showcased a new airbag system at the Mountain Fair at Salt Lake City (Utah). Airbags are being adopted in increasing numbers by backcountry travellers.

I blame my neighbours :-) We bumped into them up top and I followed them on a line through the trees past their mountain chalet, I was skiing fairly quick to catch them up and popped off a small rolle

This video looks at how to make a template for mounting tech / pintech type bindings.

Every time a new bit of backcountry gear comes out we say the same thing. Leave it a year or two and let others test it.

As we mentioned on Twitter earlier ABS have announced another recall for their airbag system. This is the third recall for various faults and the second this year. This one is fairly general.

Have you ever done a route where the snow conditions or slope means you have to boot pack a pitch.

Another season, another airbag recall. Better check this out if you have a Vario base unit from the 2011/2012 vintage.

The French Alpine Club in Pau has published its annual avalanche transceiver test, this one covering beacons that will be on sale next season.

DAV have published their annual test round up of all major devices.

In case you haven't heard both BCA, Snowpulse and Mammut have recalls out for their airbags. In the case of BCA the recall affects Float airbags shipped from 2011 to 2013.