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Let's talk about airbag backpacks

ksampson3

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But it fits only showel, probe, small water bottle, sendwich and...
From now on if any one asks me what I'm eating for lunch on the lift, I'm going to tell them "A sendwich." I'll explain to them that it's a lot like a sandwich, but reserved for days when I really want to send it in the afternoon.
 
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Bruno Schull

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Thanks for all the replies so far folks. It's really interesting to hear how people reason through all of this. I leaning (listing?) heavily toward a Mammut system, but I'll keep checking in here, and posting my thoughts. All the best. Bruno.
 

crgildart

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Somewhat unrelated side question from someone who will likely never use one.. I'm good with carrying a beacon (have one) and maybe a little folding probe and shovel.. But for larger more expensive gear like this.. do some resorts rent them? It would be nice if someone didn't have to travel with one and they could rent one there (or I believe the proper term in YRUP is "hire one).
 

fatbob

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From now on if any one asks me what I'm eating for lunch on the lift, I'm going to tell them "A sendwich." I'll explain to them that it's a lot like a sandwich, but reserved for days when I really want to send it in the afternoon.
Trivia fact, Ed Sheeran, the globally popular overrated busker, holds a Sendy Wine Club with his mates who are big skiers. He's also a fan of Jerry of the Day.
 

James

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Trivia fact, Ed Sheeran, the globally popular overrated busker, holds a Sendy Wine Club with his mates who are big skiers. He's also a fan of Jerry of the Day.
So which airbag pack does he use or does he rent?
 

jmeb

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Trivia fact, Ed Sheeran, the globally popular overrated busker, holds a Sendy Wine Club with his mates who are big skiers. He's also a fan of Jerry of the Day.

More off topic -- I've caught trams at JH where Ed was playing in the corner of the box. He was there to play a tram or two a day in exchange for free trip.
 

Slim

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Btw, with the Mammut System, you can ’dryfire’ for practice. It comes with a cap for the “bolt” that would penetrate the canister.
So if you unscrew the canister, you screw this cap on. Either just to protect it because you have removed the canister (like for travel), or to practice pulling the trigger handle.
 

Primoz

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One update from my side :) My old ABS is gone (manage to sell it in 15min after putting add on local FB ski touring/freeride group, which means I probably sold it too cheap but what the hell :), and I got some super nice offer not involving money but some photos, and few posts here and there on social media as I'm such huge instagram influencer :roflmao: (yeah that's joke that someone won't that it too seriously), so I ended on 40L Scott E1. And based on first impression (and one accidental opening as I didn't think it's turned on :D) is pretty cool. It's certainly whole lot bigger then my ABS with 26L zipon, and pockets are done much nicer or better to say more usable for me. I forgot to weight my old ABS with carbon cartridge before it went, so I can't say for sure, but this one feels lighter then ABS with carbon cartridge (even though difference between carbon and steel cartridge is not that huge, it feels really big when having backpack on for first time). It's also much lower profile then ABS, so I don't think it will be much of an issue using it on chairlifts (I'm obviously hoping for whole lot different season this winter as it was last one, where I didn't go with lifts not even once).
Only thing I'm missing, but can be fixed pretty easy myself is little "carabiner" ABS had in top pocket, that I could attach car keys on. For this, I need to figure out something myself, but shouldn't be much of an issue. Oh yeah, and color of 40L is well... boring black. Blue 30L would be nicer one, but 30L seems pretty small, so I guess I will just need to survive with boring black :) I just hope I will be opening it exactly same way as I did with old ABS... for training purposes only and never in real situation :)
One question though. Officially you can attach skis either on side (a-frame), or on back diagonally. It doesn't really say anything anywhere, but personally I don't really think having skis on side would be really good when deploying airbag? Anyone have some more info regarding this? Allowed/good or rather stick with diagonal?
 

jmeb

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One question though. Officially you can attach skis either on side (a-frame), or on back diagonally. It doesn't really say anything anywhere, but personally I don't really think having skis on side would be really good when deploying airbag? Anyone have some more info regarding this? Allowed/good or rather stick with diagonal?

Honeslty wondered about this a lot. Where I live I'm only every aframing in very solid conditions. So will probably continue to aframe with the Scott when I am. While I expect the airbag will expand as expected in Aframe, the exposure of the airbag to the edges makes me nervous. But that is inherent in any a-frame/airbag design.
 

Primoz

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Ok so I'm not the only one who have considerations regarding this. Diagonal it is :) From first impression, attaching skis diagonally seems to be easier then on ABS, where it was pain in the a** and it always took me forever to be ready.
 

James

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It’s annoying that even blister reviews doesn’t evaluate the A-frame style carry in use on the Scott. Or maybe it’s in the paid version?
 

jmeb

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It’s annoying that even blister reviews doesn’t evaluate the A-frame style carry in use on the Scott. Or maybe it’s in the paid version?
Evaluation of it is teaming with all kinds of issues I wouldn't want to take an official public stance. In particular...what happens if they say "good to go" and then a deployment fails or a bag is cut by sharp skis? I don't blame any reviewer from not going to deep on that.
 

Cheizz

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Airbag manufacturers nor avy training institutions have claimed that having purchased an airbag (or even operated it correctly) would guarantee anything in terms of safety and chances of survival. Have they? Seems like a desperate lawsuit
 

James

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Danger class?
———-
The lawsuit argued the school, guide and pack-maker “created substantial and unreasonable risks of serious injury and death to participants” in the safety class.
————-

So they seem to be bringing up a 2013 recall, and also the thing should deploy automatically.

————————-
The lawsuit argues Backcountry Access should have been aware of “safer alternative designs,” such as a remote or automatic triggering or inflation system.


Another skier in Marshall’s group was wearing an avalanche air bag and attempted to deploy the bag when he was swept off his feet in the slide. It did not inflate.

“Later, he determined that he assembled the trigger mechanism incorrectly,” reads the CAIC report, which did not identify the brand of air bag used by that skier.
———————-
 

SBrown

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This suit was filed last year; the news is that defendants were dropped. The one with deep(er) pockets remains, it looks like.

Look for an article coming from Outside mag in the future.... :popcorn:
 

SBrown

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Also, I purchased a Scott and just finally played with it last week. Dogs do not like. But everything else seemed very smooth and simple. I have a 30, but will consider purchasing an extra 40 when I go to Europe in March.

As for the carry system, I noticed that the hang tag showed this photo:

55D7F6E5-D242-45AB-ABEF-0E31E937F618.jpeg
 

Slim

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@SBrown , @Primoz or @jmeb or anyone else who has knowledge of the Scott packs, can you tell me what this loop inside the pack is supposed to be used for?

605CFAF3-F91A-4B2F-9599-081D020BBCB4.jpeg
 

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