Let's talk about airbag backpacks

[jmeb]

Do North America and Europe use different canisters? You’d have to have both if you’re skiing both regions?

No. But you do have to have right can for your bag and know where you can get it refilled (must be depressurized for travel).

 

[Primoz]

I don't know procedure for Mammut, but for ABS "refill" is actually canister and handle swap. You bring back empty canister and used handle (with box etc.) and for 20eur you got new one. If I remember right, carbon canisters are (were) available only in Europe, so no idea what happened when you came to shop in USA to exchange carbon one.

 

[Slim]

Do North America and Europe use different canisters? You’d have to have both if you’re skiing both regions?

@jmeb actually for Mammut they do use different cartridges. N. America has a refillable Aluminum canister(205bar). You buy one, and after you pull it (whether for practice, real avalanche or just to empty it for air travel through the US), you get the same canister filled.

In Europe there is a carbon or steel canister. They are non user-refillable, because they use super high pressure(300 bar). That means they are smaller, and lighter (carbon) too.
You do a swap at a store. Gove them the empty one, take a full one out the door. Faster that way too.
Of course, if you are not landing in the US, you can take filled airbag canisters on planes, they are IATA approved. It's just the TSA that likes to play troublemaker.

So, if you are N. American, using your Mammut pack in Europe, you would need to buy or rent a cartigride in Europe. Alternatively, if you had the adopter (I do), you could take your N.A. canister to a scuba shop in Europe. They might look at you a bit weird. But that is what you do here in the US if there is no backcountry shop around. Even here in Duluth, Minnesota, my dive shop had done it before, and had the adapter on hand.
If you are European, and have a Mammut pack, and travel to the US, you will have to pony up for a N.American Alu cartridge.

 

[Slim]

I don't know procedure for Mammut, but for ABS "refill" is actually canister and handle swap. You bring back empty canister and used handle (with box etc.) and for 20eur you got new one. If I remember right, carbon canisters are (were) available only in Europe, so no idea what happened when you came to shop in USA to exchange carbon one.

For Mammut, the trigger stays in the pack (its just mechanical, no pyrotechnics), no need to swap or replace anything.

Haha, if you showed up with an empty carbon cartgride at a US shop they would just look at you with a Those are not approved for use or sale in the US or Canada.

If you flew straight to Canada from Europe, you could bring your full carbon or steel cartridge, and if you blew it on day one of helisking, and still wanted to go back out you'd have to buy a NA aluminum one.