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Does the Snowpulse Avalanche Airbag Impede Your Vision Once Inflated? | CANADA | 03/08/2010, by powderjunky
Now I am biased, I love the Snowpulse, and I can get into why another day, and fortunately I have never had to pull mine and test these accusations. However I was curious to see if the critics were right. So while at Kicking Horse Resort, I pulled mine and skied around for a while. I found it to be a little more annoying than skiing with a hood on. But I was still able to ski steep shots and groomers without loosing a step. The only time I really felt the block of peripheral vision was in real tight trees.
Video of skiing with the Snowpulse Airbag inflated.
Once inflated, was I left with only passive behavior? Definitely not. Those of you who have skied Kicking Horse, know it is not an easy mountain. But like I said I'm biased so I took some pictures and video with a fisheye lens to show you how much of your vision is blocked. Keep in mind that the fisheye lens show 180 degrees left to right, but not up and down, so you can actually see more in regards to the vertical than the pictures & videos show. When taking the pictures I made sure the lens did not protrude further than the human eye would, so there would be no discrepancies in if they were accurate.
Bottom line:
- Is your vision impeded to the point you would not be able to continue to ski if the bag inflates? No. Like I said above it is a little more cumbersome than wearing a hood. But still very manageable.
- Does the bag cripple you to only passive movements? No.
- Does the Snowpulse bag protect you against trauma and burials? Yes. And keep in mind 25% of avalanche deaths are from trauma in North America.
- Do any other avalanche bags protect your head and neck from trauma? No.
- Does any other bag, besides the Snowpulse, create an air pocket for your mouth in the rare case of burial? No.
My vote goes to the Snowpulse. I'll take a little impeded vision for more safety any day. What about you? Do any of you have any experiences with this topic? Share them below. And stay tuned for our full air bag comparison and make your own decision on which bag is right for you.
Not too much worse than a hood.
That's Our Opinion. What's Yours?
Freeheelgirl wrote on 03/09/10 at 1:00:27 pm pst:
Hey, Powderjunky - just wondering if you tried throwing yourself down, wallowing around in the snow, and then trying to get back on your feet again? Seems to me like Lou Dawson's concern was that it would be difficult to squirm yourself around to an upright position if you were caught ass-over-teakettle in a slide while you were deployed. Again, since I don't have a snowpulse to check out myself, I was wondering if you'd given it the full flounder? :-) Would love to hear how that works....
That being said - love the image of you skiing with the thing inflated! :-) (What do you suppose the other skiers were thinking? Heh...!) Thanks for the article!
powderjunky wrote on 03/09/10 at 7:36:35 pm pst:
I don't need to "try" and throw myself down, it happens often. :) And as I have the agility of freshly birthed calf on ecstasy, I can't say the bag was all that cumbersome.
As for your last question, I am not a mind reader, but the rocks and ice balls hurt slightly less than the verbal abuse.
Dark Star wrote on 03/10/10 at 7:18:41 pm pst:
Tons of people are skiing with these things in Europe. I saw them all over Alagna, the Dolomites, La Grave and in Chamonix. Not so many in the US though...wonder if it's the price tag or just as a guide told me, "if I need that thing, I'm in the wrong place". But I think it's also interesting that most tests show people rising to the top, almost every time, meaning if you have this, and take a big ride, injuries from the slide aside, you have a good chance of not being fully buried. Watching Xavier de le Rue's slide on youtube is also worthy in regards to these things:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7zpYQDoocA&feature=PlayList&p=30AEBA023FC8E559&index=27&playnext=3&playnext_from=PL
(sorry I could only find it in French)
Ross wrote on 03/10/10 at 7:49:02 pm pst:
In Canada we also see them a lot more than in the US. Also thanks for the video link. I have a snowpulse and love it.
Freeheelgirl wrote on 03/14/10 at 08:28:24 am pst:
Thanks for the info, powderjunky! :-)
@DarkStar - boy, howdy, I'd sure agree that the price tag keeps them from being more prevalent in the U.S.! After I've bought this year's $800 skis & $450 boots and $80 poles and $400 jacket, well, gosh, there's just not a lot leftover for safety equipment. :-) Seriously, though - aren't there regulations against flying commercially with air bags? (Like, the propellant that inflates the bag classifies as an explosive, or something like that?) Might be hindering their popularity...how do Europeans get around it?
Thanks again for the fun video, powderjunky! Ciao - Freeheelgirl
Mickey Wakefield wrote on 03/25/10 at 03:42:46 am pst:
Well - there is a similar pack sold in Europe called the ABS system...it is, as far as I know, the first of these kinds of packs. Its been on the market here for at least 10 years.
It is expensive, and mostly yuppies with 3 ski days a year and an extra 700 Euros to blow have them....BUT....they have been extensively tested by the swiss avalanche reasearch center, and the results are pretty amazing. 100% of all the test-dummies wearing these things stayed on top, and traveled over less ground than dummies not wearing the pack. They did the testing in real avalanches that they set off regularly in their testing facility in central switzerland.
The Austrian and German Mountian Rescue recommends them highly as well.
Additionally - the company that makes them keeps statistics on people involved in avalanches where an ABS pack was "there"....these are equally impressive. At last count, of 106 incidents where an ABS pack was used, only 1 resulted in a death...(or something like that. Its all on their website.)
The primariy issue seems to be the ability of people to pull the cord in the first place, so the newest versions this season have a radio controlled release that your buddies can activate. I'm saving up.
skibum1963 wrote on 04/26/10 at 9:20:01 pm pst:
I have the snowpulse. It is extremely well made. If anyone is interested, I am selling my 15L bag (I bought it for a heli trip that is never going to materialize...)
