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Avalanche Gear for Backcountry Skiing | Jackson, WY United States | 12/01/08, by hotChocolate

Here are some things to consider when purchasing avalanche safety gear:

Avalanche Beacon:�
Avalanche Beacons cost $200-$550.
More antennas =� more range = good.�� In Europe, three antennas are standard at this point.� Europe is usually several years ahead of the US when it comes to Avalanche safety trends, so let's jump on the bandwagon.
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There are two types of signals:� Digital and analog.� Analog signals tend to have a longer range.� Digital signals tend to be more accurate and less confusing.� The cheapest beacons on the market use analog technology.� They work great as long as you have the patience and commitment to learn how to read analog signals.� Practice is especially important if you use one of these models.�

The most cutting edge beacons combine digital and analog signals and have features that will assist you in rescuing more than one victim.� It's debatable whether these extra features are helpful to the average backcountry skier.��

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Avalanche Shovel:�
Backcountry Rescue Shovels cost $40-$65.
In a rescue scenario, your most important tool will be your shovel.� On average, avalanche victims are buried underneath 1 ton of snow!!!� The worst thing that you could do is to skimp on weight and carry a flimsy, plastic shovel or the ridiculous snowclaw!� Black Diamond, G3, Voile and other major ski companies make avalanche shovels that are strong and lightweight.� The best shovels have a "D" handle and an extendable shaft.�


Avalanche Probe:
Avalanche Rescue Probes cost $40-$95.
Any respectable avalanche probe will be at least 3 meters tall.� Make sure that it is extremely easy to assemble because you will not want to waste time fidgeting with your probe while the survival clock is counting down.� When testing your probe, wear your heaviest mittens or gloves to ensure that it's truly user-friendly.


Black Diamond Avalung II
Stand alone it costs $130.� Integrated into a backpack it costs $150-$250.
An Avalung is a breathing device that looks like a snorkel.� When trapped in an avalanche, it helps you to breath in Oxygen and it expels Carbon Dioxide behind you.� This product will help you to survive for up to an hour underneath the snow!� Bruce Temper, author of "How to Stay Alive in Avalanche Terrain" puts this product in the essential category.�

Snowpulse Avalanche Airbag
An Avalanche Airbag costs about $1000.
An Avalanche Airbag is a balloon that inflates if you pull a string (similar to a parachute).� It's proven that these airbags will keep an avalanche victim on top of the avalanche debris almost all of the time.

There are two main brands:� The ABS and the Snowpulse.� We prefer the Snowpulse because it is shaped to protect your head and vital organs from trauma during a slide.� It is very userfriendly and by far the best survival product on the market!

Helpful Hint:� It is often possible to purchase a beacon, shovel, probe and pack as a package deal.�



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