Avalanche Air Bag

I saw from Powder's FB post a pretty interesting discussion on Avalanche air bags and promoting them

check this out

http://www.powdermag.com/stories/op-ed-calling-bullsht/

The avalanche in this video is impressive as hell - you watch this and figure no one is walking away from that.  The big question is did they set it off on purpose - the way its flimed you would have to say yes.  I showed it to my 10 year old son and he said its seems like it was just a stunt to sell airbags.



After you watch the video with music check out the interview

They are impressive indeed. Seems like they're much more likely to save your life than an AvaLung, because it keeps you from getting buried rather than giving you some extra time to breathe when you get buried. Downsides: they're pretty heavy, super expensive to refill, and you can't take the canister on an airplane, so you would have to refill it every time you go on a trip.

Black Diamond, however, just came out with their Jetforce - the first ever battery operated airbag. Seems promising, but I won't be the first to test it..

Wildsnow just did a great article about it  - LINK

And on that note, I'll follow it up with this article:
Op-Ed: Calling BUllsh!t

Tbatt

 I linked the same op-Ed to the top of my post.  I agree that this video seems like a pr stunt and it is dangerous in that younger skiers might take more risks if they think the air bag will save them.  Besides adding to their risk they then put others in the general vicinity at risk as well as rescue crews.

One thing the air bag can't protect you from is blunt force injury which is a major cause of death in avalanches.  

HA. whoops.

I'm pretty sure asphyxiation:trauma is about 70%:30%. Although, I do recall seeing an airbag that was designed to form around your head, and reduce the chance of trauma-induced death?

Coach Z wrote

Tbatt

 I linked the same op-Ed to the top of my post.  I agree that this video seems like a pr stunt and it is dangerous in that younger skiers might take more risks if they think the air bag will save them.  Besides adding to their risk they then put others in the general vicinity at risk as well as rescue crews.

One thing the air bag can't protect you from is blunt force injury which is a major cause of death in avalanches.

Read the responses to the op-ed. The brand manager and the skier respond. It was not a pr stunt.

And you believe after watching that video?

Interested in buying a bridge or some swamp land?

Coach Z wrote

And you believe after watching that video?

Interested in buying a bridge or some swamp land?

So you think they intentionally set off a huge avalanche with a member of their team riding down the slope?
You sound like a 10 year old.

I think they decided to ski something super marginal in very high avalanche conditions after 10 feet of snow in a week and if it happened to slide oh well the chump they are barely paying has an air bag and the air bag sponsor is paying for the chopper time so it's all good

I just watched it again and there is no way they dug a pit on that slope and decided it was ok to ski

More to my point my 10 year old thought it was a pr stunt but someone else kid might say that was way cool and try it for them self and die in the process

The editor of Powder Magazine agrees with me if you read the op Ed

I didn't read the op-ed, and I'm miles from being an avy expert.

But holy crap, if you are professional skier and you didn't know that slope was going to slide... you are clueless.

That thing basically broke free as soon as he made a few turns.  And like he said it was the whole damn mountain.

If the guy died, there'd be some serious questions being asked.

Coach Z wrote

I think they decided to ski something super marginal in very high avalanche conditions after 10 feet of snow in a week and if it happened to slide oh well the chump they are barely paying has an air bag and the air bag sponsor is paying for the chopper time so it's all good

ABS did not have anything to do with the shooting of the run. It was shot for Ford of Spain and run by some indy production company. They did not put this guy on the run to show off the airbag. The ad was created after the event. It was edited in such a way that you created a whole scenario about the ad including your next statement. It is an ad showing  how well the product worked.

Coach Z wrote

I just watched it again and there is no way they dug a pit on that slope and decided it was ok to ski

Did your opinion come from anything beyond the ad?

Coach Z wrote

More to my point my 10 year old thought it was a pr stunt but someone else kid might say that was way cool and try it for them self and die in the process

You mean like the 40 years of incredible and insane shots that Power Magazine has produced?  This month's edition has a load of pretty hairy shots (as usual) that would cause problems for 99.99% of skiers and riders. Here on the East coast It is pretty easy to find cliffs within resort boundaries. I guess this is ok for you? I am pretty sure that very few kids find their way to avalanche prone slopes without adult supervision.

Coach Z wrote

The editor of Powder Magazine agrees with me if you read the op Ed

I read the editorial. It is hypocritical coming from him in light of what he shows in the mag. There has not been a lot of avalanche safety discussion over the years.

The Powder editorial doesn't suggest that this was staged.  It mentions that some have suggested that but doesn't adopt that position.  The point of the editorial was something else entirely.

I have watched a lot of avy video, over the years I see danger getting pushed to the edge. In my opinion to gain viewers and money.  Nothing much different in this video than the rest of recent ski porn jumping off 60 foot cliffs.  Except they put film over the value of this skiers life.   Could he or they pushed their luck because of this device' s potential to save a life?   Likely.                                      This device has potential to be successful in the market place.  Based on real facts of the danger of a massive slide regardless if the body is found , I can't see the skier,:film crew or cmpany taking that chance to purposefully do it.     Were they happy it occurred?  Yes.   Could they have prevented this?  Yes.   Until more facts come to light I'll say this occurred due to the perfect storm of fame seeking, greed, stupidity.   If there is a permitting or licensing need for this area, all parties should be revoked for a lifetime.