Float Airbag In Action

The following incident took place in Valdez, Alaska during the Spring of 2011. It features Jeff Wyshinski's personal helmet cam footage from his fight with every backcountry skier's greatest nightmare, an avalanche. Jeff deployed his Float 30 airbag after realizing he was going to be swept up by the slide's power. After taking a tumultuous ride, the debris settled and Jeff was resting on the surface unharmed, able to walk away. The outcome may have been different if Jeff had not been wearing an airbag system.

To learn more about BCA's Float airbag packs visit www.backcountryaccess.com/airbag

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Float
• Video
• QR
• CODES
• alaska
• avalanche
• rescue
• heli
• skiing
• valdez

[1buddhistcowboy]

Uh, "backcountry enthusiasts" would choose an airbag that may or may not deploy, may or may not keep them above the snow over a beacon, shovel, probe setup. that's just an insane choice and likely not credible. Anyone who travels into the bc regularly and is more than say an enthusiasts would argue that the beacon, shovel, and probe provide one with many more options for survival. If one is continuously putting one's self in HIGH risk zones - then the bag is probably a good choice. - Otherwise

[calvin2032]

@1buddhistcowboy Backcountry enthusiasts sing praises of airbags. This system doesn't really protect the head by surrounding it like other brands, but it does keep the head at the top of the slide rather than the bottom. It must be good when many skiers are asked, if given the option would they take an airbag or the standard beacon/shovel/probe, they choose the bag.

[1buddhistcowboy]

Obviously, the inflated bag creates more of a CHANCE that you stay on top which was the case in this video of a guy caught in a sluff - the footage doesn't clearly support that conclusion? It just feels like this product, though well intentioned plays on the fears of those who travel into the bc giving potential false sense of safety. Many variables within an avalanche situation and this seems to rule out a couple of em. In a massive av where mortality is greater - I wonder if it'd hold up?