Snowpulse Highmark Airbag Packs

I have this pack and really like it. It is very comfortable to wear and has tons of storage.

I don't have one, but want one.....

From what I hear the Snowpulse avy bag system is one of the best, if not the best, on the market.

SnowPulse

If you want one or think you want one, find a way to get it. I did a lot of looking before I got my SnowPulse. I made my own decision on what to buy, weighed the pros & cons and decided on the HighMark 30. Probably the only con was the price and I decided the extra $$$ was worth the head & neck protection. I also thought if you do get buried you have a bunch of air (they use compressed air) around your head to breathe (last time I checked my mouth & nose is attached to my head not in the middle of my back). The tank is easy to get filled also. Another big plus was SnowBigDeal was awesome to work with. Just my 2c worth.

Sumac Motorsports said:

I also thought if you do get buried you have a bunch of air (they use compressed air) around your head to breathe (last time I checked my mouth & nose is attached to my head not in the middle of my back).

Click to expand...

How do you intend on breathing the air out of your avy pack if you do get buried?? You won't be able to move....at all (have you ever buried yourself in the sand at the beach?). Your helmet, your goggles, your ears, your eyes, your mouth, your nose, your lungs....everything is going to be PACKED with snow from the force of the avalanche and it will be set up like concrete as soon as the snow stops moving. While I agree that the pack is an important life saving tool, I'd be careful in assuming that you are also carrying a reserve of air to breath until you are uncovered and rescued.

The bag slowly releases the air from within creating a pockt of air to breathe from in the event of a full burial.
I deal with Snowpulse as well and have a Highmark 30 for myself. This winter my little brother and dad will be sporting them too.
Best pack is the one you are comfoartable in and have no issues using if you need to. Ask most AST certified instructors what they use or will be using. That's what sold me.
Not to mention, in Canada, if you buy one you get upto $100 off a registered avy course. Gotta love that.

Reeb said:

The bag slowly releases the air from within creating a pocket of air to breathe from in the event of a full burial.

Click to expand...

The rate that those bags deflate isn't enough to sustain life during a full burial. With out manually opening the escape valve, it releases the air at a very slow rate. Don't count on it to save your life as an alternate source of breathable air during full burial.

The purpose of the avy bags isn't to give you a full bag of air to breathe until you're rescued, its meant to reduce your possibility of being buried in the first place. If you do get buried, you aren't going to be able to move....or in some cases, breathe. I wouldn't ever count on my bag being a resource of breathable oxygen, if you do you're relying on faulty information.

QuadsWest said:

The rate that those bags deflate isn't enough to sustain life during a full burial. With out manually opening the escape valve, it releases the air at a very slow rate. Don't count on it to save your life as an alternate source of breathable air during full burial.

The purpose of the avy bags isn't to give you a full bag of air to breathe until you're rescued, its meant to reduce your possibility of being buried in the first place. If you do get buried, you aren't going to be able to move....or in some cases, breathe. I wouldn't ever count on my bag being a resource of breathable oxygen, if you do you're relying on faulty information.

Click to expand...

Your absolutely right in the fact that you shouldn't rely on the bag deflating leaving an air pocket in which to breathe, although, tell me of any other bag that "enhances" the chance of survival by deflating leaving an air pocket. Even if it's a minute chance that it does work as advertised, I'll take it.

Personally I expect the bag to keep me at the surface during an avalanche so rescue time is greatly reduced by being visible from the surface.

I take your post as very negative, what you need to understand is that any and all features of our avalanche training and gear that can potentially help save me, and my loved ones is a positive. I'll pay through the nose to know that I may have an extra minute or two to find someone or to be found. My life is worth that much thanx.

If your wearing an activated ABS pack and you are buried...hasn't the pack already failed?

Its supposed to prevent you from being buried.




All the bags are looking pretty quality these days...take your pick...and let snowbigdeal.com help you find one that matches your needs and budget

Reeb said:

I take your post as very negative, what you need to understand is that any and all features of our avalanche training and gear that can potentially help save me, and my loved ones is a positive.

Click to expand...

I'm not trying to be negative at all. I'm just trying to dispel the myth that the snowpulse bag is better because you can breathe the air from the bag until you're rescued (people think they'll be in a hollow cavity under the snow where they can move around and take their helmet off and reach up to puncture a hole in the bag and breathe it). I've heard a lot of people cite this fact when buying an avy bag, particularly the snowpulse. As far as it deflating quickly to give you more air/breathing room.....that may be the case, but its not going to deflate as fast as an untied balloon or the airbag in your car. Its still going to take at least 10-15 mins. And from the experiences I've read here on snowest from those that have survived an avalanche, EVERYTHING is jam packed with snow. So having the bag deflate and create a pocket of air isn't going to help much when your helmet is packed full of snow to the point that its holding your eyelids open and filled every empty cavity in your head (nose, eyes, ears, mouth). Like I said, I'm not being negative....the avy bag is 100% the best avy safety gear you can get to increase your chances of survival...however, I'm just trying to educate people with the facts and dispel the rumors and myths. You may get buried with an avy pack, but instead of being 4-6' below the surface, you're more likely to be less than 1' from the surface, rendering you more visible and more accessible for a speedy rescue, should you be buried at all.

QuadsWest said:

the avy bag is 100% the best avy safety gear you can get to increase your chances of survival...however, I'm just trying to educate people with the facts and dispel the rumors and myths. You may get buried with an avy pack, but instead of being 4-6' below the surface, you're more likely to be less than 1' from the surface, rendering you more visible and more accessible for a speedy rescue, should you be buried at all.

Click to expand...

I'm splitting hairs with sarcasm here, Avalanche Training is the be the best saftey gear you can have.

And we are saying the same thing, however I ride with goggle most of the time and have been in a slide or two that I hope muscle memory comes to play and I can be aware enough to know when and how to do the things needed to give myself an airpocket around my mouth and throat etc. Should the intensity of the slide absolutely plaster me like you described.....little matters except how fast your friends can find you at that point.

As a avid backcountry skier and now sled guy. You do not want get caught in a slide. I have been in a 100 yard ride where was violently bounced and traumatized both physically and mentally. Like a beacon an airbag is a gauruntee u r going to be found. There is a damn good chance you are going to be hurt especially if you are swept thru some trees. Let prevention be your ultimate goal when out riding. Life is precious and can be gone in a heartbeat.