Should you deploy your airbag pack if sled is sinking in water?

[snowww1]

After reading about an accident in Seeley Lake last winter where two snowmobilers drown. Media reported both were bodies found with deployed airbags and they were face down in the water.

I wanted to find out if you should deploy your airbag if you end up in a water situation. I tested four different packs in a swimming pool.


Three questions I wanted to answer.
1. What position does it float you in? Face up or face down?
2. How easy is it to swim with airbag(s) inflated?
3. How easy is it to remove the pack and will it work as a flotation aid? I had to release waist belt, leg strap and sternum strap or zipper on all packs.

How does this apply to avalanches?

Short answer: avalanches can flow like a fluid. Deploying airbag before being engulfed is essential. Swimming can be used to escape to the side or for avoiding objects.

First pack tested. ABS Vario. Which floated me face down.
Second pack tested. Snow Pulse Highmark, which floated me face up.
Third pack tested. BCA Float 22, which floated me face up.
Fourth tested. BCA Float MtnPro Vest, which floated me face up.

Videos are posted on Facebook. My page is "Avalanche1". On the page, I provide more information on what to do.

Note: Each pack tested performed differently. Thanks for watching.

Mike Duffy
Avalanche1.com
Professional avalanche education for mountain riders.

 

[dgibbons]

Great information - interesting to think about. Leads to another question. I would assume the BD Jetforce would simply fail, I know I definitely wouldn't be the one to submerge that pack LOL. But also, is there a possibility of it failing if it gets too wet? Are the battery and fan protected?

 

[kevinm7]

Interesting.... I would think that you would want to deploy the airbag, although this test may prove otherwise depending on which pack you use. I use a BCA, so it sounds like it would float me face up, the desired position when floating in water haha.

 

[snowww1]

Anyone want to jump in the water with their $1400 BD pack to test?

 

[Pro-8250]

Very interesting. They say drowning is one of the leading causes of snowmobile fatalities. Happens here every year.

 

[wrtmani]

One thing to consider on that incident in Seeley and in general is the water temperature and outside air temperature. It' one thing to keep from drowning, its another to get to dry land and be able to get all your wet gear off, build a fire to get your core temperature back up, etc. When that incident happened, it was at night with very cold temperatures.