The Latest Avalanche Airbag Backpacks From POC and Scott
Backcountry skiing and snowboarding (either lift-access, helicopter, touring, or a combination of the above) is getting super popular in our amazing Southern Lakes mountain playground. An integral part of you and your friend's survival is your avalanche rescue kit (transceiver, probe, and shovel) and knowing how to use those tools if an avalanche does occur.
An avalanche airbag is an additional piece of kit to increase your odds of survival when caught in an avalanche. At Outside Sports we have two of the World’s best with the POC Dimension Avalanche Airbag Backpack and the Scott Patrol E1 airbag backpack range.
Both the POC and Scott avalanche airbag backpack ranges feature premium products with burly construction, ample gear storage and supercapacitor fan inflated airbags - which unlike compressed gas cannister activated bags, you can safely take on the plane for that adventure to the northern hemi.
Avalanche Awareness, aka First Things First.
Before you even consider setting foot in the backcountry you need to have professional avalanche training. Outside Sport's Aspiring Club partner, Basecamp Adventures, offer a range of avalanche safety courses, from a level one intro course held in the Remarkables’ lift-access backcountry, to professional level courses for ski patrol and backcountry guides.
Avalanche airbags are not guaranteed to save your life.
While they are a tool that is likely to keep you near the surface of a an avalanche debris pile, they are absolutely not a substitute for avalanche training or other equipment. Airbags are a reactive tool, and we need to be proactive in avalanche terrain.
Step one to venturing out into the backcountry is gaining the knowledge of how to avoid avalanche terrain all together.
POC Dimension Avalanche Backpack 25L
The POC Dimension Avalanche Backpack 25L from POC of Sweden combines a fan inflated avi airbag system with plenty of handy gear attachment and storage options, making it easy to carry your skis, helmet, ice axe, and more for a full day of touring in the backcountry.
The backpack's airbag is powered by a supercapacitor, meaning there are no compressed gas canisters or built in Lithium-Ion batteries, meaning the POC Dimension Avalanche Backpack is easy to travel with by air. This also gives you the ability to test the airbag before heading out.
A RECCO® Reflector and an NFC Medical ID provided by twICEme® adds to the safety credentials of your POC Dimension Avalanche backpack.
SCOTT Patrol E1 avalanche backpacks 30L and 40L
The SCOTT Patrol E1 30L backpack and The SCOTT Patrol E1 40L backpack are two of the lightest electronic airbag backpacks on the market.
Scott Supercapacitor inflation system
Like the POC Dimension the Scott Patrol airbag is inflated using a super capacitor that can be recharged on the mountain using standard AA batteries that you can buy everywhere in the world.
Another advantage of dispensing with Lithium-Ion batteries is that extreme cold doesn’t affect airbag performance – which is reassuring when you’re out in the mountains.
An airbag kit is the most sophisticated snow sports technology you can buy, so it pays to have good advice when choosing yours. Once you’ve booked your avalanche survival course 😁 get into touch with the team at Outside Sports in Wanaka or Queenstown who’d love to help you decide which airbag is right for you.