Jetforce Avalanche Pack

[Barry Barton]

Why can't he comment? Because you don't like what he has to say? LOL Tell us about your son's slide last year, what was the slope like, where did it trigger, what were the avy conditions, did you dig a snow pit to assess the conditions on that aspect? etc etc. Tell us the whole story. People don't talk about this kind of stuff because it means they probably have to admit a mistake.

What he's talking about when he says people think they are more protected with their safety gear is called "Risk Compensation". Its proven that people adjust their behaviour based on their perceived risk level (i.e. people drive faster with seatbelts and air bags because they think they are safer). People will take more risks when they feel they are more protected, its been documented. Just because there is a lower perceived level of risk because you have added safety gear on, doesn't actually make it true though, and this is where folks need to use their brains more. Getting out and getting educated is one thing, applying that education is entirely another.

the slope he was on was about 60 degrees , it triggered just below the top we were spring riding and the condition were low to moderate and we still had 2 of us on another slope just to play it safe. It showed up out of the blue but that is how a lot of avalanches happen and the boys had about a dozen pulls at this hill and it just happened and even when the conditions were low we play it safe. Yes his comments are correct but he is saying that anyone that wears a avy bag is a idiot and he finds it's not nessacary to wear one, but with that comment he should have said that a avy bag and all the safty gear we wear give people more cofedence so they try stupid things. You said why can't he comment about this and call all sleders stupid for wearing avy bags but I could say all university proffesors are stupid because some of them don't no which end of a hammer to use which I have seen but I don't because I've met some proffesors that can do most anything but only a few are what u would call book smart only, but I don't paint them with the same brush out of respect for the majority. Most riders I run into in the mountains are very good riders but u always get the stupid ones that it won't happen to them adatuede. Just my 2 cents

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

This post is for Polar_RMK. I came back looking for an old post where he was asking if anyone has first hand knowledge of airbags working. This isn't first hand knowledge, but second hand from my future Uncle in law. I got talking to him last weekend about airbags. He's been riding the mountains for years, and wearing an air bag for about as long as they have been available on the market.
He was caught in an avy a couple years ago. He admitted he didn't pull the ripcord early enough, but got caught in the slide and was essentially being thrown around. He was fumbling and struggling to get his hand to the ripcord to pull it. When he did eventually end up pulling it, he said it was like "pulling the ripcord on a parachute during free fall". It was like someone reached into the avy and literally pulled him up. He ended up only being partially buried.
I'm not provided this information for people to go out and use these as lifelines, just wanted to pass on some info to someone who was asking for it. They do work, and aren't a gimmick.
Get the knowledge, use the knowledge and ride accordingly.