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ISPO NEWS 2019 | Avalanche safety equipment

Avalanche safety innovations for the coming season

by Alex Schober • 02/04/2019
In the field of avalanche safety, ISPO 2019 was rather restrained in terms of major innovations. Some manufacturers revised existing products, changed minor details or added individual models to the existing product range. Spectacular innovations were largely absent (again this year).

Airbag backpacks

No changes have been made to the Alpride E1 system presented at ISPO last year. Scott continues to rely on the electronic deployment unit, which is powered by supercapacitors. In addition to the Patrol AP 30 (review on PowderGuide), the system is now also installed in backpacks of various sizes.

The Alpride E1 system is also used by manufacturers such as Ferrino and Advenate . We have already said a few words about the functional mechanism of the Advenate Surface IAS 32 in our presentation. The innovative feature of this system/backpack is the integrated breathing system in the release handle, which separates used breathing air from "fresh" air and thus increases the chances of survival in the event of a burial despite the airbag. Ferrino installs a similar system called "Full Safe" in the backpack, but unlike Advenate, the breathing system is not built into the release handle, but is routed through the free shoulder strap.

Arva continues to rely on the Reactor backpacks, which are equipped with a "double chamber airbag" and are thus intended to ensure improved protection.

The Swiss manufacturer Mammut continues to use the Protection Airbag System 3.0 and the Removable Airbag System 3.0, which can still be installed and removed in a wide range of backpacks.

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As before, the electric Jetforce system is used by Black Diamond and Pieps . The Jetforce PRO system has been minimally improved in terms of weight and can now be integrated into four different backpack models from Black Diamond. Updates can now be carried out more easily via Bluetooth connectivity. In addition, Black Diamond will use the aforementioned electric airbag system from Alpride in the Tour 26L Airbag backpack. Together with the cartridge system from Alpride, Black Diamond will offer three different airbag systems in its backpacks next season.

Ortovox continues to rely on the small and lightweight Avabag system.

ABS presents a new collar airbag designed to protect the neck: An airbag element shoots up the collar after deployment, supporting the neck and protecting the face. In addition, a mask shape unfolds in front of the mouth, creating space to breathe in the snow and also absorbing the moist air. The airbag is integrated into the shoulder straps of the avalanche backpack. An additional chest strap must be fastened.

The Polish company Aerosize was also represented again and presented its Avalanche Airbag Vest and a prototype backpack. The advantage of the airbag vest is said to be its low weight (1490g all incl.) and the fact that it can be used with various backpacks.

As we wrote last year in our avalanche safety equipment article, Arc'teryx will no longer be offering airbag backpacks on the European market. This is due to a certification that the Canadian company has not received for the European market.

LVS

The manufacturer Arva presented the EVO5: Despite its low weight (170g) and small dimensions (7cmx11cm), the French promise a full range of features such as 50 meter search width, marking function, group check, etc.. The large display is also equipped with a backlight and a high-quality loudspeaker is designed to reproduce precise sounds.

The company BCA , which belongs to K2, has not made any changes to the avalanche transceivers compared to the previous year. Quote: "These are HARD goods, we don't need to change them every year."

Pieps developed the Micro BT Button, which is a newer version of the Micro BT. Switching from transmit mode to search mode is now done manually at the touch of a button and no longer automatically as with the "old" Micro BT. This is now sold under the name Micro BT Sensor. In addition, the Pieps app can be used to manage avalanche transceivers and Jetforce airbag backpacks.

Powderbee

This year at ISPO, the only place to see something truly innovative in the field of avalanche safety was at the stand of "Bluebird Mountain". The young team from Hamburg developed a drone that is equipped with an avalanche transceiver and is designed to speed up the search in the event of a (large-scale) avalanche. It only needs to be started at the push of a button and then independently searches the avalanche cone for a signal. It then lands in the immediate vicinity of the signal. The start-up is currently still looking for an investor, but the Hamburg-based company has already won an ISPO Brand New Award. We are keeping our fingers crossed and are excited to see where the PowderBee's journey will take it.

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