The inventor and manufacturer of the avalanche ball has already caused great displeasure among experts on several occasions. Herbert Fournier and his team have abused the legitimate desire to promote their product, primarily in order to make a front against the manufacturer of the avalanche airbag. Yet everyone is working towards a common goal: to reduce the number, or at least the percentage, of avalanche victims.
What is particularly disconcerting here, apart from the denigration and sometimes false representations, is the fact that the two avalanche rescue systems are completely different: If the airbag is supposed to prevent burial or at least reduce the burial depth, the avalanche ball is an optical localization system in which the user is buried just as deeply as the "avalanche transceiver-only user".
Now the long-simmering dispute between the avalanche ball inventor and the Austrian Alpine Association (ÖAV) has escalated. In February 2009, Fournier sent out a mass mail with the sender ID bergsicherheit@aon.at with a frontal attack on the manufacturer of the ABS avalanche airbag to ÖAV members as well as Alpine Club sections, sporting goods retailers and mountain rescue centers with the following content:??
"Dear members of the OeAV! Apparently, the public has been deliberately misinformed about the mode of action of avalanche balloon systems for years. More at www.lawinenairbag-diskussion.de. With kind regards. Herbert Fournier"
Last winter, a similar mass mailing had already been circulated, which continued to spread according to the snowball principle. This email referred to a "new study" on total burial, which can still be found today on the website www.lawinenball.at. During this attempt, dummies equipped with airbags were also partially buried, with the balloons remaining on the snow surface. By chance(!) an avalanche ball dummy remained on the surface, but the avalanche ball, as a further development of the avalanche cord, cannot prevent burial or reduce the burial depth. Michael Larcher (former editor-in-chief of Berg&Steigen, ÖAV) took a clear position on this experiment and the massively communicated conclusions drawn from it in the same magazine:
"There can be no question of a study, rather half-truths, distortions, abbreviations and self-interpretations of statistics and statements by competent organizations and experts are presented, which pose a danger to the uninformed end user." (In: bergundsteigen 4/07, p.16)??
The "application for a temporary injunction" filed by the "Montblanc Sports Group AG" (distribution partner of the avalanche ball) against the Alpine Club and Michael Larcher was rejected by the Innsbruck Regional Court. Lawyer and ÖAV Vice President Andreas Ermacora commented: "The operators of the avalanche ball have dragged the Alpine Association (OeAV) and Michael Larcher into a legal dispute. They attempted to obtain a temporary injunction from the Innsbruck Regional Court as they were of the opinion that their company had been disparaged by a statement made by our editor-in-chief Michael Larcher in the magazine bergundsteigen 4/07. However, after a thorough examination of the facts of the case, the Innsbruck Regional Court dismissed the application. Michael Larcher justifiably criticized the "New study on total burial" published by Lawinenball, speaking of half-truths, distortions, abbreviations and self-interpretations.
For his part, Fournier responded with fierce attacks on the Berg&Steigen team and with the expected attacks against the airbag manufacturer ABS, on its anti-airbag website (www.lawinenairbag-diskussion.de).
For the first time, the airbag manufacturer also responded to the ongoing attacks and replied in a press release:
"This representation is false and is clearly refuted by the many years of practical cases and statistics from the Swiss Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF). According to the SLF's data collection, 31 percent of avalanche victims died without ABS or with non-triggered ABS. In contrast, only 1.7 percent (?)"
died with ABS
Comment from PowderGuide
Regardless of which system you prefer as a user, we find it strange when a company gears its marketing strategy towards denigrating a competitor and does not shy away from unfair methods. For example, the advertising emails circulated are not labeled Avalanche Ball or similar, but Herbert Fournier. Very few of the recipients are aware that he is the manufacturer of the avalanche ball and that the reason for his supposedly investigative "reports" is clearly to be found in the business sector.
The avalanche ball inventor himself writes on his website www.lawinenairbag-diskussion.de: "The question is: How honest must advertising be when it comes to your safety?" In our view, the answer should be: "As honest as possible!"" However, this then applies not only to the challenged competitor, but especially to the author of this question. Mr. Fournier himself does not seem to be able to meet the standard he demands from his competitor. Numerous scientific publications, in particular those of the SLF (link), prove that his accusations against the ABS system are unfounded.
Stop with the kindergarten!
Our appeal to all manufacturers is therefore to make an effort at honest marketing. Every system has specific advantages that should be emphasized in the best possible way. Attacks against the competition are common in the advertising industry, but in our opinion they are particularly inappropriate when it comes to safety in mountain sports. Instead of throwing black Peter at each other with accusations and glossing over statistics, the players should rather concentrate on improving their products. The avalanche ball in particular, which has now been available on the market unchanged for almost a decade, could become more widespread with weight savings and improved handling.
Unfortunately, the perfect avalanche rescue or emergency system does not yet exist. Every avalanche burial, whether with an avalanche transceiver or with an avalanche transceiver and avalanche ball, is an extremely delicate, life-threatening situation that should be prevented at all costs. Thinking instead of shoveling is the motto - the avalanche airbag (ABS and Snowpulse) is the only emergency system that can prevent burial or significantly reduce the burial depth.
Further information:
To the avalanche ball manufacturer
To the airbag manufacturer ABS
Read the report: "Not without my avalanche transceiver - Avalanche emergency systems in comparison"