abs pack, beacon, or both?

[Ex-Member]

I think what I was going to say has already been covered.

Both would be best.
Nobody should ride without a beacon.
I don't ride without a tekvest.
All the equipment in the world won't help you if you don't know how to use it. (For the slow ones: get avy training)

Also don't recommend eating at taco bell the night before you ride.

 

[theultrarider]

BOTH....I also bring along 2 extra beacons in case anybody I ride with doesnt have one........

Thank-You Mike! He has handed me one of his many times. He even guilted me into buying TWO of them so that I can continue to do the same as Mike does. Now I just need to save up for an avy bag. The beacon bothers me qite honestly. If I kill myslef in slide, I probably screwed up. I can't imagine having someone else in a slide and I have to sit on my thumbs and watch because I was too cheep to buy a beacon. That would kill me worse than death it's self.

 

[slednutz]

both. make sure you have a beacon first.

 

[christopher]

Exactly! May I add.... "And the education to know how to avoid having to use all of the above in the first place!"

AMEN to that!

 

[Rixster]

Yes

 

[SnowBigDeal]

Good topic. BOTH!

Here's a link to a similar thread:
http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=107831

 

[ripnit]

I bought a beacon the first time I rode out west. Now I'm looking into a ABS bag, But the beacon goes on no matter were I plan on going that day, it just automaticly goes on with the rest of my gear.

 

[winter brew]

And remember to turn it on!!

 

[Snappy Sledder]

thanks for the info guys.
some people in our group got one last year when we went to the big horns and my dad and i thought it was a good idea. i just wasnt sure which one to get since bca came out w/ and abs pack.

and for training mike duffy will be coming to the nebraska state snowmobile association convention to talk to us for a speaker.

p.s. i already where a chest protector while riding. will never ride with out one.

 

[deviant]

End of last year in the parking lot I buried 2 beacons. Told the guys there to find them.
3 guys took 15 minutes and still had no clue where they were.

One had the "latest and greatest" beacon. He was looking on the wrong side of the debris pile.

If your gonna ride in the Mountains you need to make sure the people you are with know how to use there equipment.

AND PRACTICE ALL THE TIME. Trust me its worth it.

 

[Cyle]

Both of them are there incase you or someone else makes a mistake, and hopefully get another chance. Avalanche training is to make sure you don't make the mistakes and the equipment stays away. If you can afford all 3 that's great, and the best option. But IMO a beacon and LOTS of good training is next best thing. I don't care what equipment you got, and how good you are with your beacon, many times there is no chance to use them, ABS packs are far from making you invincible. The only sure way to make sure you make it back home is knowledge.

It is downright scary people are that slow on their beacon.

 

[JDen]

Wouldn`t even consider NOT wearing a beacon, sounds pretty selfish to me....If its you or someone else in your group that is buried, what would the families think when they find out you didn`t spend the 300 bucks on a possibly life saving device when you are riding around on a sled thats worth at least 10 grand.....I dunno, just my opinion.

 

[christopher]

And remember to turn it on!!

Now there is a RADICAL CONCEPT!!

 

[wasatchrider]

And remember to turn it on!!

sounds stupid but it happens i know im guilty of it a few times. got to turn the it off at the end of the day and its already off. one of the worst avy days last year i road all day and forgot to turn it on. just played in the meadows but did go down and up one hill.

 

[christopher]

When I fly, I STRICTLY follow my Pre-Flight Checklist, as overlooking "little" things tends to get you killed.

But I have never even considered making up a Pre-Sledding checklist to cover little things like that.

Might be Worth considering.

 

[JDen]

Pre-sledding checklist

I'm thinking that a pre-sledding checklist will be a madatory thing in the next few years for liability where you will have to fill it out and sign off on it before you hit the trail and when you come down again. Maybe not, I'm just comparing it to the progression of safety at my work. I work in the production end of the oil patch and in over the last few years the paperwork to cover your own azz has become overwhelming, and thats all it is for is liability protection. I could be way out of line on this one but you never know!

 

[Snappy Sledder]

sorry i havent replied yesterday. had a church retreat.
anyways. what brand of beacon do you recomend?
my dads work carries parts unlimited and wps so any brand in there would be great.
thanks guys.

 

[skibreeze]

I have used Ortovox for years and unlike some others they are turned on when you put them on.

 

[MARCUSO]

Apparently Mammut is in kahoots with some wilderness supporters, so I would avoid that product.

Funny, only one person on here mentioned something that goes hand in hand and IMO even more essential with the Beacon... And that is a shovel and probe.

 

[skibreeze]

Apparently Mammut is in kahoots with some wilderness supporters, so I would avoid that product.

Funny, only one person on here mentioned something that goes hand in hand and IMO even more essential with the Beacon... And that is a shovel and probe.

True, and there is no good reason not to have those items.