Avalanche Air Bags in sub zero temperatures

[WARY]

Hello everyone,

As some of you know we have been developing an avalanche air bag system called the AviVest for the past 7 or 8 years and we have been posting our test results here.

We are doing our final avalanche testing of our device later this month in the mountains near Elko, Nevada and we will post pics here of that testing.

We are doing our final cold lab testing of the device as well here in Minneapolis, Minnesota and wanted to post these results as well.

We feel that avalanche airbags will undoubtedly be subjected to severe cold temperatures for extended periods of time. The problem with these devices at extreme temperatures is that the metal parts in the gas valve can expand, contract, and even change shape and bind at -30 F (minus 35 C).

About 100 units of our final design are being tested as we speak for 100 continuous hours at these temps, and we are finding a success rate of just under 99 %, resulting in full and rapid inflations of the devices.

The testing is being done at a laboratory not affiliated with our manufacturing group.

We feel this testing is critical for several reasons. First of all, not many people are out there at minus 30, but there are a few. And secondly, some users will leave their avalanche air bags outside or in their vehicles and these temps are a possibility.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[kam]

any pics of these "avivests"? or can u elaborate on the design?

 

[WARY]

It is a vest rather than a backpack design.

 

[snowrodeo]

i very much like the vest idea, as i currently ride with an ogio "flakjacket" vest. love the weight distribution around me and the easy access of the front pockets.

when i spoke with you last september at the snow show in boise, you assured me that you would have your vests available by december. i have been (im)patiently waiting ever since to be able to purchase one of your bags. its now mid-january and well into avy season.

while i appreciate the additional cold testing you are performing, i am assuming at this point that your product unfortunately will not be available at any time this year, if ever, and that i would be better off purchasing another brand backpack product.

YOUR comments would be appreciated.

 

[Tonysnoo]

I like the idea of the tests on so many. I'll bet mine is one of those. Can't wait to get it.

 

[wildreaper]

Blah Blah Blah thread is useless without pictures and more information.

 

[Tonysnoo]

Blah Blah Blah thread is useless without pictures and more information.

Here is their web site:

http://www.warillc.com/

I had a chance to talk with Will at the Boise show. He and his group are skiers who were open-minded enough to talk with us motorheads and get our input. I appreciate that more than you can imagine!

No doubt when ya try to bring a "safety devise" to market there are all kinds of liability reasons "tests upon tests" that you have to do to get past the lawyers. I'm pretty impressed that they are as close to releasing their product as they are.

I have owned an ABS for a few years and it is a great product. This vest type product just addressed so many of the problems I have with back packs and tekvests and multipocketed coats all being worn together. Can't wait to try one out(wear it, not use it...lol)this season.

 

[kam]

Here is their web site:

http://www.warillc.com/

QUOTE]

Well, at least you had the time to get us that info Thanks

 

[WARY]

Sorry SnowRodeo for not getting you an AviVest, but we will be shipping vests in February.

 

[MDiver]

You have tested 100 units and your success rate is "just under 99%". I'm sorry but this sounds fishy to me, how far under 99%, with 100 units it either has to be 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, etc. Can you please clarify?

the only other possibility is multiple tests of the 100 units, with some of them malfunctioning occasionally. If this is the case, can you clarify as to why one unit would work one test and not on subsequent testing?

Thanks. I'm not trying to be snide, but I'm in the market for an airbag, just researching my options.

 

[snowrodeo]

Sorry SnowRodeo for not getting you an AviVest, but we will be shipping vests in February.

i hope i dont come across as an @ss, that is truly not my intent.

this is at least the 2nd, if not the 3rd, year i have been hearing information about these vests becoming available. but, there has always been some reason or excuse for delaying their availability. i think the fact that i am STILL waiting to purchase one of your products, rather than purchasing a abs/bca/snowpulse bag, speaks for itself to the fact that i really like the idea of the vest and believe it will be a great piece of gear.

bottom line now is, i NEED to get a bag. NOW. i have put it off long enuff. i have the cash in hand, that i hoped to use at the boise show- that i have tried to pre-order thru the dealer i will buy the vest thru - but they inform me that their multiple attempts to contact you have gone totally unanswered - after you spoke with them at the utah snow show and set up a preliminary agreement with them to have them carry your product.

so, should i at this point go ahead and purchase another brand of bag? can you at WARI tell me honestly, confidently, that your vests WILL be available "on-the-shelf" in the next 2-3 weeks??

are you now communicating with dealers who would love to carry your product?

i guess as much as i would love to have one of your vests, i'd be better off having another brand and having the added protection it would offer, than having none at all.

let us know whats up - quit stringing us along. you may not think thats your best business plan, but im pretty sure you'll find that with most of us here on snowest, being upfront and honest will build you far more business in the long run than trying to keep a few of us holding on and wondering.

appreciate your feedback.......

 

[WARY]

We're leaving today for the actual avalanche testing of the device in the Ruby Mountains near Elko, Nevada so it's gear day here in the shop as we load up the new crash test dummies (let's call them Lucy and Ricky this year), and tear the office apart looking for goggles and tripods. We'll post pics when we get them back to the lab, maybe end of next week IF the weather cooperates.

The cold testing is going well. Surprisingly well we think. For those of you looking for the exact figures, we saw a failure rate of 1.4%. What we mean by a success is a rapidly inflating air bag that has been chilled at minus 30 F for a minimum of 75 hours. What we see as a failure is any bottle that starts to leak.

We feel this implies that each and every system should be cold tested before being shipped. We are thinking about a 24 hour test because we find that if a bottle is going to start leaking it will do so almost immediately upon being exposed to the minus 30 F.

Again, these final tests are critical and we don't want to inconvenience anyone but we just need to be sure our systems are safe.

 

[Tonysnoo]

We're leaving today for the actual avalanche testing of the device in the Ruby Mountains near Elko, Nevada

I jealous, I can't believe you guys didn't invite us........love the Rubies.

So if I understand correctly your cold test was for canister leaks at -30 and not deployment issues?

 

[Fireman35]

Bring on the vests, I would think that the testing going on with these things would be a great idea,that shouldn't be rushed through...The liability for this company on a unit that doesn't deploy would obviously be huge. I dont want it to be mine that was put together on friday at closing time. anxiously waiting