Avalanche Flotation Device tested in BC

[WARY]

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[WARY]

Here are the 2 airbags after the slide...........

Sharp eyes will notice a small piece of debris uphill of the 2 bags..........

Not cool, it's Pat Barsby's head. Another test dummy bites the dust.......

 

[OnTheEdge]

that is amazing! im glad to see testing and see it working.

 

[boosted metal]

thanks for answering my question on weight of the dummies,pretty sure buddy from team stunned and stuck could fill in, he is around 250. lol great job guys

 

[WARY]

Although Pat Barsby's head was severed during the slide, it should be noted that these test dummies are made from rigid plastic. Pat's neck had been broken several avalanches prior and was only duct-taped to the body. The point being that a more flexible human being may have survived this avalanche.

 

[Mikboo]

WOW! These test look pretty amazing. Keep up the great work!

I believe that last test showed many of us what we wanted... Will the bag lift us to the top even after we are totally buried by the slide. Those last two dummies were definetly totally buried & ended up on top. Sure one of them had a broken neck, but he made it back home to see his family.

Thanks again. Keep the test going & find a bigger dummy.

 

[WARY]

Video of the 5 avalanche tests now available on YouTube. Its a little over 5 minutes of film and the best shots are at 2 and 5 minutes into the tape.

Click on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT93IyuYDKY&feature=email

enjoy.........

 

[DRD]

Nice pictures. Severed head will hopefully remind people that 25-30% percent are killed by trauma, not being buried.

 

[tundra twin track]

Hohenester

Airbag testing was done pre 1982 when a fellow named Hohenester from Europe tested with NASA dummies. He started with a 240 litre balloon shaped like a disc and in all the explosive activated avalanches the dummy and the balloon were on top every time. They continued testing with the balloon volume reduced to 110 litres and found the results stayed the same. Parks Canada tested this balloon in wet isothermal slides in the springtime and found the same results as Hohenester, the dummy with no balloon attached was buried. These tests were repeated over and over and the results were conclusive. The storage and inflation system was not perfected till years later. Hohenester deserves alot of credit for pioneering a self rescue device, all the other safety devices were to deal with a person already under the snow!

Have a safe WINTER!

 

[Griz]

So I've watched the video and see that the bags themselves are on top of the surface, however the maniquins themselves are always buried. I realise that they are at least near the surface. However does this then mean that the ABS pack and this vest are not as good as the snow pulse? The snowpulse wraps the head with the airbag, which at least to me would indicate that with the snowpulse, my head will be closer to the surface?

 

[skibreeze]

With the ABS, the pack is attached to your back and if the bags are at the surface, there can't be enough snow on your back to prevent you from pushing up out of the snow unless you are seriously injured.

 

[snengineer]

Fantastic testing of your product. This helps us see what happens without being in it ourselves, thanks.

 

[WARY]

Here's the last test...........

 

[WARY]

..............

And here are the two lift bags on top of the avalanche after the slide.....

 

[cobbycat]

So I've watched the video and see that the bags themselves are on top of the surface, however the maniquins themselves are always buried. I realise that they are at least near the surface. However does this then mean that the ABS pack and this vest are not as good as the snow pulse? The snowpulse wraps the head with the airbag, which at least to me would indicate that with the snowpulse, my head will be closer to the surface?

we also have to realize that these dummies can't fight or swim like a human can. in my ABS manual it says that a person caught in a slide should try to keep their arms above the snow as the slide comes to a halt. I personally have tried both on (inflated) and I think the snowpulse is a bit difficult to move your arms forward as to swim. the ABS still offers free movement and some head protection as the bags stick up above the head. there just hasen't been many people caught in an avy with the snowpulse on and deployed to know for sure what will happen, as it is very new. the designers were deffinately trying to make a better avy bag, the head trauma thing is sweet, but it is to new to tell if they have succeded. if anyone has vid of a snowpulse equiped dummy in a slide, I would really like to see it.

based on my research, I bought an ABS Vario with the 22 litre pack zip on.

p.s. the 22 is big enough for all my gear and a kitchen sink!!

 

[TNM Jr]

Glad to see such good info here. This info helps in my decision making.