Backpack airbags

[Polaristhunder]

I am planning on buying a backpack airbag, just not sure what to get? Hoping to spend $500-$700 as opposed to 1k, but wondering what everyone's thoughts are on the different bags.
Do any of the brands have better designs than others? How are the BCA bags?
Any info would be appreciated!

 

[capulin overdrive]

BCA is supposed to have great customer service, and they're one of the very few companies that support our sport.


So they're a great place to start.




If you want to get all geeky and technical, do some searching and see what you can learn. There's test out there on some of the deferent bags.




I'd wear one of their vests if they'd fit me. I'm a big fat guy, and at the time I got my bag the only thing that would fit me was a Mystery Ranch Blackjack.

 

[wellfed777]

BCA vest all the way !

or some kind of vest style

my ABS backpack always felt like a backpack flopping around

the vest feels like it's part of ya

my 2cents

 

[dooman92]

Another vote for bca mountain pro vest.

 

[wwillf01]

Another vote for bca mountain pro vest.

Vest 100 percent... once you get on never forget the crotch strap... when you chain eats it up it's painful and sucks


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[cbc76am]

eBay and Craigslist

There are tons of deals on used BCA airbags out there, often you can't tell if they have ever been used. I got a 17 and a 30L recently off CL for 250 and 130 bucks with charged air tanks. BCA will update any designs on older generations for you at fair prices also.

Go 25L at least, the 17 fits only the shovel, probe, a bottle of water and a few snacks and it maxed.

 

[M5-]

I use a Snowpulse Highmark 22. Snowpulse makes or made a vest I believe as well. The main reason I selected the Snowpulse at the time is 25% of avi deaths are caused by trauma vs suffocation, neither of which is very appealing. The Snowpulse bag inflates around your head and neck and is designed to protect it when you are getting strained through the forest by a slide. I haven't looked at bags in a few seasons but protection would still be on my want list. I bought the bag I have now used when I sold my older Snowpulse, it was the 30L which was too big unless your are over 6'-2" or so.


M5

 

[RMKcowboy]

I just got a BCA Float Speed 27, pretty nice pack it seems. Haven't loaded it up or ridden with it yet. It uses the Float 2.0 airbag system (new on the market).

 

[Norma Stitz]

Last year I was wrestling my bike off the ground and heard a loud PSHHHHH , that was my bca airbag pack deploying, but, it didn’t inflate. So, maybe my fault but this was a double malfunction in my opinion, it discharged accidentally and didn’t inflate.
I don’t know who makes them but there are also fan powered battery type backpacks also that seem cool.

 

[mikew5945]

I use a Snowpulse Highmark 22. Snowpulse makes or made a vest I believe as well. The main reason I selected the Snowpulse at the time is 25% of avi deaths are caused by trauma vs suffocation, neither of which is very appealing. The Snowpulse bag inflates around your head and neck and is designed to protect it when you are getting strained through the forest by a slide. I haven't looked at bags in a few seasons but protection would still be on my want list. I bought the bag I have now used when I sold my older Snowpulse, it was the 30L which was too big unless your are over 6'-2" or so.


M5

X-2 on the snowpulse. Everything M5 said is why I paid over 1K for mine. I had to get it from Canada because they were not in the US at the time. The tanks are filled with air and bag deflates to give you an air filled air pocket.
The fan ones are Jetforce avalanche bags. They are an option I would look at if changing. It is hard to let go of the protection.

 

[assaulted-one]

I have the jet force pack. $1000 over the ten year life of the batteries is pretty cheap insurance if you ever need it. You can pull the handle all you want to practice and doesn't cost a thing, kind of a no brainer in my book.

 

[Jaynelson]

I have the jet force pack. $1000 over the ten year life of the batteries is pretty cheap insurance if you ever need it. You can pull the handle all you want to practice and doesn't cost a thing, kind of a no brainer in my book.

That is the one worth buying at this point IMO. All of the canister bags will be old news soon with the battery powered tech

 

[Chadx]

BCA MTPRO Vest is what we use. Had the ABS 15SB backpacks for 3 years and switched to BCA vests. Way more comfortable. Plus only one thing to wear rather than three. Used to wear tekvest, beacon harness and backpack. Now just the bca vest and i have on armor, beacon pocket and the most comfortable avy setup I've tried to date. And practice pulls; Can get canisters refilled locally for $10 - $15 rather than mailing canisters for expensive nitrogen fills and paying for hazmat shipping. I guess cost isn't too big of a deal since we are talking safety equipment, but just a pain since no local sources to refill nitrogen canisters that I could find. But many sled and ski shops can fill air canisters.

My favorite avy tech is the jetforce tech, but no vests come with it plus i still have a hard time giving funds to Black Diamond who funds anti motorsports ideals. But if they (or someone that licensed the tech) put it in a vest, i don't know if I could resist buying it.

And still no substitute for avy awareness and simply not riding in risky terrain if avy report has high warnings.