Beacan vs Airbag
- Thread starter george3680
- Start date
Beacon for sure.
I carry a spare backback with beacon/probe/shovel/first-aid/provisions in the truck for those that forgot, or don't have proper equipment.
I refuse to ride with anyone that does not have a beacon. Hence why I keep a spare.
Being on the other side of the Parts Counter before, I had a hard enough time getting people to pay for a minimal analog beacon let alone a Avy Bag.
I carry a spare backback with beacon/probe/shovel/first-aid/provisions in the truck for those that forgot, or don't have proper equipment.
I refuse to ride with anyone that does not have a beacon. Hence why I keep a spare.
Being on the other side of the Parts Counter before, I had a hard enough time getting people to pay for a minimal analog beacon let alone a Avy Bag.
The question here was, which one would you buy, a beacon or an airbag. A beacon doesn't do much if no one else has one.
Anyway, if you have not taken an avalanche training course, do so, you can't lose. And beacon is the correct spelling. Not beacan.
Really? What a crazy question, and right after you all took an avy course? It still blows me away that people do not get it, I am on Snow Patrol here in Revelstoke, actually just getting ready to go up, and spend most of my day talking to people who have no avy gear or have it straped to their tunnels. Still having to tell guys why they need it, how to carry it and why is just crazy, especially when they argue with you over it??? I have heard it all, my favorite is "I am not riding in avy terrain?" Again, really? We are working on making it mandatory, no gear, no access, simple.
Here it is....Come on Man!
Here it is....Come on Man!
A beacon is cheap compared to the rest of your gear, if you dont have one don't ride. OE Rentals will rent you gear for the week or the month. They are great to work with just remeber if you rent a airbag to also rent the adapter to fill the bottle if you are not close to a bca refil station. Last year we rented packs and could not get the bottles filled unless we took a 200 mile detour on the way out west.
I carry my beacon to save a friends/riding partners life. When I strap my beacon on, I don't think that this device may save my life. I think that this device may save my riding partners life. How would you save a friend's life with an avy bag? Throw it at them? I find the thought of choosing an avy bag over a beacon kind of selfish.
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D
Deep Powder Guy
Banned
There are used beacons on eBay for as low as $20.00.
DPG
DPG
AND - If you paid $12,000 for a sled and a couple hundred for Mike Duffy's class, not to mention the time away from work, why are you even quibbling? Mike Rowe's famous quote of 'safety third' doesn't really work out too well in an avalanche.
Hmm, the quote "nickel and diming yourself to death" seems appropriate here.
M
more snow
Active member
I have had both the Avy Bag and beacon for close to 10 years now. If I had to chose just one, I would pick the avy bag. It puts saving my life back into my hands and has the highest chance of making sure that I come home at the end of the day. Don't get me wrong I am a believer in having both beacon and avy bag. I just trust the results of the bag more. Keep in mind that the bag also keeps you from going way deep under a slide (high forces on the body from the added pressure of the snow depth) reducing the chances of the corresponding extreme damage. Beacon has no impact on this part. If I had to, I would rather gamble my life with the Avy Bag.
I am sure that I will get flamed for these comments. Some ways of thinking are hard to change.
I am sure that I will get flamed for these comments. Some ways of thinking are hard to change.
Some ways of thinking? Are you kidding? Only one way to think of that, man I feel for your riding buddies. One or the other, this is a crazy topic.
Crazy to think about how people can spend endless amounts on sled mods but not want to have the best safety equipment in case you or a buddy are in an avalanche. It's a one time purchase not like a sled.
OP question says you have to pick one.. but the truth is how can you pick the avy pack and not be able to afford a beacon? If you can only afford a beacon well then its better than nothing! If you can buy a avy pack you sure can buy a beacon with it.
I will not ride without a beacon and have had two avy packs. I got the small one like skiers use and found it not to have enough room. Then went to the larger one and my freaking back was killing me. I went back to just a beacon.
If I was to have a avy pack again it would have to be the lighter one and just find a way to carry other gear on the sled.
I will not ride without a beacon and have had two avy packs. I got the small one like skiers use and found it not to have enough room. Then went to the larger one and my freaking back was killing me. I went back to just a beacon.
If I was to have a avy pack again it would have to be the lighter one and just find a way to carry other gear on the sled.
Bag or Beacon?
Both! How much is your life worth? I have a shovel, saw, probe, air bag pack and a beacon. If you are willing to pay 12-14k on a sled don't you think your life is worth $1500?
Both! How much is your life worth? I have a shovel, saw, probe, air bag pack and a beacon. If you are willing to pay 12-14k on a sled don't you think your life is worth $1500?
I
Insaneboltrounder/sjohns
Well-known member
This is a interesting question when you think about it........
Whats the goal , to save your own life? And you can only have one of the two items? A totally selfish answer would be a bag. A beacon gives you what percentage of survival if caught and buried ? A bag gives you a very high percentage of survival assuming something else doesn't kill you.
The question is a good one and worth pondering. The only answer worth giving isn't the one he asked. The correct answer of course is you should have both and training.......
Whats the goal , to save your own life? And you can only have one of the two items? A totally selfish answer would be a bag. A beacon gives you what percentage of survival if caught and buried ? A bag gives you a very high percentage of survival assuming something else doesn't kill you.
The question is a good one and worth pondering. The only answer worth giving isn't the one he asked. The correct answer of course is you should have both and training.......
My rental bag showed up today-5 days early. It's a brand new BCA Float 22 Throttle all instructions and everything needed. I just need to get it filled at my local dealer and I'm ready to go. I plan on doing a test fire while I'm there then have it filled again for the trip.
This is an easy way to afford the extra protection of the avy bag. They also rent Go Pros, beacons, shovels, probes, PLB's, EPIRB's and other equipment.
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This is just a "what if?" question right? Same question put a little different. If you and your family could only have one what would you have as their only avy protection? 100% for me it's the bag. I have a great crew who practices with our gear a lot. Last practice search we did in well under 3 minutes from notification of the situation to retrieval of the beacon. For that to happen we all have to be together and witness the slide or have someone else see the slide and talk us in and give us good info. So many times we are out of sight from each other in low vis conditions. I see MANY people riding apart and it would be very easy to get buried and no one in your group would even know. We work hard at looking out for each other and do our best to keep an eye on everyone but its never perfect. Beacon MIGHT help you save someone else but deploying a bag ups the odds of MY survival over 95%. Again I don't see a real world scenario where someone would ride with a bag and not a beacon, probe and shovel so this is just a conversation starter like I think the OP meant it to be.
D
Deep Powder Guy
Banned
If i were to ride with my "family" (wife & kids) i would avoid putting them in danger period. There are a lot of places to ride with ZERO danger factor why would i subject my family to anything dangerous is simply not using your brain.
The problem with air-bags and beacons is they give some people a false sense of security.
DPG
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You wont be able to find your Buddy with an Airbag. Get a beacon, shovel and probe. Get a shovel with a saw. Do not ride with just an Airbag.
