New Avy Idea.
- Thread starter Lt Rascal
- Start date
when i did that partial avalanche course there last year the instructor highly recomended getting one of the avalungs and i was going to buy one considering its quite a bit cheaper then the air bag. it makes sense but so does one inch tubing ran to the back of your pack sack would do a similar affect.
It's not a new idea, but has mostly been marketed at the ski industry since Black Diamond makes them. I wouldn't compare prices on justifying one over the other. They serve completely different purposes. Weigh the benefits of each and make each an individual choice, not a comparison. With tubing you would still be breathing in your exhaled air; avalungs take air in from the front and exhale it at the back.
I personally wear an avalung and once the airbags have been tested more in the field with people i will be buying one of those too.
C
cobbycat
ACCOUNT CLOSED
I don't know witch air bag you are looking at, but the ABS backpack has been used in Europe for the last 20 odd years with a 98% survival rate.
I've heard that when you are buried, the snow sets up so hard that you can't expand your ribcage to inhale anyways....
I had a friend buried except for his head, and he could breathe ok. I imagine that if you were deeper in the snow the added weight would make it more difficult.
D
doornenbal
Active member
My thoughts are is for the size of them, and some built right into the packs I ask the question does it really hurt to carry one??? My thoughts are NO it may be difficult to work around the helmet yes, but I would rather take my chances than not have a chance at all
Just one opinion.
Just one opinion.
saw them test the avalung 3 yrs ago on discovery channel. they buried a woman and had her all hooked up to monitor core temp, heart rate, etc. and she remained buried for 10 hrs until she asked to get out. built a similar system into my jacket, just a food grade rubber hose with a rubber bite block on the end. if you could get it in your mouth in time, it would definitely increase the amount of time one would survive buried under the snow. it'll have to do until I can afford an ABS pack.
i did not know how long it's been out. thanks.
If you try the 1" tube idea remember that you have to alternate your inhale and exhale.
In other words you could breathe in through the tube and exhale through your nose, just not back through the tube.
It is your own CO2 that Kills you, not the lack of oxygen in the snow.
The Avalung has a one way valve in it that closes for exhale and thereby sepreating by distance the area you are receiving oxygen and the area you are exhaling CO2.
Allowing you to take better advantage of the available oxygen in the snow.
In other words you could breathe in through the tube and exhale through your nose, just not back through the tube.
It is your own CO2 that Kills you, not the lack of oxygen in the snow.
The Avalung has a one way valve in it that closes for exhale and thereby sepreating by distance the area you are receiving oxygen and the area you are exhaling CO2.
Allowing you to take better advantage of the available oxygen in the snow.
yes sir you are right........these may work better with some kind of high tech breath box though, dont ya think??
My only reason for posting was to do away with any misconception that you just put a hose in your mouth and everything will be OK.
By all means, if you are going to use this form of safety equipment do it right!!
Buy the Avalung, If you are almost unconscious the idea that you will remember to alternate your inhale and exhale is remote at best.
By all means, if you are going to use this form of safety equipment do it right!!
Buy the Avalung, If you are almost unconscious the idea that you will remember to alternate your inhale and exhale is remote at best.
http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/avalanche.htm/printable
Most sources say that a person who is completely buried can live for about 18 minutes. Even though snow is porous and contains a lot of trapped oxygen, victims breathe their exhaled air, causing carbon dioxide poisoning. Warm breath also melts the snow, and it can re-freeze as a solid, non-porous layer of ice that oxygen cannot easily penetrate. With sizeable air pocket that is open to the outside, you can avoid suffocation, but you still run the risk of hypothermia and shock.
Next, we'll look at the steps to take if you witness an avalanche.
Avalanche Survival Gear
Photo courtesy HowStuffWorks Shopper
The AvaLung
In addition to probes, transceivers and shovels, some people use high-tech safety gear to improve their chances in an avalanche. One device, called the AvaLung, lowers the likelihood of suffocation. It pulls air from the snowpack through a mouthpiece. When you exhale, it diverts the carbon dioxide-rich air to the snow behind you so you don't re-inhale it.
In any system of moving particles, large particles tend to stay on top while smaller particles filter to the bottom. Inflatable airbags and vests increase a person's size relative to the particles of snow and debris around them, so they tend to stay closer to the top of the flowing avalanche. The airbags also provide additional buoyancy and may protect against physical trauma from the moving debris. Two airbag systems currently available are the ABS avalanche airbag and the Avagear avalanche life jacket.
Most sources say that a person who is completely buried can live for about 18 minutes. Even though snow is porous and contains a lot of trapped oxygen, victims breathe their exhaled air, causing carbon dioxide poisoning. Warm breath also melts the snow, and it can re-freeze as a solid, non-porous layer of ice that oxygen cannot easily penetrate. With sizeable air pocket that is open to the outside, you can avoid suffocation, but you still run the risk of hypothermia and shock.
Next, we'll look at the steps to take if you witness an avalanche.
Avalanche Survival Gear
Photo courtesy HowStuffWorks Shopper
The AvaLung
In addition to probes, transceivers and shovels, some people use high-tech safety gear to improve their chances in an avalanche. One device, called the AvaLung, lowers the likelihood of suffocation. It pulls air from the snowpack through a mouthpiece. When you exhale, it diverts the carbon dioxide-rich air to the snow behind you so you don't re-inhale it.
In any system of moving particles, large particles tend to stay on top while smaller particles filter to the bottom. Inflatable airbags and vests increase a person's size relative to the particles of snow and debris around them, so they tend to stay closer to the top of the flowing avalanche. The airbags also provide additional buoyancy and may protect against physical trauma from the moving debris. Two airbag systems currently available are the ABS avalanche airbag and the Avagear avalanche life jacket.
oh i seen it. im just saying you could wrought it to the back of your pack sack and would do exactly the same thing with a chunk of one inch tube.
