I think the Snowpulse is a better choice for me, I just think it is more versatile, my only question with it is does it impair your ability to stay on your sled once inflated? I have had the best luck remaining with my sled in a slide, but have never been, and hope/should never be in a full mountain slide.
Snow Pulse vs ABS for head protection
- Thread starter PalousePoo
- Start date
I'm just happy to see the avy bag catching on. I couldn't give a chit what kind is on your back. I've seen what I've seen with both bags and I'll stick with ABS. As for my Yamatank I'll just keep on riding her for years to come. I should of gone riding yesterday, I'm obviously waayy too bored !
I came to the conclusion.... if you have to pull the trigger,,, it's to save your bacon. It takes 5 seconds to fully inflate. That is probably an eternity if you are in a serious situation. Your first decision in which direction to go most likely the only one. You are at the mercy of nature from that point on. IMO.
No sense comparing bags. the pack, however... Price was not the deciding factor for me. I did not like the overall quality of the BCA pack, I know, the pack is the minor factor... but if you have to ride with the thing all day, day after day. The ABS and the Snowpulse were quite equal in versatility. I made the choice... glad with my choice.
No sense comparing bags. the pack, however... Price was not the deciding factor for me. I did not like the overall quality of the BCA pack, I know, the pack is the minor factor... but if you have to ride with the thing all day, day after day. The ABS and the Snowpulse were quite equal in versatility. I made the choice... glad with my choice.
i work with compressed breathing air on a regular basis for many years, there should be no change of it freezing and not working, i belive the abs bags have been out west for over 7 years, i think all the bags are a good think and i agree that in time they will become a form of manditory avalanche equipment. I think the air bag makes it much easyer to see a person traveling in the slide, and much easyer to spot. If my buddys can look at the slide and see the air bag on the surface, they can be to me much faster that haveing to use a beacon to find me. Its a big plus that we are seeing air bag system at a lower price, many of us payed up for ours serveral years ago, i have changed my bag out as my demands have changed, i now pack my pack differently, my problem was if you had a large pack you dont have to fill it full of stuff because you had the room,
most of all, dont put your selfs in a place to pull the trigger and we all will ride longer, i dont ever want to have to pull it in an emergancy .
ride safe
giddyup
most of all, dont put your selfs in a place to pull the trigger and we all will ride longer, i dont ever want to have to pull it in an emergancy .
ride safe
giddyup
Hello
ABS has been around for 26 years. I have talked to skiers with Warren Miller Ski films that have been wearing them for 23 years now in Canada.
MARCUSCO, I would like you to please show me where it is you think you saw some snowpluse statistics that were positive? If they had some stats of their own I would like to know why they were using ABS's statistics in the Canadian snowpulse ads last winter.
As far as I know last year was their first year on sale anywhere in the world.
Summitboy was making sled comparisoms. Comparing the two airbags is like comparing a Kitty Cat to a turbo Nitro in a hill climb!
What blows me away is the fact that people are buying a life saving device. Not a new pipe for their sled so if it doesn't get a few more HP its not a big deal at the end of the day.
Happy New year fellow forum members.
ABS has been around for 26 years. I have talked to skiers with Warren Miller Ski films that have been wearing them for 23 years now in Canada.
MARCUSCO, I would like you to please show me where it is you think you saw some snowpluse statistics that were positive? If they had some stats of their own I would like to know why they were using ABS's statistics in the Canadian snowpulse ads last winter.
As far as I know last year was their first year on sale anywhere in the world.
Summitboy was making sled comparisoms. Comparing the two airbags is like comparing a Kitty Cat to a turbo Nitro in a hill climb!
What blows me away is the fact that people are buying a life saving device. Not a new pipe for their sled so if it doesn't get a few more HP its not a big deal at the end of the day.
Happy New year fellow forum members.
W
Washy
Active member
ABS for me, been around for many years and has documented survivals and testing. Nitrogen is a good thing.
If you dont think breathing air can freeze, then you have not worn breathing air in -30 degrees C. I work in a sour gas plant and I will tell you it does happen when wearing SCBA. Regualtors are notorious for freezing off while under air. You are trusting that the person filling your bag has moisture free air. Just my experience. Not looking for a pissing match. Personally I dont like the fact the it goes around your head.
If you dont think breathing air can freeze, then you have not worn breathing air in -30 degrees C. I work in a sour gas plant and I will tell you it does happen when wearing SCBA. Regualtors are notorious for freezing off while under air. You are trusting that the person filling your bag has moisture free air. Just my experience. Not looking for a pissing match. Personally I dont like the fact the it goes around your head.
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I personally have an ABS pack, and believe that any avy pack whether it be ABS or Snowpulse is a great "investment". The only issue that I see with the Snowpulse pack is that there is only one airbag compared to the two bags that the ABS has. In the event that the avalanche is to carry the victim through debris/trees, I like the chances of having two inflated bags in case one gets torn. This is only my opinion, and like I said either of them can be a huge asset.
I wonder about this a bit for two reasons:
- what about the scenario when you are out of the inital avy, but a follow up realease happens creating a second,,, now your bag is deflated.... would be nice to have an inflated bag for the possible extra help it might provide.
- this might be a minor thought b/c in theory your transciever will get you located I dunno but, if the bag stays inflated and is on top of the snow, the visual of a large red bag may help get rescuers over a bit quicker. If it deflates it may add a bit of time to the search perhaps.
just thoughts is all.
The Snowpulse takes quite a while to deflate. It's not going to be flat in just a few minutes, rather it takes a good half hour or so to be soft. It's designed to SLOWLY deflate after time with pressure on it (meaning "IF" you're buried and have snow pressing on the bag) to give a "possibly" buried victim some room and air. So if you're on top of the snow with nothing pushing on the bag, it's gonna take quite a while to deflate, at least a half hour or so until it's limp and is too deflated to float in an avy.
If a second avy occurs and you're still standing at the bottom of the hill an hour later, why didn't you get out of the danger zone when you had an hour to regain your thoughts after the avy??? If you're partially buried with the big red bag on the surface, your rescue group should find you and get out of the danger zone in plenty of time. If it takes someone an hour to walk up the hill to the big red bag and pull you out, they're kinda sloooowwwww! In that case, get new friends to ride with instead of blaming it on your avy pack that saved you from the avalanche in the first place.
Don't be worried about the bag deflating, the manufacturer took that into account when designing the pack and made it so it deflates in the right amount of time, under the right circumstances.
BOTH SnowPulse and ABS are great packs. The injuries and fatalaties that have occurred while wearing avalanche airbags are not the packs fault. The riders who triggered the avalanche or got in its way are to blame. The designers of these packs are quite intelligent and have spent much more time thinking these things through than the average snowmobiler has. Each pack has it's pros and cons.
Not bashing any pack here, just trying to clear some things up.
Just my 2 cents in this game
If a second avy occurs and you're still standing at the bottom of the hill an hour later, why didn't you get out of the danger zone when you had an hour to regain your thoughts after the avy??? If you're partially buried with the big red bag on the surface, your rescue group should find you and get out of the danger zone in plenty of time. If it takes someone an hour to walk up the hill to the big red bag and pull you out, they're kinda sloooowwwww! In that case, get new friends to ride with instead of blaming it on your avy pack that saved you from the avalanche in the first place.
Don't be worried about the bag deflating, the manufacturer took that into account when designing the pack and made it so it deflates in the right amount of time, under the right circumstances.
Ever heard of anybody getting killed while wearing a Snowpulse pack? At least 3 people have died with ABS packs. Snowpulse doesn't have as many years behind it, only 2, but there have been NO negative statistics about it. Show me some negative stats about it, i'm curious to see (that means statistics, not "he/she said this about it and they don't like it").
BOTH SnowPulse and ABS are great packs. The injuries and fatalaties that have occurred while wearing avalanche airbags are not the packs fault. The riders who triggered the avalanche or got in its way are to blame. The designers of these packs are quite intelligent and have spent much more time thinking these things through than the average snowmobiler has. Each pack has it's pros and cons.
Not bashing any pack here, just trying to clear some things up.
Just my 2 cents in this game
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A
Arcteryx
Well-known member
I researched both before buying the ABS. I was told that the snowpulse does impair your ability to stay or steer the sled once inflated. That was one of the reasons I went with the ABS. The ability to inflate the bag and still try to ride like he11 seemed to be a good thing to me. I also liked the track record and the 2 bags instead of 1. The cheap air and head/neck support seemed nice but in the end I felt it might be a little more of a skiing oriented bag than a sledding bag. Just my thoughts.
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