This video is amazing on many levels. First of all, the avalanche itself is awesome (not a good kind of awesome, mind you). Second, the victim stays on top because of his BCA Float Airbag. Believe me, he would have been tumbled and buried without it. Maybe it’s time to add an airbag system to my equipment list.
Feb3
That really is amazing. Did he deploy the airbag manually or do they go off automatically? Thanks.
Manually. All airbags come with a rip cord, similar to a parachute or a life jacket.
Are you sure? That’s a really shallow slab with a short track and runout. I’d have expected some lower body part to be partially buried if the airbag was actually making a difference, but the boarder’s entire body floats the whole way. Mind you, I’m no expert, so I’m genuinely curious.
Bryan, do you mean, am I sure he would have been buried without the airbag? Certainly it’s hard to tell from just a video, but if you notice the amount of debris and the length of the fracture line (it breaks out further to the skier’s right as the video pans down), this is deep deposition. There’s no way to be sure, but I’m glad we didn’t find out.
I’d say the proof is in the pudding.
or not ski that line
Very cool. Saving lives!
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