Gear: Backcountry Access Float Airbag

WHAT IT IS:
BCA's Float Airbags are specially equipped backpacks with a single 150-liter balloon-like airbag hidden in a top pouch. If caught in an avy the user pulls a trigger on the shoulder strap which inflates the airbag using a refillable canister of compressed air that's hidden within the pack.. Once the airbag is inflated it helps you stay afloat in the slide debris by increasing your size. Like the biggest tortilla chip in a bowl of crushed chips, bigger objects typically rise to the top of the pile.

Courtesy photoRip cord.

"There's conclusive historic evidence that airbags are extremely effective in saving lives," says BCA's co-founder and gear guru Bruce Edgerly. "The bottom line is that avy beacons are working great, but excavation still takes way too much time. It's best not to get buried at all and that's the benefit of the airbag."

The Float Airbag comes in three sizes - 18 liter, 30 and 36. The Float 18 is for minimalist adventures while the Float 30 and 36 have space for a full-day worth of gear. All three packs feature internal storage, waist belt pockets and a ski/board carry system. (Float 18 snowboard carry system sold separately.)

WHY IT RULES:
BCA didn't invent the avy airbag, but their Float packs are the least complicated and most affordable airbag packs on the market.

"We use a simple mechanical trigger, a single airbag and our cylinder is easily refilled at SCUBA and paintball shops, as well as our key retailers," says Edgerly. "This makes the Float easier to use than other airbag alternatives."

The paranoid folks at the TSA won't let you fly domestically with a full air cylinder so filling your canister upon arrival at your destination is key. Backcountry Access has nearly a hundred authorized refill centers in North America to make that happen. Travelling from international destinations isn't as problematic as the IATA (International Air Transport Association) allows you to fly with a full canister.

The Float Airbag is not cheap, but it's a few hundred bucks less expensive than all the other available airbags which cost well over a grand.

"Is your life worth more than $685?," asks Edgerly. "Then a Float Airbag is a very good investment. Of course, it's no substitute for an avalanche course; that's an even better investment."

WHERE TO FIND IT:
BCA authorized retailers and BCA's online store. The Float 18 retails for $685, the Float 30 for $750 and the Float 36 for $785.

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