Has the Avalung become a joke?

[DropCliffsNotBombs]

I'm curious about this as well. For me, I'll usually leave the mouthpiece positioned near my mouth, but I haven't once skied a run with the mouthpiece in. And never having been in a slide, I'm not sure how difficult it would be to actually chomp down on the mouthpiece while going for a ride.

In my experience, you have PLENTY of time to stick it in your mouth in the event that you start a slide.

[icelanticskier]

if i entered a slope thinking an avalung would probably be something that i'd like to have my mouth around (insert jokes here fuckers), i most likely wouldn't want to be entering that slope.

avi deaths have always been wake up calls for other bc users to think about their own decision making or lack there of. someone dies, folks listen. new techs such as avalung/airbags are things that many folks will consider buying to cheat death by taking on increased risk. it's happening already and it's gonna be entertaing to watch it all go down. i don't giva fuck what folks think regarding helmets either. folks are getting hurt/dying in increasing numbers with those as well. skiing faster than they should in terrain above their abilities at higher speeds where they'da probably skied more slowly/mindfully without one and not hit that tree or rock or whatever.

flame away fartknockers!

rog

[neck beard]

Being trapped in snow because you have a broken back. Yeah, cause of death is suffocation but you probably wouldn't have suffocated if you could move. You may not be able to breathe but your inability to do anything about it is because you hit a rock, a tree, went over a cliff, etc. It's like saying the tree the you drove into killed you when in fact it was the 19 beers you had that did it.

Is this guy (formerly Advres/Gameface/the guy who claimed he was going to be chill around TGR from now on) for real?

I mean seriously, does he mean this?

He agues terribly against accepted statistics and in the process comes up with this gold:

"you probably wouldn't have suffocated if you could move".

[hutash]

Same guy...once he takes a position regardless of how wrong, his dick is too big to admit his mistake.

[Name Redacted]

Knock Knock. Who's there? Avalung. Avalung who? .....

Why did the Avalung cross the road?.....

So an Avalung walks into a bar.....

[Alaskan Rover]

Knock Knock. Who's there? Avalung. Avalung who? .....

Why did the Avalung cross the road?.....

So an Avalung walks into a bar.....

^^^^ +1 !!

I laughed. Thanks for that, Shrednar!!!

--

[Name Redacted]

I had someone ask me one time "isn't that a Jethro Tull song?"

[dk_alaskan]

The best solution is to get both and duct tape and ziptie the Avalung to your airbag pack.

Avalungs protect against more situations than an airbag, if less reliably: airway protection while trying to ski out of an avalanche or slough, SIS (snow immersion suffocation) deaths like treewell or deep pow, and if you are critically buried in an avalanche, airbag or not.

Proper use of an Avalung is key to making the reliability near 100%. Skiing without the mouthpiece in is like driving your car with the seatbelt unbuckled. You don't wait until you see the oncoming semi to buckle up. Have it in and breath around it.

The bottom line is that the Avalung complements an airbag very well.

After having been caught and not having the time to put my mouthpiece in, I 100% agree with skiing with the mouth piece in. The natural reaction in a situation that requires the use of the Avalung is NOT to bite down on the mouthpiece. If you have it, use it.

[Jethro]

The bottom line is that the Avalung complements an airbag very well.

It would be cool if BD saw it this way and integrated both systems in a new pack

[Arty50]

The best solution is to get both...

Agreed.

...and duct tape and ziptie the Avalung to your airbag pack.

Do not agree. There was a recent case where an avy victim was found with his avalung pack ripped off. This is not the first case where a victim has been found sans pack (Avalung pack or not). The last thing in the world I want is to have my pack ripped off and my avalung going with it. Wear your Avalung sling separately under your pack and over your jacket like it's meant to be worn and don't tie the two together.

[PNWbrit]

^ but

A slide violent enough to tear your pack off probably means one that you wouldn't have been able to keep mouth piece in?

Airbag packs harness heavierer duty.

I mostly regard the avalung as tree well safety.

I skied with my new (lightly used) float30 for first time on Saturday. Was not expecting great things - weight, overly padded shoulder straps, general design. But it wasn't too bad overall. Still wish Black Diamond made one.

[hutash]

Now that Meesh was on CNN, everyone will want one, so BD should jump on the bandwagon.

[Arty50]

A slide violent enough to tear your pack off probably means one that you wouldn't have been able to keep mouth piece in?

Do not underestimate the power of teeth. Just ask Mike Tyson.

[Jethro]

Do not underestimate the power of teeth. Just ask Mike Tyson.

I feel that BD should re-design the mouthpiece so you can really chomp down on it. It should be more like a snorkel, with tabs to bite on. As it is now, it would be very easy to have it ripped out of your mouth

[summit]

I've heard some people have replaced the mouthpiece with a snorkel mouthpiece... should only be a $3-5

[PNWbrit]

I feel that BD should re-design the mouthpiece so you can really chomp down on it. It should be more like a snorkel, with tabs to bite on. As it is now, it would be very easy to have it ripped out of your mouth

I think Arty was imagining it more ear shaped than snorkel.

[Shredhead]

Someone needs to make a full face helmet with a Avi Lung device incorporated.

[summit]

Someone needs to make a full face helmet with a Avi Lung device incorporated.

I know several people who did this with just a little velcro to hold the mouthpiece right in front, easy to grab.

[Alaskan Rover]

Someone needs to make a full face helmet with a Avi Lung device incorporated.

Already done.



--

[covert]

How about an airbag pack that also deploys a go-pro?

[whipski]

Stole from a kid in Tignes...run the breathing tube thru the camelback sleeve of the shoulder strap of backpack sits right in front of your mouth.
fair amount of space in pack to rebreath.

[covert]

wow. i would try burying that pack with the tube out, leave it overnight then see how long you can breath through the tube.

[Puffin]

Stole from a kid in Tignes...run the breathing tube thru the camelback sleeve of the shoulder strap of backpack sits right in front of your mouth.
fair amount of space in pack to rebreath.

That idea is horrendous. Basically disables the avalungs ability to pull air from one place and put the co2 in another. Enough room in the pack to rebreath? What are you thinking

[neufox47]

if i entered a slope thinking an avalung would probably be something that i'd like to have my mouth around (insert jokes here fuckers), i most likely wouldn't want to be entering that slope.

avi deaths have always been wake up calls for other bc users to think about their own decision making or lack there of. someone dies, folks listen. new techs such as avalung/airbags are things that many folks will consider buying to cheat death by taking on increased risk. it's happening already and it's gonna be entertaing to watch it all go down. i don't giva fuck what folks think regarding helmets either. folks are getting hurt/dying in increasing numbers with those as well. skiing faster than they should in terrain above their abilities at higher speeds where they'da probably skied more slowly/mindfully without one and not hit that tree or rock or whatever.

flame away fartknockers!

rog

Agree that if you ski a slope because you have a beacon, avalung, airbag, etc and think your equipment will protect you, you're dumb. But we all make mistakes. Which is why we use beacons, avalung, airbag, etc. I think the key is to not let the equipment change your mindset. Don't think you are safer with equipment.

Shit, people die in steel balls with padding and 24 point safety harnesses going over Niagara falls. Some avalanches definitely apply more force than a trip over Niagara.

No equipment makes you 100% safe, but no one makes the right choice 100% of the time. Even wile old veterans.

[linds-o-rama]

Now that Meesh was on CNN, everyone will want one, so BD should jump on the bandwagon.

My magic 8-ball says the outlook is good.

Edit: I don't feel so bad talking about this now, because it's confirmed here too:
http://14erskiers.com/blog/2012/02/s...iamond-update/