equipment

ISPO Report 2018 | Avalanche safety equipment

Electric airbag system from Scott, refurbished avalanche transceivers from Pieps and Arva

by Lea Hartl • 01/27/2018

In contrast to many large manufacturers of skis, ski boots and bindings, the avalanche transceiver and airbag manufacturers were all represented at ISPO. When it comes to avalanche transceivers, there are small to medium improvements rather than huge innovations, and with the exception of Scott/Alpride, hardly anything significant has changed in terms of airbags.

Airbag backpacks

Scott

The most interesting new development is probably an electric version of the Alpride system (Alpride E1), which is used exclusively in the Scott Backcountry Patrol AP 30l backpack. The Alpride E1 system is equipped with supercapacitors instead of a battery. Supercapacitors are a special type of energy storage device (if you know anything about them, please correct me) that can be charged and discharged much faster than conventional batteries and can withstand significantly more switching cycles. According to the manufacturer, the supercapacitors in the Alpride E1 system can be charged 500,000 times - so you can pull the airbag very often. The supercapacitors also function in a very wide temperature range and are less sensitive to cold than batteries. The airbag can be inflated one to two times per charging cycle.

The system is charged using 2 AA batteries or a micro USB cable, so you don't need a special charging cable and can simply insert normal batteries if required. An LED light indicates when the backpack is fully charged. According to the manufacturer, the charging time is 20 minutes via USB and 40 minutes with batteries. This is significantly faster than other electric airbag systems, which have to be charged from 0 to 100%.

The Alpride E1 system weighs 1280 grams and is therefore quite a bit lighter than the Voltair and Jetforce systems, which weigh around 2 kg. The cartridge systems, which are now all quite light, weigh around 200 grams less. The backpack as such looks suitable. The whole thing should cost €900. It will be interesting to see how the Alpride E1 system proves itself in practice and whether the low weight encourages the electrical competition to think about it.

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Other manufacturers

With the exception of Scott, the airbag manufacturers have not changed anything about their systems. The various companies have primarily overhauled individual backpack models in terms of design and a few functional details. The Arc'teryx Voltair, which is basically unchanged from last year, will unfortunately not make it onto the European market. The Jetforce backpacks from Pieps and Black Diamond are available as before, as are the Avabags from Ortovox, the Reactor backpacks from Arva and the Mammut R.A.S. airbags.

Evoc has not only updated its backpack range in general, but has also switched from ABS to the Mammut R.A.S. airbag system. Ferrino continues to produce airbag backpacks (Alpride system) with an integrated breathing tube system ("Airsafe" - similar to Avalung) and a Recco reflector. Millet continues to use the Alpride System.

The company Integrated Avalanche System, which was present at ISPO for the first time last year, offers its airbag-breathing system combination more or less unchanged, but as "Integrated Avalanche System" backpacks, which are integrated into the parent company Advenate. The Alpride system is also used here. The protector, which is also built into the backpacks, has now been certified as compliant with standards.

The Polish startup Aerosize was also there again. Aerosize has developed an airbag that uses gas cartridges to inflate a kind of structural framework (as opposed to a simple balloon with one or two chambers). The cartridges have been reduced in size compared to last year, the backpacks now comply with the EU standard for airbag backpacks and the company is confident that it will be able to start production towards the end of the current winter. The airbag system is also available without a backpack, as a kind of vest that can be strapped on. According to the company, the main difference to last year's not yet fully developed product is: "It works now."

Scott Alpride E1 System — Scott Alpride E1 system

LH

ABS app

ABS is continuing to push the option of group deployment, or the "remote ignition" of other people's airbags by radio (P.Ride system) and now has a special app for this. The app recognizes airbag backpacks in the vicinity that have P.Ride technology and these can be declared group members. You can deploy all the airbags in your group at once (default) or select individual ones (by pressing a button on the handle). The P.Ride app uses the phone's GPS to display the LLB for the corresponding region and there is a map view.

The backpacks themselves (Zip On attachments and base unit) have also been overhauled. There is also a new, lighter series of Zip Ons (S.Light: 15L, 15L, different colors) that fit on the normal Base Unit (without P.Ride). The entire backpack weighs less than 2kg for the S.Light series. ABS has no plans to develop an electric airbag system, as the tried and tested version with cartridges is considered more reliable.

LVS devices on the next page...

Avalanche transceivers

There are no changes to the avalanche transceivers from Ortovox and Mammut compared to last year. Mammut continues to communicate the new Barryvox, which was presented last year, as a major innovation.

Arva

Arva still has the three models Evo, Neo and Axio in its range. The Neo is now available in the Neo+ variant. The hardware remains the same, but software changes have improved the range from the previously stated 60m to 70m. These values only apply to an optimum coupling position. The actual top model Axio remains unchanged and therefore still has the "old" range of 60m. There may be a revised Axio in the style of the Neo for the next season. However, it will not be possible to update existing devices, as the changes are too extensive.

BCA

The BCA Tracker 3 is getting a slightly cheaper sister model, the Tracker S. The price difference is €50 (Tracker 3: €299, Tracker S: €249). Compared to other manufacturers, BCA's approach to the issue of multiple spills is somewhat different and takes the form of a "Signal Suppression Mode". This means that the signal found is suppressed for 60 seconds and the tracker logs onto the second strongest signal. As with the Tracker 3, the "Big Picture" function can be used to get an overview of several transmitters. Unlike the Tracker 3, the Tracker S does not have a USB port for firmware updates and certain other device management options (e.g. self-test protocol). In addition, the motion-sensing auto revert function included with the Tracker 3 is not available with the Tracker S. The Auto Revert function uses a motion sensor to switch back to transmission after 60 seconds of inactivity in search mode.

The Tracker S is a relatively inexpensive option for beginners. Due to the less complex "Signal Suppression Mode" compared to the marking function of other manufacturers, the processor can concentrate on other things and the device is therefore "the fastest on the market" according to the manufacturer. Solving complex multiple burial scenarios is also possible with the "Signal Suppression Mode", but requires a little more practice.

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Pieps

Pieps has slightly overhauled its product range. The Micro and the DSP Sport remain unchanged. The DSP Pro will no longer be available. The corresponding new model is called Pro BT. The little brother of the Pro is the Powder BT. BT stands for Bluetooth (the Micro is also called Micro BT by its full name), and with the exception of the DSP Sport, the devices are now all Bluetooth-capable, so that you can manage the devices yourself with the help of an app.

The new BT models can be operated with lithium batteries, just like the Micro. The Pro BT has an analog mode (previously not available on the DSP Pro). Like the Micro, the Pro BT and Powder BT vibrate when first received. This is intended to support the searcher who is running around stressed during the signal search and may not immediately notice a weak acoustic signal or an indication on the display.

Another new feature is the extended group check on the Pro BT. The "normal" group check works as before with the DSP Pro by pressing the corresponding button when switching on. In addition, it is now possible to press the other button: not only is the transmission power of the transmitter to be checked, but also the frequency offset and the pulse duration. This is particularly relevant for very old devices.

Various additional functions can be set or adjusted via the corresponding app, which should be of particular interest to professional users (mountain guides, etc.). For example, it is possible to carry out scans with target setting.

The fact that the DSP Sport is still available for the time being, but the DSP Pro is not, is not for technical reasons, but is due to market policy considerations. At €300, the Powder BT is around €100 cheaper than the Pro BT, similar to the DSP Sport and DSP Pro in the past. The Micro BT is slightly cheaper than the Powder BT.

Black Diamond

Pieps has been part of Black Diamond for some time and now, for the first time, there are two avalanche transceivers under the Black Diamond label. The two models are called Guide BT and Recon BT and do not differ from the new Pieps models Pro BT and Powder BT apart from their names and colors.

Pieps Pro BT, Powder BT, Micro BT, DSP Sport (l.t.r.) — Pieps Pro BT, Powder BT, Micro BT, DSP Sport (l. to r.)

LH

Miscellaneous

Ortovox advertises a new shovel that is lighter and smaller than previous models. Recco installs its now very small and flexible reflectors as standard in the Powerstrap of Scarpa F1 ski touring boots, among other things. Pieps has overhauled its non-airbag backpacks.

To meet an urgent need, ATK now produces shovels and probes specifically for ski touring, where you have to carry these items but don't ever want to use them or unnecessarily weigh down your backpack. So it's only logical to make the shovel blade entirely out of carbon.

Advenate, the newly created parent company of Integrated Avalanche System, presented the prototype of the Hybrid Pro shovel, which has a probe integrated into the shaft. The shovel, probe and ski poles form the poles of a tent, which is supplied as a bivouac sack-like package. Pegs for use in the snow are also built into the shovel. The tent weighs 700g.

The probe/tent pole integrated into the shovel is 240cm long. The shovel style is 94cm long when extended and 47cm when retracted. The blade is also relatively large at 27x33cm. The shovel has a D-handle and a chopping function. Here, too, it will be interesting to see how the system proves itself in practice. The Hybrid Pro shovel has won an ISPO Gold Award - perhaps it really is particularly comfortable to bivouac on.

Hybrid Pro Tent System from Advenate — Hybrid Pro tent system from Advenate

LH

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This article has been automatically translated by DeepL with subsequent editing. If you notice any spelling or grammatical errors or if the translation has lost its meaning, please write an e-mail to the editors.

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ISPO Report 2018 | Ski

PowderGuide • 01/28/2018

The new products in the ski sector are very limited this year, as is the number of manufacturers still represented at ISPO. Amer Sports (Atomic, Salomon, Armada) was no longer at the trade fair this year and other companies are also exercising more and more restraint in terms of their stand presence.
ISPO Report 2017 | Avalanche safety equipment

Lea Hartl • 02/04/2017

BCA and Alpride now have similarly lightweight and small airbag systems as the other manufacturers. Some companies that previously bought in airbag systems for their own backpacks are taking them out of the range completely after winters with low sales. Mammut has completely redesigned Barryvox avalanche transceivers - one in the mid-price segment and one high-end device.