Thoughts on the AvaLung

[dawumyster]

Hello everyone! I have not gone skiing yet but it is definitely on my bucket list

I am a student that is conducting a senior redesign project for my University. We were assigned the Avalung as the product to improve. I was wondering if any of you have had experience with this device and would like to help some engineering students out for karma. At the moment, we're looking at something along the lines of a 10-20 minute online interview to an "articulated use session", most likely over skype. I'm aware that this product was recently recalled due to cracking on the plastic tubes.

Thanks so much for your help!

Really wants to go skiing,
Bill

 

[Nick]

Hey Bill,

Thanks for joining up, sounds like a cool project. I'm haven't personally used the Avalung but it seems very useful nowadays. Last time I went real backcountry skiing was early 2000's when I went heliskiing in Canada, and at that time the only avi gear we carried were transponders and beacons. Nowadays they have avalungs and also the inflatable backpacks. There was a post here a few months ago about an avalanche survivor, with an accompanying youtube video.



Here's another pretty good thread about Avi gear:
http://www.alpinezone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98791&highlight=avalanche

I'm sure others have much more knowledge about this gear.

When your done with your redesign, you should A) tell us what you did to improve it and B) get a job at Black Diamond!

 

[snowmonster]

Since this is a board dedicated to eastern skiing, you probably won't get as much comments on the avalung as you would on a more western skiing oriented forum. Just saying.

 

[Edd]

Since this is a board dedicated to eastern skiing, you probably won't get as much comments on the avalung as you would on a more western skiing oriented forum. Just saying.

Agreed so here's a couple to try:

http://www.epicski.com/

and...these guys are wicked nice

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/

good luck

 

[snowmonster]

I thought about this some more and here's an ides: an avalung integrated into the ski jacket.

Avalungs come in two styles: an independent system that comes without a pack and one that comes integrated into a pack. Why not have one that is built into a jacket? Avalungs are built mainly for avy situations. However, they can also come in useful for non-avalanche situations such as tree-well burials (or NARSID: Non-Avalanche Related Snow Immersion Death). Most inbounds skiers won't wear a pack. However, if they venture into trees or go beyond the ropes, an avalung may buy them some time if they get inverted in a tree-well. The tube can pass underneath the garment and up the collar so that the skier can bite into it before venturing into the woods. The exhaust and air collector can be located in the back of the jacket and the CO2 an be expelled out the back just like in a regular avalung device.

If you can eliminate the Darth Vader noise the avalung makes when you breath into it, you will have my thanks.

Good luck with your project. Send me the finished product.