The Best Avalanche Airbag Review

Before reading this review, check out our article How To Choose an Avalanche Airbag to get buying advice and learn how airbags work.

Or, if you prefer a visual example of how airbags work, check out the movie below:



Airbag Systems
ABS and The North Face (who license ABS technology) is our top pick as far as airbag systems go. The ABS system packs are the only airbag packs to use two airbags to keep the wearer on the surface. These two airbags total 170L of volume, greater than all the other non-ABS packs which feature a single 150L bag. The two airbags also give you a certain level of redundancy in case one doesn't inflate or is punctured; at least you have a single 85L bag. For this, you pay an extra $200-$500 over the non-ABS systems we tested.

The Snowpulse "LifeBag" technology is our next favorite. It wraps around the users head to help prevent trauma. While this technology is debated as to how much it could actually help you, it sure looks like it couldn't hurt.

The RAS and BCA airbags offer the advantage of being removable – you can transfer them to different packs.

Comfort and Fit
There was no clear-cut winner for overall comfort. Most medium and taller testers really like the BCA Float 32. Smaller women and shorter and narrower-shouldered guys may favor the Mammut Ride RAS 30. The North Face Patrol 24 was also a top pick for its both its sizes among both these user groups.

Pack Features and Useablity
Tee ABS Vario series is cool because you can buy one base unit and then zip on several after-market volume packs and styles. The Vario line from ABS pack designs are solid but not outstanding. They are very modular, which is awesome, and are manufactured in 40, 25, 18, and 15-liter zip-on options. But they aren't quite as user friendly as many other packs we tested, such as the BCA Float 32. You can buy after-market zip-on packs for the ABS Base unit from Mystery Ranch, Arva, Evoc, Millet, Rossignol, and Da Kine, with more and more arriving every year. We also liked the designs of the BCA Float 32 and the North Face Patrol 24, with the Mammut Ride RAS 30 being every so slightly behind because its safety gear pocket could be just a little bigger.


Weight
At 5 lbs 3 oz The Snowpulse Lite 35 is by far the lightest pack we tested, being over a pound lighter than the next lightest airbag pack, the BCA Float 32 and two pounds lighter than the similar volume ABS Vario 40. We think the Lite 35 is best for folks who want the lightest airbag pack the can get and are not that hard on their gear. The Lite 35 achieves some of its weight savings from reduced features, but also from using lighter weight materials that were light enough that we thought the life bag had substantially decreased durability. On the flip side, the Vario as the heaviest pack in our review with its quiver of zip-on affordable options, offers the most versatility.

Editors' Choice
For the Editors' Choice award there wasn't a runaway favorite. Each airbag pack we tested offered some unique advantages and each had drawbacks. In the end we decided to give the award to the ABS Vario 40 because it uses the best airbag safety system. Instead of using one 150L bag like most airbag packs we tested, it uses two airbags totally 170L offering some redundancy and greater float. While we thought the ABS Vario pack design was good, it wasn't excellent. We loved that you could zip different volumes and styles of packs onto the same base unit for only an additional $125-$200 per pack.


Best Buy
We gave the Outdoor Gear Lab Best Buy award to the Float 32 because it is a $100-$500 less than any other airbag pack on the market, yet nearly our favorite pack. We thought the Float 32 was super well designed, one of the lighter airbag packs in our review and is also one of the bigger volume packs we tested. It is great for guides, outdoor professional or for skiers and snowboarders who want a bigger pack for all-day tours or light overnight adventures. The Float 32 also comes with a ton of other rad features, like a fleece-lined goggle pocket, mesh helmet carrier, and twin ice axe holders. The only possible down side to the Float is that only comes in one size and tends to only fit broader shouldered, taller folks between 5'7 and 6'4", depending on torso length.