Arva Switch Ride 18L & Tour 32L Review

The Arva Switch Ride 18L & Tour 32L is a compressed air canister airbag. It features a modular system that includes both an 18 and 32-liter backpack that can easily zip onto the back panel with an interlocking zipper system. The compressed air is stored in a small, lightweight carbon canister, which sits along the middle of the back panel of the pack, maximizing space and riding comfort.

Performance Comparison

Utility

It's interesting considering the utility of this unique airbag package – it's essentially two packs in one, and the shortcomings of one are often addressed by the other. The rescue gear pocket on the 18-liter Ride version is slim and a bit hard to access due to a small zipper opening, and it would be tough to fit a larger shovel blade in this module, especially without having to wrestle it in and out. However, the larger, 32-liter Tour pack module has a much bigger pocket, and also includes a double ice axe carry and diagonal ski carry. With how the pack is designed, both models have two entry points to the main compartment and zip all the way down for full access. There's a small gear stash pocket up top for essentials, and both packs have a hip belt pocket for quick access items.

One small complaint with both pack modules is that the helmet carry is incredibly small — much smaller than on any other airbag pack we tested. We understand that this is likely to keep the overall weight down, but we were afraid that even our lightweight, dual-certified ski mountaineering helmet would pop out, let alone a full-size ski helmet. Additionally, we didn't love the waist belt strap and found it hard to cinch down properly without ending up lopsided.

Airbag System

Though the industry has progressed, for the most part, past compressed air to high-tech supercapacitor fan systems, the Arva Switch features a carbon canister compressed air system that still works quite well. Even though it must be refilled after each use, the system is thoughtfully designed and intuitive to set up. For maximum riding comfort, the canister is aligned down the center of the pack, over your spine, rather than on one side, making for a much more balanced pack. Not only is the canister itself smaller than standard stainless-steel tanks, but the carbon construction cuts a few grams, too. Aside from the trigger handle sticking out, we hardly remembered we were even wearing an airbag when skiing.

All that said, compressed air canisters, in general, aren't our favorite airbag system or the most advanced technology available. With a canister pack, the airbag inflates quickly but also deflates more quickly than its fan counterparts. If the airbag itself rips, a canister bag will deflate, whereas a fan will continue to blow air. This is a consideration if you ski somewhere with a lot of rocks and trees that may rip your airbag in the event of an avalanche. Lastly, canisters are a bit more challenging to travel with – you'll have to consider how to empty and refill them, even for domestic airline travel.

Weight

Surprisingly, the Arva Switch comes within a couple of ounces of the lightest packs in our lineup, with the Tour 32L module being one of the lightest airbag packs over 30 liters. Many factors help keep this pack lightweight, from narrower cinch straps, to lighter weight material on the larger pack, and micro-sized helmet carry. Neither pack module is feature-laden, and both are among the simplest packs we tested.

Still, they get the job done and include all the important details we look for in an airbag pack – primarily a ski carry, helmet carry, stash pocket, hip belt pocket, and an adjustable fit. There are not many ways that Arva could shave more weight off of this pack system without sacrificing riding comfort or important features. In our assessment, they hit the mark by striking the right balance between functionality and weight.

Comfort

Arva put some thought into how well both of these packs will carry, especially how well they'll feel on the ride down. As we mentioned, the air canister sits right along your midline for optimal weight distribution, keeping this pack well-balanced rather than bouncing around on the downhill. When we could keep our kit light, the Arva Switch was super comfortable touring, bootpacking with our skis on our back, and, most importantly, skiing downhill.

The smaller, 18-liter pack is more notably comfortable than the larger one, which makes sense. When you're carrying a smaller pack, you're invariably carrying less weight, and the weight is closer to your body and less likely to swing around. But, the smaller pack is also made with a thicker exterior fabric that seems to keep its contents in place a bit better than the Tour 32L, which is made from a bit thinner material (presumably to cut weight).

Features

The biggest strength of this pack – and the coolest feature – is that it's not just one pack, but two! In a matter of a few seconds, you can zip each pack module on and off the base unit via two interlocking zippers at the bottom of the pack. These zippers are protected on both packs by a velcro guard, ensuring that they don't accidentally zip apart while you're on the go. Swapping the pack system is very intuitive, and it's an intelligent concept to get the most use out of your avalanche airbag pack.

Neither pack module is robustly featured to keep weight to a minimum, though they both have everything you need to carry essential backcountry gear. This system is best for someone who is primarily looking for a smaller, simpler pack for day touring but who also wants a larger pack every once in a while, say for a once-a-season hut trip.

Though a bit of an afterthought, we do like the exterior look of the 18 L Ride pack better than the 32 L Tour pack. The thicker fabric on the smaller pack will likely offer better durability over time, which also speaks to using the 18L more often than the 32L module.

Should You Buy the Arva Switch?

If you're looking for maximum versatility and a solid all-in-one package for all types of skiing and riding, the Arva Switch Ride and Tour is ideal. This pack system is a solid option if you're mostly skiing lift-accessed backcountry or doing quick tours and can get away with a smaller pack most of the time. While we can't quite call it a bargain, you still get a lot of bang for your buck with this pack system.

What Other Avalanche Airbag Pack Should You Consider?