Fall 2012 ABS Technology

are accessing avalanche terrain each year (“Backcountry”, “Sidecountry” and “Slackcountry”)

Better

equipment enables bolder exploration
Steeper slopes (30 to 45 slope angle – 38 is prime avalanche terrain!!)
Further from rescue
NOT BURIED BURIED
95% survive 34% survive
50% not buried

5% die from Trauma 66% die
50% totally buried 80% from full burial
20% from trauma

80%
after 30 Minutes: ca 40%
After 45 Minuten: ca 30%
After 60

Minuten: ca 25%
After 90 Minuten: ca 20%

Average time needed of professional rescue

Survival changes in %

needs to be increased to avoid foundering back into the

snow
without ABS with ABS

with expertise in airbag technology

Been in business since 1985

#1 worldwide

supplier of avalanche airbag packs

The North Face is FIRST GLOBAL partnership for ABS

262 deployments – 254 survived (97% survival rate)*





* Data from Swiss Avalanche Institute

on his shoulders
frequently avalanches were unleashed
He discovered an unexpected buoyancy

effect through the additional volume of the deer he was carrying
This discovery lead to the first experimental versions of floating devices

HOHENESTER‘S self-experiments
in the 70s

a backpack
Weight: 8.8 lbs


ISPO 1985: FIRST ABS ON THE MARKET

be increased to stay on top of an avalanche
2.2

lbs loose avalanche snow = volume of 2.5 litres of water
2.2 lbs human body = volume of 1.03 litres water

220 lbs loose avalanche snow = volume of 250 litre
220 lbs human body = volume of 103 litre
difference = 147 litre

Float for Winter ‘10/’11

Other Systems:
Black Diamond Avalung Series
All Avalung versions

outsell non-Avalung packs in BD line
“Hope Extender”

84
Snowboard - 29
Climb - 27
Snowshoe - 17

Fatalities

(by TNF territory – ’99-’09)
Rockies - 216
West - 93
East / NE 6 (even NY had 1)
Midwest 1 (No. Dakota)
Total: 316