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Gear Review
Black Diamond AvaLung II
lung
By sage cattabriga-alosa
Ranked #53 - Avalanche Safety
April 1, 2009
The avalung is a great tool to help increase your chances of survival if caught in a avalanche. however, it should not be involved in a decisions making situation,ie; "well, this snow pack looks sketchy but Ive got my avalung so.. lets go". building it into the pack is a great way to decrease this impulse.
Unfortunately BD will not license the lung to other pack manufactures, or sell a version that could be attached to a existing backpack in an effort to direct consumers to buy their pack. Good marketing, but It would be a better gift to the backcountry community to offer it in multiple ways.
It is another great tool to have in the mountains and is a great innovation.
View Details: Black Diamond AvaLung II
Helpful Votes: 14 Yes
Change me.
8 Comments Last Reply: November 14, 2011 By: Hayden Beck
And if you do retro-fit it or buy a BD built in pack it can get ripped off you in a slide. this keeps it more secure on your body.
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
So, question here, In the event you are caught in a slide... Do you really want to live longer? If I were bieng thrown through trees and off of cliffs. I'm not quite sue I want to live longer. I think this is a very useful tool if you have buddies that can get you out in time but, maybe an airbag pack is more useful.
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
I wear mine under my pack. It's fine.
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
BD makes some great packs, but the stand alone is the better option. I have three different packs. One for sidecountry stuff, one for day tours, one for extended tours. If I were to buy a BD pack with an avalung for each of those scenarios, I would be spending about $300 to $400 more. If you buy the standalone you can use it with each pack and save quite a bit of money. Plus there are many instances where you take your pack off (to rest, to eat, to film, to shoot pics, etc.). If the avalung is part of the pack, and a slide happens, you don't have the avalung on anymore. If you buy the standalone, you're still wearing it.
Helpful Votes: 1 Yes
Good call Jack. How dare a private corporation try to make money from a product they paid to develop and advertise.
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
Sage, thanks for the good points, but let’s be clear… Things aren’t always what they seem. BD has definitely considered licensing the AvaLung to other pack companies, but honestly the list of companies that are ready to deal with the liability of Personal Protection Equipment is really short. Likewise, fitting the AvaLung to other packs just simply isn’t ideal from a performance standpoint and it has nothing to do with marketing. We live and breathe in Avy terrain just like the rest of the community and are only willing to put the BD brand on the safest, most proven gear, especially when it comes down to saving lives. For more detail on how the AvaLung works and references to the medical journal citations: www.blackdiamondequipment.com/avalung
Helpful Votes: 4 Yes
jack, couldn't you just put it under your backpack, yes, or no
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
Word to Sage. I don't like the BD packs. I'm still trying to figure out how to put mine into my old Dakine Heli Pro. BD just keeps flexin nuts to make money.
Helpful Votes: 5 Yes