With the proliferation, development and increased availability of avalanche airbag packs over the past couple years, we take a look at two bags from Backcountry Access, the Float 30 and Float 36 in addition to featuring a few of BCA’s next year’s avy bag offerings. If you are considering getting an avalanche pack, this is a must read for you!
Before we delve into featuring these two new BCA packs, a word of warning: We at Earlyups believe snow safety is something to be taken very seriously. That said, we are not experts in the avalanche bag department. Although we’ve reviewed offerings currently on the market via showroom floors and online, we are nowhere near the level of competency as others out there such as the staff at WildSnow.com. Most of our experience with these bags is compared to run-of-the-mill daypacks (DaKine offerings for instance).
In addition, most of the backcountry stuff we do is around 1-4 hours (Teton Pass) and/or slackcountry offerings (such as out a gate at the JHMR). We also use heavy-ish alpine gear more often than not and are more likely to be found bootpacking something than found on long skinning-based ascents. We aren’t trying to say we don’t often ascend under our own power, we do, just not as much as the true BC guys like most at Wildsnow and TetonAT. We feel how the product is used is an important detail not to be overlooked. In addition, we don’t want to make it seem we are experts on something that we simply are not experts on. Even so, with that disclaimer out there, we felt a large portion of our audience may echo our skiing-background and be interested on our initial take on the packs, hence, this feature. Clear as mud? That’s what we thought…
Product Feature Table of Contents: This feature has a few components. For those looking to see just one part, this should help you scroll to exactly what you want to see.
- Overview of BCA and avalanche packs
- A detailed feature of the Float 30 and 36
- A short review of the Float 30
- Next years offerings from BCA.
Featured Product | BCA Float 30 and 36
Avalanche airbags have seemingly exploded onto the US scene over the past few months with good reason; the statistics behind airbags are startling (some studies claiming 90+% survival rate when deployed vs ~50% for a beacon). Although hardly new in Europe, the bags have been slow to come onto the market domestically. Now available from a variety of manufacturers including Mystery Ranch, ABS, Snowpulse, Backcountry Access and more, the objective of an airbag is to (hopefully) keep the skier on top in the event of a slide through increasing the footprint, or volume, of the victim. Confused? Go grab a box of cereal from your pantry, pull out the bag and look where the largest pieces reside, that’s right, at the top. These airbags are designed to work utilizing the same idea. In addition to increasing the total volume of the skier, they also help protect the skier by inflating the bag near crucial body parts (head, neck, back).
One of the newcomers on the avalanche airbag scene is Backcountry Access or BCA. The company released their first pack last year at a price point far below the competition and has since expanded their line to a total of three packs for 2011/2012: the 18L, the 30L and the 36L. All three packs feature the same single chamber 150L airbag that deploys via a 2600 PSI C02 cansiter activated via a “trigger” located on their right shoulder.
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Watch deployment and a video of the pack in use.
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On all three packs the “guts” of the system (regulator, canister etc) are kept closest to the back of the skier and housed in a plastic type frame to keep the skier from feeling any of the individual components while on his/her back.
Once deployed, simply stuff the bag into its compartment (no complicated folding/repacking instructions to follow) and refill the C02 canister most anywhere in the world (for around $20) and off you go.
How to repack, easy enough!
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BCA decided to go with standard Scuba fittings on their canister making them far more flexible (in the refilling department) than any of the other pack deployment systems out there. This also makes traveling with the pack much easier as all one needs to do is empty the canister, disclose the contents in the manor BCA has shown on their website, and refill it wherever you plan on skiing (again, finding a place should be easy). Although arguable that cost/ease of refilling would never cross the mind of a skier who believes he/she may be caught in a slide, it is worth noting that at $20 to refill in any just about any town out there, we aren’t going to have any qualms pulling the trigger at the first sign of a slide.
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The Packs
As noted above, BCA offers the packs in three size, the 36L, 30L and 18L. Although the lighter 18L makes makes sense for those doing sidecountry laps or shorter day trips, it is simply too small to fit everything most would bring on longer missions (extra layers, food, water, first aid kit, skins, camera etc), hence we are only looking at the 30L and 36L in this feature. (Editor’s Note: Many say they can fit the “bare essentials” in the 18, including skins. Might be a good option for those looking) Worth mentioning, we have tried on the 18L and must say, the weight is impressive, around 6.5lbs, (vs 8.0lbs for the 30/36) for an avalanche bag and according to BlisterReview.com you can fit more than one would think into such a small compartment. (For comparisons sake, a non-avalanche pack weighs between 2-3.5lbs)
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Float 30: The Float 30 debuted last year and was oriented more toward the sled crew as it lacked a true ski carry system. This year, the company added a ski carry system and updated the trigger handle. The pack specs are as follows:
- Weight: ~8.0lbs
- Torso Lengths: 17-22 inches
- Ski Carry: Diagonal
- Number of compartments: Main, Avalanche tools, goggles, probe, handle,
- Other: Hydration bladder compatible.
- Retail: $749.99
Main pocket
Main pocket with guts exposed (seperated by zipper/plastic shell)
Float 36:The 36 is new this season and is marketed towared guides, patrollers and those who are looking to carry more than average skier into the backcountry. When compared to the 30, the pack is more upright, not as wide and features a more rigid frame. The packs specs are as follows:
- Weight: ~8.0lbs
- Torso lengths: 17-22 inches
- Ski Carry: Vertical
- Number of Compartments: Main, Avalanche tools, goggles, prove, handle
- Other: Hydration bladder compatbile, internal frame
- Retail: $799.99
Main pocket, plenty of room
Accessing the guts from the back panel.
- The BCA strap connectors (specific to BCA) that keep your shovel handle and probe from falling out have come undone on many occasions resulting in a lost shovel handle at one point. We’d like to see something a bit more secure.
- The diagonal ski carry could use work. Bring the carry system closer to the skier (tilt the skis slightly forward) by bringing the strap higher on the pack. In addition, the strap often comes loose causing your skis to constantly shift on a hike. This will cause a person to go nuts!
- The shape could be a little more “normal”. (less square) The back could contour to the back a little better.
- The waist strap, although robust, could do a better job transferring weight to the hips.
- “Guts” have been reworked and are now transferable between bags. This means you can buy multiple bags and one set of guts and save money.
- Packs have been redesigned to carry weight better and fit a bit more normal
- Ski carry system completely redesigned.
- BCA is now naming the packs by how much they carry *after* the guts are in them. (20L means it can carry 20L, not 20L less the avy bag guts). This year’s packs were named after their total carrying capacity excluding guts (less accurate for obvious reasons).
- Lighter! This is the big one. The 20L (perfect size for 90% of our trips) will now weigh 5.5lbs and remain hundreds less than most of the competition. We expect this bag will sell out FAST.
- Steezy. Okay, I hate that word but the packs next year have some great color schemes to them.
