How to Choose an Avalanche Airbag Pack
The right avalanche airbag pack is the one that fits your back, carries what your day demands, and that you will wear on every trip. This guide covers how airbags work, how to choose between systems and sizes, and the answers to the questions people ask most often.
An airbag pack is essentially a rucksack with a large balloon built into it. Pull the trigger handle in an avalanche and it inflates in seconds, helping keep you near the surface. It is a backup, not a substitute for good decisions: you still need a transceiver, shovel and probe, training, and a partner who carries the same.
How airbags work, and how well
An airbag keeps you higher in the moving snow, so you are less likely to be deeply buried. It works through "inverse segregation": in a moving mass of particles, larger objects rise to the top. Inflating 150 to 200 litres of air makes you a much larger object.
The best-known study (Haegeli et al., 2014, Resuscitation) found deployed airbags roughly halved mortality among people caught in serious avalanches, from about 22% to 11%. Figures are approximate. The same research found around 1 in 5 airbags were not deployed, mostly because the user did not pull the handle in time.
What an airbag cannot do:
- Protect you from trauma: hitting trees and rocks, or being carried over cliffs
- Help in terrain traps such as gullies, where debris piles deep
- Work if you don't pull the handle. Practise reaching for it until it is automatic.
Inflation systems: electric vs gas cartridge
Every pack in our range is now electric, using Lithium Ion batteries or supercapacitors rather than gas cartridges. Barring the most die-hard Scottish skiers we assume that most of our customers fly to the Alps, that is the deciding advantage. Gas packs are lighter and cheaper, but harder to travel with and costly to practise with.
|
|
Electric (supercapacitor) |
Gas cartridge |
|---|---|---|
|
Practice deployments |
Unlimited, free |
Each costs a refill |
|
Flying |
Generally accepted; no cartridge |
Airline approval needed; cartridges often bought or filled on arrival |
|
Multiple deployments |
Yes, without refilling |
One per cartridge |
|
Cold performance |
Down to -30°C on both Facewest systems |
Reliable |
|
Weight |
Heavier |
Lighter |
|
Upkeep |
Charge before trips |
Weigh, refill, inspect |
The two systems Facewest stocks:
- Ortovox LiTRIC. Charges fully in about 25 minutes via USB-C. At least two activations per charge, about 60 hours of standby when switched on, works from -30°C to +45°C. Test it as often as you like. Its zip-on system lets one airbag base take different pack bodies.
- Mammut Alpride E2. Supercapacitor and turbine fan, charged via micro-USB or two AA batteries. AA batteries charge it in under an hour, so you can recharge in the field. Holds charge down to -30°C. Allows multiple deployments, so you can test-fire before each trip.
Choosing size, fit and features
Pick the volume for how you ski, then make sure the back length fits. A pack that fits is one you will actually wear.
|
Volume |
Best for |
|---|---|
|
18–22L |
Lift-accessed off-piste, short sidecountry laps |
|
26–30L |
Day touring, freeride with a hike |
|
36–40L |
Long days, hut-to-hut, ski mountaineering with rope and crampons |
What else to check:
- Back length. Mammut's Haldigrat 30 comes in S/M (back length up to 43.5cm) and M/L. Ortovox "Short" packs use a shortened back system for smaller users. Ask Facewest if you are between sizes.
- Weight. Packs here range from 1,970g (Ortovox Zero 27) to 2,830g (Freeride 28). Lighter matters most on long ascents.
- Access. Back-panel or full-length zips let you reach kit without unloading the pack in the snow.
- Safety compartment. A separate pocket keeps shovel and probe instantly reachable.
- Carry options. Diagonal ski carry, snowboard or splitboard straps, ice axe loops and rope holders.
- Leg strap. All the packs here have one; it stops the pack being torn off. Always fasten it.
- Deployment Handle. Choose a side that suits you; Mammut's handle is height-adjustable and fits left or right.
Flying with an airbag pack
Electric packs are the easiest to fly with because there is no pressurised cartridge. Ortovox says LiTRIC has no cartridge-related travel restrictions, and Mammut describes Alpride E2 as safe to fly with.
Before you go:
- Check your airline's dangerous-goods page; some ask you to declare avalanche airbags or carry the manufacturer's flight statement.
- Switch the system off and secure the handle so it can't be pulled in transit.
- Pack it as hand luggage if the airline allows, so it isn't thrown about in the hold.
- Bring the charging cable (USB-C for LiTRIC; micro-USB or two AA batteries for E2).
Frequently asked questions
Do avalanche airbags actually work? Yes, when deployed. Research suggests they roughly halve the risk of dying for someone caught in a serious avalanche. They cannot prevent trauma or deep burial in terrain traps.
Do I need an airbag if I have a transceiver, shovel and probe? They do different jobs. Transceiver, shovel and probe help others dig you out; an airbag helps keep you from being buried. Treat an airbag as an addition to that kit, never a replacement.
Is an airbag pack worth the money? If you ski off-piste or tour regularly, most guides and mountain professionals now consider one standard kit. Spread over several seasons, it costs less than a lift pass per year.
Electric or gas: which is better? Electric suits most UK skiers: free practice, multiple deployments and simpler flights. Gas packs are lighter and cheaper but cost money every time you test them.
What size airbag pack do I need? 18–22L for lift-served freeride, 26–30L for day touring, 36–40L for long tours and ski mountaineering. Fit matters as much as volume.
How heavy are airbag packs? The packs on Facewest weigh 1,970g to 2,830g including the airbag, roughly 1–1.5kg more than a standard pack.
Can I take an airbag pack on a plane? Generally yes with electric systems such as LiTRIC and Alpride E2. Always check your airline's rules first.
How many times can I deploy it? LiTRIC gives at least two activations per charge. Alpride E2 allows one deployment per charge. Both can be recharged and practised with as often as you like.
Can I use it in very cold weather? Yes. Both systems are rated down to -30°C.
Do airbags work for snowboarders and splitboarders? Yes. Choose a pack with snowboard or splitboard carry, such as the Mammut Haldigrat or Ortovox LiTRIC Tour range.
Can I put the airbag in a different pack? With Ortovox LiTRIC, yes: zip-on pack bodies from 18L to 40L fit the same airbag base. Mammut E2 packs are fixed.
When should I pull the handle? As soon as you realise you are caught. Hesitation is the main reason airbags go undeployed.
Care and buying checklist
Look after the airbag and practise with it at the start of every season.
- Fully charge the system before each trip and check the status display.
- Do a test deployment each season; refold the airbag exactly as the manual shows.
- Dry the pack after use and store it somewhere cool and dry.
- Follow the manufacturer's service intervals; contact Facewest if anything looks damaged.
Before you buy:
- Volume matches how you ski (freeride, day touring, multi-day)
- Back length fits: S/M, M/L or Ortovox Short
- Carries your skis, board or splitboard
- Separate pocket for shovel and probe
- Handle side and height feel natural
- Weight acceptable for your longest climb
- Not sure? Call Facewest for sizing advice
