Avalanche airbags have proven to be a game-changer when it comes to winter backcountry safety because they’re designed to keep the user above the snow in the event of a slide — and that can make the difference between survival and certain doom. That being said, between their oft-used electric fans and their bulky battery setups, they can wind up being pretty unwieldy pieces of gear.
But with the launch of Aerosize’s ‘Vest ONE’ — the world’s first certified avalanche airbag vest — you can now arm yourself with some necessary protection in a considerably smaller package. That’s because it utilizes an innovative deployment mechanism in which gas cartridges first inflate the central chamber and outside air is subsequently drawn in to fill the remaining volume. As such, the hardware itself has been made markedly more compact than traditional backpack designs, encircling your neck and fastening under the arms much like a life preserver. In fact, it’s also cross-compatible with a standard backpack — meaning you can wear both at the same time. And since it meets TÜV SÜD equipment standards, it even expands to its requisite 174L capacity. It’s available now for $900 at the link below.
