The Snowpulse Lifebag is available to rent from Chatter Creek this season. The price is $25 per day. If you wish to rent a Lifebag please complete our online booking form so that we can ensure a sufficient number of packs are available.

Lifebag represents a huge leap forward in avalanche safety technology. The Lifebag is the first legally transported avalanche airbag in Canada and aims to keep an avalanche victim on the surface, with their head up, while protecting them from trauma they may experience during an avalanche.

The Snowpulse Lifebag is a functioning backpack which contains a refillable compressed air cylinder and airbag within the shoulder straps. When a user is caught in an avalanche they deploy the airbag by pulling a rip cord located on the shoulder strap. Once deployed, the airbag inflates to 150L in the shape of a horseshoe around the users head and chest. This giant life jacket keeps an avalanche victim on the surface and helps to reduce trauma injuries to the head and chest area. And yes, it has been tested, and yes it does work.

In fact it works extremely well. Statistics presented at the International Snow Science Workshop gave avalanche victims wearing an airbag a 93% chance of survival, compared to only a 63% chance of survival for those wearing only traditional safety equipment. Furthermore there have been over 150 documented cases of avalanche victims wearing an airbag, deploying it, and ending up on the surface.

The backpack itself is a fully functioning, relatively lightweight backpack which comes in 2 volume sizes for the winter of 2012-13. Having the airbag contained within the shoulder straps provides for an ergonomic fit, as well there are back ventilation channels. The system is easily refilled, repacked, and reused if deployed for training purposes or in a real environment.