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The main obstacle for a successful rescue is when the burial
depth is one meter or more. Often the time it takes to shovel
these victims out of such snow depths exceeds their survival
time. Therefore it is absolutely vital to prevent a burial as good
as possible. One pull of the activation handle and within seconds
the ABS Avalanche Airbag provides the physical prerequisites
for this to happen.
The moving snow
flushes large volume
objects to the sur-
face. If these objects
have a smaller
dimensional weight
then the surroun-
ding snow, they will
stay at the surface.
The additional airbag volume of 170 liters helps that you will stay
on top of the moving snow. The weight, shape as well as the
attachment of the airbags, also contribute to this. A large surface
area combined with a flexible attachment that fits close to the
body convert the flow force into buoyancy. The ABS Avalanche
Airbag System has already prevented hundreds of snow enthusi-
asts from being buried.
7. Maintenance
7.1 Self check
• The ABS Avalanche Airbag is maintenance free if the following
points are observed.
• Unfold both airbags at least once a year. We also recommend
a yearly practice activation, preferably at the beginning of the
season. The activation can easily be practiced on a safe site.
• Check the release valve in the black suction and release unit.
Push the red button several times. It has to completely click
back into place each time.
• Inspect the condition of the backpack straps, buckles, airbag
compartments and Velcro closures on a regular basis.
• Check whether the puncturing unit which holds the cartridge
is free of dirt
• The activation handle should easily fit into the coupler. You
can add a drop of ABS oil to the coupler if you have problems
removing the handle. A sample tube of ABS oil is included and
can be ordered from ABS.
• Make sure that the full cartridge is screwed in tightly each time
before using the ABS Avalanche Airbag.
7.2 Post-avalanche check
Every use can negatively affect the material. Often the damage
is not visible with the naked eye. We therefore recommend
sending the ABS-backpack and empty cartridge to your service
centre for a prophylactic inspection. Please send the filled out
questionnaire to be used for statistical analysis of avalanche
accidents to us or the Swiss avalanche institute (see item 5.4).
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