It is always important to keep safe especially in the extreme outdoors such as the back country. Snow sports such as skiing and snowboarding are fun and adrenaline- boasting activities. However, one has to take the necessary precautions – you want to keep safe even when having the time of your life. It is essential to equip yourself with snow safety gear. I mean, aren’t you always at ease knowing that you are covered in case of any emergencies?
Even though, we hope that nothing goes wrong, it is smart to carry safety equipment with you to ensure you make it back safely in case of any trouble. I’ve listed below the 5 best snow safety gear in 2019 that you definitely should have with you out during the snow season. They guarantee your safety and help preserve that positive memory to bring back home with.
Backcountry Access Avalanche Beacon Snow Safety Gear
- What Makes This Snow Safety Gear Stand Out
- Two way communication avalanche beacon – transceiver and transmitter
- Minimal error signal interpretation multi-dimensional DTS transceiver
- Light indicting compass to easily spot your avalanche victim
- Numerical victim transmitter display
- Pin-point search loud speaker for visual clues
- Holster harness to allow easy removal of unit
- Lanyard to avoid loss of unit
Weight: 385g
Use: Backcountry skiing
Backcountry Access Stealth 270 Avalanche Probe Snow Safety Gear
- What Makes This Snow Safety Gear Stand Out
- Easy assembly with no loose cable to cause hang-ups
- Compact design for easy storage and carrying
- Durable and light-weight construction
- Laser-etched depth markings to measure snowpack
- Quick-probing to save time during rescue process
Weight: 310g
Use: Backcountry skiing
Swiss Safe Emergency Thermal Blankets Snow Safety Gear
- What Makes This Snow Safety Gear Stand Out
- 4-pack thermal blanket with bonus gold blanket
- Lightweight at 2 oz
- Durable 12 micron aluminized Mylar material
- Retains up to 90% body heat
- Water and weather-proof
- 100% money back guarantee
Weight: 56g
Use: Outdoor activities such hiking, skiing, etc
Backcountry Access B-1 Shovel Snow Safety Gear
- What Makes This Snow Safety Gear Stand Out
- Glove friendly and weather proof oval shaft for increased prying strength
- 10” blade
- Ergonomic grip handle
- Shaft end cap to prevent snow build-up on the inside
- Fits well in most ski packs
- Holes in the blade to help rig a rescue sled
- Collapsible length of 22” to 29”
Weight: 600 g
Use: Backcountry skiing
Backcountry Access Float 32 2.0 Avalanche Airbag Snow Safety Gear
- What Makes This Snow Safety Gear Stand Out
- Small and lighter that 1.0 float system
- Frameless and strong nylon construction with waterproof PU coating
- Hydration compatible
- 32L gear capacity with 4+ compartments & dual multi-gear loops
- 150litre air bag system
- Molded back panel
- Unisex
Weight: 3043 g with cylinder
Use: Backcountry skiing
How To Choose A Snow Safety Gear – Buying Guide
Where You Going
Packing the right snow safety equipment depends entirely on where you will be going. There are a number of different kinds of snow safety equipment ranging from first aid tools such as pain killers and thermal blankets to avalanche gear such as avalanche shovels and avalanche beacons.
It is wise to carry snow safety equipment when hiking, skiing, snowboarding or even when engaged in less active winter sports – just know what to carry. For some people especially beginners, it may be difficult to know exactly what to carry or you might have an idea without knowing what is essential equipment. An easy way to understand what to carry is going through snow safety gear reviews which most often offer a detailed guideline on such equipment and provide comprehensive guides on packing and buying the right gear.
Additionally, taking a short course before embarking on an activity is also a good idea – take a snowboarding or skiing course online or even at your ski resort to better equip yourself not only on mastering the port but also understanding on how to keep safe in the cold, extreme outdoors. An avalanche safety class goes all the way in equipping you with knowledge on what to do and have with you in case one occurs.
Who Are You Going With
Whether its family members or a group you joined, it is highly advised to go out in the outdoors for activities such as backcountry skiing or hiking with people. Activities such as backcountry skiing or winter hiking or trekking that require more familiarity and technique always requires one to have a guide who is familiar with the area as well as the activity.
It is safer to be in a group and to have a guide, because when you are in group, it is easy to get help during an emergency, when you get lost or when injured. You don’t want to be alone in the cold extreme outdoors!
How Long Are You Going To Be On The Snow
Generally, time spend out on the snow depends on the weather. Wind-chill is an excellent way to judge the conditions of your outdoor. If temperatures are 30 and below, it safer to remain indoors or if you choose to outdoors, do it with constant indoor breaks.
However, some activities such backcountry hiking will require spending time in the wilderness outdoors due to the nature of the activity. As such, your gear and clothing should be on point. Wear clothing that provides as much insulation, warmth and coverage, have your hiking shoes, snow safety tools, first aid supplies and enough food and water.
FAQs
Q: What Are The Top 3 Pieced Of Safety Equipment I Should Have All The Time?
The top 3 pieced safety avalanche gear to have all the time are avalanche shovels, avalanche beacons and probes. These are the best backcountry safety gear one can have when in the backcountry skiing, hiking or snowboarding.
An avalanche shovels is used to dig snow during a search and rescue efforts to try and locate a victim who is buried under an avalanche. Additionally, they are also used to check snow conditions before skiing a line.
An avalanche beacon is a transponder worn at all times when in the back country. When lost due to an accident or if you are covered by an avalanche, it sends off a signal of your location to rescuers. They can also be used to find others buried in the avalanche as well when in working mode (search-mode).
A probe is used for search and rescue effort to find buried victims of tan avalanche. Once a signal is received from a buried person’s beacon, the probe which can extend to 120 inches is used to find them in the snow.
Q: How Can I Keep My Kids Safe While On The Snow?
- Appropriately dress them in winter clothes – covering their extremities
- Keep exposure to the cold as minimal as possible – if it is the temperature is too low, they are better of indoors
- Always supervise them
- Regulate their activities and games
- Make them wear safety equipment such as helmets when sledding for example.
Q: What To Do In Case Of An Avalanche?
- Move perpendicular to it to avoid being caught up in the middle of it.
- Try to grab on to something strong and immobile such a large tree trunk.
- Swim with the valance current to void being buried under
- Hold one hand up so even if you are buried under, your rescuer can easily see you
- Stay calm and try to breathe normal so you can regulate the carbon dioxide build up before rescue
- Use your snow safety gear – deploy your airbag system, have your Avalung, always have on your beacon.
Globo Surf Overview
The best snow safety gear reviews above give an insight o the whole backcountry affair however, the key take on is to always keep yourself safe. Life is precious and as such, you need to equip yourself with knowledge before heading out to the backcountry and don’t forget to get yourself the best backcountry safety gear above.
Sources
- Backcountry Access Stealth 270 Avalanche Probe Snow Safety Gear, backcountryaccess.com
- Backcountry Access B-1 Shovel Snow Safety Gear, backcountryaccess.com