Editor’s Choice: Db Snow Pro Vest 8L with Safeback SBX
This article originally appeared on Outside
Weight: 4 lbs. 0.2 oz
Size: Unisex, one size
Dimensions: 22 x 10 x 3 in. (vest)
Pros: Mitigates asphyxiation
Cons: Mesh pocket can fill up with snow on deep days
In 2018, Norwegian company Safeback discovered that the porous structure of snow allows air to be pushed through it by pumping in new air. This led to a research grant to explore incorporating this concept into snow safety technology. While avalanche airbags aim to keep victims on top of the snow, Safeback wanted to develop a way to avoid asphyxiation underneath the snow--the cause of 75 percent of avalanche deaths--while awaiting rescue. Five years later, the brand has integrated SBX, a lithium battery-powered fan system, into a ski and snowboard vest made by Norwegian backpack and luggage company, Db. A first of its kind, the fan is triggered with a T-shaped handle, and pumps clean, oxygenated air from the back of the vest to the buried victim's air pocket around their face through mesh tubes, all while pushing out exhaled carbon dioxide. According to the company, this process is supposed to extend the survival window from the typical 15 minutes to up to 90 minutes.
Safeback submitted the SBX to an independent testing group that monitored oxygen saturation in 30 fully buried test subjects in a double/single blind study (the results will be coming out in fall 2023). The brand also gave units to the Norwegian Special Forces and School of Winter Warfare, who looked for every way to break them under extreme stress, going as far as shooting the lithium AA batteries with guns to see if they would ignite (they didn't).
Those batteries--chosen for higher performance than rechargeables in cold temperatures--have a shelf life of seven years, are lighter than alkalines, and swap out with easy-to-carry replacements for multi-day missions where multiple deployments could drain them. The system is rated down to negative 22 degrees Fahrenheit, the same as Alpride and Jetforce electric airbag systems, and it's always ready to deploy so you don't have to remember to turn it on.
Our Jackson-based tester, Will Howard, put Db/Safeback's new concept to use while skiing numerous laps in Granite Canyon on stormy, clear, and powder days, some in temperatures well below zero. "I was grateful for the easy access storage and large pockets on the front of the vest," he said. "It made accessing gear such as sunglasses for short hikes super easy and quick. When the vest is fully loaded with avalanche rescue gear, it rides very well even on a chairlift, and fits comfortably with less movement restriction than a backpack." Howard appreciated the vest's tighter center of gravity when blasting through moguls and when railing powder turns on his snowmobile, both of which felt much more natural and maneuverable than they would with a pack extending from his body. Testers also lauded the cinch design on the sides that kept the vest snug to their bodies. The beacon-sized pump unit was barely noticeable, although some found the airflow tubes running along the shoulders to be slightly uncomfortable.
Most vests, including the Snow Pro, come with vertical board and diagonal ski carry features, but most vests are also only designed for men. The strap-adjustable Snow Pro is truly one size fits all and unisex, with an angled cut that comes up high in the back and allows anyone from petite to rotund to sit down without fabric hanging over their butt. Looking good and feeling comfortable are important factors in people's decision to wear the vest, which could save their life.
Although not meant to fully replace airbag backpacks, which are necessary for deep backcountry days when avalanche danger is high, the Snow Pro Vest is about half the weight and price and fills a crucial gap for resort and mechanized skiing in terrain with avalanche and treewell burial risk. Vests with airbags and avy tool compartments are already common in resorts all over Europe and are becoming popular in U.S. and Canadian resorts, where gate-accessed sidecountry terrain necessitates a way to carry avalanche rescue gear, skins, and snacks, but not multiple layers and other items that demand a full pack. However, none of these vests have the fan-powered technology that the Snow Pro Vest does.
"North America sees an average of four tree well deaths a year, with two in Colorado alone last year," says Hunter Nordhauser, senior designer at Db who had lost several friends and colleagues to avalanches before developing this vest. "Where avalanche accidents often result from breakdowns in decision making, treewells can just be hard to see before you're buried in one, upside down and suffocating. This vest can keep you supplied with air, adding valuable time for you to be rescued."
Bottom line: Best for sidecountry skiers in big terrain who want an extra lifeline when carrying their safety gear without needing a cumbersome backpack
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