Review: Db Snow Pro Vest 8L with Safeback SBX Avalanche Survival System

Powder aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

In a Nutshell

Safeback’s SBX system offers a new tool for avalanche survival that integrates cleanly into Db’s Snow Pro Vest.

• Stated Capacity: 8 L

• Pockets: 3

• Features:

• Weight: 1982 g

• Size Tested: One size fits all

Learn more about the Safeback SBX System here.

Intro

Safeback made a bit of a stir on the tradeshow circuit last year with its integrated fan and tube air delivery system, and going into this winter, packs from Db and Bergans that integrate the technology are now available to the general public. I’ve spent the last few weeks playing around with and skiing in Db’s Snow Pro Vest that integrates the Safeback SBX system, so this is a bit of a review in two parts. First: A deep dive on the SBX system, and second, a review of the vest it’s integrated into.

How the Safeback SBX works

Way back when I took my Avy 1, my instructor shared a slide with an illustration of the Swiss Cheese effect and ever since I’ve subconsciously applied that model to how I think of avalanche risk mitigation. There are so many layers of decision making and choices that lead to either a favorable (fun, safe backcountry skiing) or a tragic (avalanche fatality) outcome. Our job as backcountry users is to be thoughtful and considered at each step of that decision tree in order to minimize risk. That way, a mistake at one level hopefully won’t cascade down. Instead it will be mitigated by good choices elsewhere.

Read the report. Are you even going to head out into the backcountry today? If so, what slope angle, aspect, and elevation of skiing are you going to seek out? Best case, you choose wisely, and nothing moves. If something moves, is your beacon on, did you do a check at the trailhead? Do you have an avalanche airbag that could decrease your chances of being fully buried? Do you have partners who are ready to quickly perform a rescue? Safeback’s SBX system is designed to add another layer to that system, not replace any existing precautions.

If the earlier slices of cheese fail and you’re buried, the SBX system pulls air from the snowpack and delivers it to your mouth and nose. It uses a high-powered fan to pull air from a special mesh vented panel on your pack, and pushes it, via two hoses to other mesh panels close to your airway on the upper chest and shoulders of the pack. Safeback says the system pushes 2 liters of supplemental air per minute, and will run for at least 90 minutes at temperatures as low as -22° F.

Safeback has done a bunch of in-house testing, as well as submitting their system to a peer-reviewed independent medical trial. They estimate that it could make a difference in about 65% of avalanche fatalities, claiming that 10% of buried people are unable to breathe, regardless of the system, and 25% experience fatal trauma in the slide.

Safeback doesn’t explicitly push this, but I think there’s potential for the SBX system to be a valuable tool for skiers inbounds in areas with high risk for treewell immersion and suffocation as well.

If you’ve been paying attention to avalanche safety devices for a minute, the SBX system is reminiscent of Black Diamond’s old Avalung. However, the big challenge of the Avalung, which Julie Brown pointed out here, was that for it to be effective you needed to ski with the tube in your mouth, and then also make sure it stayed there during the traumatic and chaotic event of an avalanche. Safeback removes that barrier by delivering air as close to your airway as possible, passively, instead of requiring you to actively breathe through the hose.

I will fully admit to being an Avalung skeptic. It felt like a placebo tool, a piece of gear you could flaunt, but that most folks weren’t using in a way that made any real difference to their safety. But the SBX system is a lot cleaner, and a lot more compelling.

SBX Hardware

The SBX system uses a classic T-handle trigger, like we’re used to seeing on avalanche airbags. In fact, Safeback says that they can easily run both an airbag and their system off the same handle, for folks who want both forms of protection in the same pack. The outlet hoses are very simple, mesh filtered affairs, and the motor and battery housing is compact at 14.7 x 4.8 x 10.7 cm. The whole thing is powered by six AA batteries. Safeback says you need to use Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries, since they provide the best performance in cold temperatures.

That motor and battery housing lives in a special foam and mesh pocket, anchored with velcro inside the pack. That pocket is connected to another mesh vent on the outside of the pack that allows the system to draw air out of the snowpack. Apparently, it’s also able to pull air from inside the pack, through that special foam pocket, in case the outside vent is blocked. So if you have a tuna sandwich back there, prepare for some stinky but potentially life-saving air.

All in, Safeback says that the entire system weighs 520 g and takes up .75 liters of space in your pack. You can fly with it in your carry-on or checked luggage.

In Use

“Reviewing” avalanche safety products is always a challenging endeavor. Most of my energy every winter is spent doing my absolute best to make sure that I don’t actually need to use a product like the Safeback SBX in earnest. And our minimal snowpack, and my lack of fanatical dedication to this job, meant that I didn’t have a partner bury me with the fan running to find out how well I could breath.

In addition, there are an infinite number of hypothetical “what ifs.” What if you’re buried with your head turned far away from those panels? What about ice masks? What if you kink a hose? But every form of avalanche protection has those what-ifs. The goal isn’t to make something perfect, something that eliminates all risk. Instead, we want to plug as many holes in the Swiss cheese as possible and up your chances of survival, since that’s the best any one product can do.

I’m used to being a little paranoid about airbag trigger handles. I have the most experience with canister-based systems so I’m always worried about a premature deployment that leaves my airbag blown, my canister empty, and me embarrassed. The Safeback system has none of those downsides. Worst case you pop it when you don’t mean to, and the fan hums, and a cool breeze caresses your cheeks until you can turn it off.

The user interface is simple, if not quite intuitive. Sliding the only switch turns the system on, it performs a self-check, the fan hums, LEDs blink, and you’re ready to go skiing. Once you activate the system, you need to do a short and then long slide of the switch to turn it off. Read the instructions. Remember that sequence, so that you don’t find yourself in a lift line trying to pull the batteries out to get it to shut off. Overall, it’s easier to use than most avalanche airbags I’ve tried. And it does deliver a noticeable amount of air close to your face. I’m intrigued to see the results of the medical study, which haven’t yet been made available, but intuitively, it feels good, like it would help in an avalanche situation.

The system feels carefully designed and well-integrated to the pack. And it takes up much less room, and weight (about half as much as the lightest electronic airbags) in your pack. It feels less obtrusive than any other avalanche safety pack I’ve used. I’d love to see it integrated into more lightweight mountaineering packs, and can’t help wondering if there’s a way to integrate it into a full-face helmet for motorized backcountry users.

The Db Snow Pro Vest 8L

For now, the Safeback SBX system is only available in two packs, a 40 L pack from Bergans, and the 8 L Snow Pro Vest I used. I’m a fan of the SBX system, and a big fan of vests for lift-accessed backcountry skiing, so I was interested to see how the Snow Pro worked on snow.

It’s one of the more minimalist vests I’ve used. It’s way less featured (and much lighter) than the Arva vest I reviewed last year or the WhatVests friends use. That’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, I really like the minimalist, lightweight, comfortable feel of this vest. It feels sturdy without being overbuilt, and is noticeably less warm and constricting than other vests I’ve worn. But that does come at a price. It only has the two large front pockets and a single back pocket with slots for your shovel and probe. No goggle pocket, no beacon pocket, no integrated helmet carry.

None of that’s the end of the world. That back pocket is plenty big for your skins and a layer in addition to your avalanche tools, you can easily add a helmet carry to the daisy chains on the back, and the diagonal ski carry is easy to use.

I found those front pockets to be a little frustrating. They’re big and easy to access, and the little stretchy pockets inside for a phone are a nice touch. They easily fit skins, or a bunch of snacks. But they have mesh panels integrated into them, so they’re not really weatherproof. And the thing about skiing is that it happens in frozen water. On a best-case day, you’re going to be getting a bunch of face shots hitting the front of your body, and some of that moisture is going to make it through the mesh, into those pockets. And on a worst case day, it’s going to rain, and the contents of those pockets are going to become very, very moist. Given the PNW’s weather patterns this year, you can guess which I experienced. Mesh panels aren’t an issue on groomers, but avalanches rarely happen there anyway.

The rest of this vest is awesome! It’s easy to adjust the sizing. It’s super comfortable, light, and easy to use. But please, please, don’t give us minimal pockets and then make those pockets porous!

Finally, this is a little niggle, but the SBX system, just like any other avalanche pack, requires a diaper strap that loops between your legs to actually function as intended. There needs to be an assurance that the pack won’t get pulled off you in a slide. Some brands, like Db, do a really nice job of packaging that strap so that it stows away and doesn’t dangle and get in the way.

The downside of that is that it’s really easy to use the vest without using the vital diaper strap. But that defeats the entire purpose of the Safaback system. If the pack gets ripped off of you in a slide, it doesn’t matter how well it works. So I’d rather Db made that diaper strap impossible to stow, like Ortovox does, so there’s no excuse for not wearing it.

Price and Value

The big draw of the Avalung was that it was much more affordable than airbag alternatives. Right now, because the SBX system is only available in two bags, both from pretty premium manufacturers, it’s hard to figure out its price positioning. The Snow Pro Vest retails for $699 which is right in line with avalanche airbag vests. And, to be totally honest, at that price point, I’d probably spring for the tool designed to keep me from getting buried, not the one designed to help me stay alive longer if I do go under.

That said, Db is a high-end brand, and nothing they make can really be described as “cheap.” It will be interesting to see where an “average” price for a Safeback-equipped pack lands as more brands license the tech.

Predictions are a dangerous game, but right now there are three primary fields where I’d love to see Safeback systems available. First, I think we’re primed for someone to start offering affordable avalanche backpacks. Whether that’s an affordable airbag system or Safeback integration, it would be really cool to see a sub-$400 avalanche safety pack hit the market. Chances are, this is the least likely to be a prioritized avenue.

Second, it would be cool for folks looking for max protection to be able to purchase one pack that does it all, Safeback and airbag. Safeback says they’re all lined up for this integration, and it will be interesting to see how many packs are available next year with both. And beyond that I have lots of questions: Separate batteries for both systems or shared? How small could you make a combo package? How much would it cost? I don’t know, but for folks like film athletes, patrollers, and sidecountry skiers, a doubled-up system makes sense.

Finally, I’ve already heard some rumors, but I think the Safeback system has huge potential for folks like myself who aren’t quite ready to accept the bulk and weight of a full airbag system, but would love a little extra insurance. If a brand integrated the Safeback system into a lightweight bag like Raide’s LF 40 or Hyperlite’s Crux, I’d finally consider carrying something extra on long days and big objectives.

For Now

It’s really exciting to see another layer of avalanche safety come to market, and I really appreciate how Safeback is positioning the SBX system as another tool in the quiver, not as a substitute for all of the precautions we’re currently taking. The SBX system is easy to use, lightweight, and integrates nicely into packs. I’m excited to see where the brand goes from here, as it becomes more available to a wider range of skiers.