Backcountry skiing — that is, taking your planks on to slopes not under the tutelage of a fancy ski area — provides some of the best and most pure skiing you can ever hope to experience. Rather than being crowded on a groomed, icy slope by a bunch of vacationing Bostonians in jeans and Starter jackets you get solitude and pristine snow.
It's a near-religious experience, yet not without its drawbacks. For one, by not skiing on official area slopes, you give up the benefit of ski patrollers making sure the trails are safe. By heading out on snow that no one has touched in a full season, you run a high risk of starting an avalanche. Not fun. Well, if that won't deter you from getting a thrill or two, you should at least go out equipped. This avalanche airbag is designed to inflate around your head, keeping you afloat above the snow if you're caught in a slide. It also protects your head from whatever debris got caught up in the avalanche with you. I still wouldn't want to get caught in a slide, but at least this gives you the peace of mind of knowing that you won't get buried alive.
Daniel Nadjalin, via Yanko Design
