Black Diamond Avalung Ski and Snowboard Packs

When Black Diamond first unveiled the AvaLung, they sent the backcountry skiing community into a frenzy. The new Avalung works by moving the CO2 you breathe out away from your mouth and nose to extend the amount of time you can breathe while buried. While it’s a device you certainly never hope to use, it could very well save your life if you ever find yourself buried in a slide.

While the Avalung certainly does not replace backcountry knowledge or common sense and it can not prevent you from getting buried in a slide, it could possibly give you enough extra time for your friends or rescuers to dig you out.

Black Diamond claims you can be buried for over an hour with the Avalung and still survive. Without it, you can only last about 15 minutes. This precious time is often the crucial and deciding factor between life and death for avalanche victims.

While there are debates on the effectiveness of the Avalung (you have to get the mouthpiece in your mouth and have it stay there for it to work), this new technology has saved some lives, including Dan Morisey of my home state of Colorado, who was buried by an avalanche and whose Avalung probably saved his life (read this interview with Morsiey about the Avalung).

While you can buy the Avalung separately and wear it strapped to your back (under your pack), there are also several models of Black Diamond ski packs with the Avalung already built in. This is ideal for people who could see themselves forgetting to put it on or tend to leave it in their pack when hitting dangerous terrain.

• Black Diamond Outlaw with Avalung—a deluxe all-purpose snowboard or ski pack with unique “back door” access and plenty of room for all your day-tripping needs
• Black Diamond Alias with Avalung—a streamlined, top-loading backcountry pack for those who count every gram
• Black Diamond Covert with Avalung—Panel loading, fully featured pack perfect for quick trips out of the gate or backcountry day trips
• Black Diamond Anarchist with Avalung—the largest of the Black Diamond ski pack line, this pack is durable and a versatile top-loading pack ideally suited for guides, snow pros and multi-day trips in the backcountry
• Black Diamond Bandit with Avalung—The minimalist, low profile avy tools and AvaLung pack perfect for out-of-the-gate resort skiing and iding, cat/heli trips and quick tours from the hut
• Black Diamond Agent with Avalung—The Bandit’s big brother, this pack is still streamlined and low profile, but is slightly larger with a 20 L carrying capacity
• Black Diamond Revelation with Avalung—the first and iconic ski mountaineering pack from Blck Diamond, this pack with an added Avalung meets the needs of serious climbers, mountaineers and skiers with is organized design and larger size

Not sure you need an Avalung in your ski or snowboard pack?
Check out more of the best ski and snowboard backpacks.