Black Diamond Covert Avalung Pack

Black Diamond Covert Avalung Pack—a must-have for backcountry skiers (it may just save your life)

For those of you who have ever skied the backcountry, you know that those fresh tracks can sometimes come at a price. With no ski resort crew blasting avalanche prone spots and lots of fresh, un-skied snow, avalanches can be a huge danger to those venturing off piste and into the backcountry. Any experienced skier or boarder (and those going into the backcounty should be) should be well versed in avalanche safety and outfitted with a shovel, avalanche beacon and probe.

There is now fairly new technology that can also help to save your life, if you do end up finding yourself caught up in an avalanche, and when it comes to your life, being properly and fully equipped is essential.

Black Diamond integrated an Avalung into their Covert Winter Pack to make backcountry ski days as safe as possible. This incredible pack impressed Couloir Magazine so much they gave it the Design Innovation award. The Avalung’s shoulder-mounted mouthpiece is easily accessible to help you survive in an avalanche by allowing you to breathe under the snow. In addition to increasing the chances of your living through an avalanche, the Covert Winter Pack has a dedicated avalanche-gear pocket for your shovel and probe, and carries either skis or a snowboard.

The quick & dirty:
Where you can get one:
Covert Avalung Pack by Black Diamond $199

Why it rocks:

• Pack is built from tough, water-shedding 420d nylon and 1300d
• Ballistic reinforcements using a clamshell design for easy gear access
• On the exterior, an adjustable ski/board attachment system
• Ice tool loops
• Compression straps and an avy-tools pocket let you conveniently carry your essentials
• The right shoulder strap features a zippered hydration tube pocket

Seat-of-the-pants rating: 9 out of 10

While I have been fortunate enough to never have been buried in an avalanche and been forced to use this device, when it comes to skiing the backcountry, safety always comes first. This pack is great in that it has room to carry your skis, avalanche beacon, probe and shovel along with the lung that can help save your life. The Black Diamond Avalung is an amazing invention that really delivers what it promises( watch the video). It claims that you can be buried for over an hour and still survive. Without an Avalung you can only last about 15 minutes.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: The Avalung does not repel avalanches or replace common sense. It works by moving CO2 (poisonous gas we exhale) away from your mouth and nose to extend the amount of time you can breathe while buried. It is a device that hopefully you will never have to use. But if you ever are caught in a slide you better hope you have one on.

Looking to Buy? Check out these sites:
Covert Avalung Pack by Black Diamond $199