PSA Avy Bag Sales Summer 2016

Do you know if you can take out the airbag out of the pack for 42L? I would like it to double as a spring touring/backpacking backpack in the summer and I think 42L is large enough if you pack light, but I'm not sure how much space their airbag takes up. Otherwise I'm thinking about buying the 25L Backcountry Access since it's the cheapest.
 

PowderPanda

Staff member
Wordbird,
No, the airbag it's self cannot be removed. But the great thing about ABS Vario setups (This Dakine is), the pack can zip off and a different can be put on.
Now, of you can buy a Dakine Altitude 40L separately, which has the zip off pack. Then you would have a "Spring'/Summer base unit which the "pack" itself can be zipped on and off.

For instance, I have a ABS Vario now.. I just got the Osprey KODE 22+10 with zip, ABS compatible, pack. It is my summer pack night now on a summer base, then I'll zip off and put on my ABS base in Winter.
Look at the sale price and think "I need a ABS base unit, and I'll get the size of pack later if I want to change".

So I can use it for Spring/Summer and then zip it onto my ABS base unit for Winter.
Hence, one of the big selling points of the ABS.

What's great is there are sales on the other compatible packs later in the year, so you can get the ABS 25L now.. then change to a different one later. You're not stuck with one size.

Hope that makes sense.. I'm a week bit tired.. so my words are not as eloquent as usual.. LoL
 
Wordbird,
No, the airbag it's self cannot be removed. But the great thing about ABS Vario setups (This Dakine is), the pack can zip off and a different can be put on.
Now, of you can buy a Dakine Altitude 40L separately, which has the zip off pack. Then you would have a "Spring'/Summer base unit which the "pack" itself can be zipped on and off.

For instance, I have a ABS Vario now.. I just got the Osprey KODE 22+10 with zip, ABS compatible, pack. It is my summer pack night now on a summer base, then I'll zip off and put on my ABS base in Winter.
Look at the sale price and think "I need a ABS base unit, and I'll get the size of pack later if I want to change".

So I can use it for Spring/Summer and then zip it onto my ABS base unit for Winter.
Hence, one of the big selling points of the ABS.

What's great is there are sales on the other compatible packs later in the year, so you can get the ABS 25L now.. then change to a different one later. You're not stuck with one size.

Hope that makes sense.. I'm a week bit tired.. so my words are not as eloquent as usual.. LoL
Those Dakine packs are a lot more expensive... How much extra weight is an airbag? Would a pack with an airbag without canister work well as an overnighter, or does the airbag just take up too much space?
 

PowderPanda

Staff member
WordBird.
I think I might have made it confusing.. the ABS base unit is the same, the only difference is the zip-on pack.

For instance, I have the ABS Vario (which is the zip on/off base). For zip on packs, I have 2-ABS (15l & 30L), 1-Arvo 18L and now a Osprey 22L Kode.
The Osprey though, I bought as a full pack, so it zips off the Summer base and then I can zip it onto my winter ABS base.

If you want a pack for winter and summer, the Vario base is the way to go, then you can just zip off and then zip onto a Summer base unit..


http://www.backcountry.com/osprey-packs-kode-abs-compatible-2210-1342cu-in?CMP_SKU=OSP001Y&MER=0406&skid=OSP001Y-BK-ML&CMP_ID=PLA_GOc001&mv_pc=r101&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PLA&mr:trackingCode=B798EAF9-EC2D-E411-9C5F-BC305BF82376&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=plaonline&gclid=CKyulYOB-s4CFZSPfgoduvYIiQ&gclsrc=aw.ds


ABS Base unit:
http://www.backcountry.com/abs-avalanche-rescue-devices-vario-base-unit-silver-edition-abs000b?skid=ABS000B-SI-S&ti=U2VhcmNoIFJlc3VsdHM6QUJTOjE6MjQ6QUJT
 
It seems like you setup is a bit more expensive... How much would you estimate the airbag weighs? Also I'm not sure if 22L+10L means in this case, is it a 32L summer base? I think I might be just better off getting the 42L pack and sucking it up in the summer w/ extra airbag weight until and buy a normal backpacking pack later.
I currently use a 22L BD avalung pack that I works really well for inbounds + sidecountry. I feel like airbag wouldn't really as helpful for most of the sidecountry, there isn't much huge open terrain around most resorts i've skied in anyway, but something like 20% of NA fatalities are from tree wells... Doesn't work well at all for overnight trips despite having a lot of straps due to its size obviously.
 

PowderPanda

Staff member
Hey so I thought I replied to this earlier, but I guess not. I still haven't bought anything, so could i buy an Osprey and combine with an ABS system?
like these two links?
If that doesn't work I just don't see a downside to buying the orignal links 42l bag for 400.
Yup.. exactly.. That's what I have.. Zip it off the summer base and onto the ABS base..
 
Yup.. exactly.. That's what I have.. Zip it off the summer base and onto the ABS base..
So now that I have money to buy the pack... I noticed that the osprey comes only as a S/M. What does that size measure? I am pretty sure I would at least need an L.
 

PowderPanda

Staff member
So now that I have money to buy the pack... I noticed that the osprey comes only as a S/M. What does that size measure? I am pretty sure I would at least need an L.
Wordbird,
I have a Large. I don't know wbaout your size. I am 6-01 and it fits perfectly for me.
Can you get into a shop that has one and try on?
 

PowderPanda

Staff member
Wordbird,
So, yes that zip-on will work on any ABS pack no matter the "size" of the base. Think of the base as the frame of the back. It is constant. The zip setup is the same on all sizes.
For example, if I have a 27L zip-on (but my base is a Large) that SuzySkier (who has a Small) wants to use for a weekend for her ABS pack. I can just unzip it and give it to her to use.

Now, if you want a Large ABS pack, I wouldn't buy the KODE compatible Small. Yes, zip would come off and work for the ABS base, but then you'd have the KODE base that you're not going to use (unless you know someone that is small and could use it in the Spring/Summer).

Hope that helps!
 
Wordbird,
So, yes that zip-on will work on any ABS pack no matter the "size" of the base. Think of the base as the frame of the back. It is constant. The zip setup is the same on all sizes.
For example, if I have a 27L zip-on (but my base is a Large) that SuzySkier (who has a Small) wants to use for a weekend for her ABS pack. I can just unzip it and give it to her to use.

Now, if you want a Large ABS pack, I wouldn't buy the KODE compatible Small. Yes, zip would come off and work for the ABS base, but then you'd have the KODE base that you're not going to use (unless you know someone that is small and could use it in the Spring/Summer).

Hope that helps!
Yea. Should I just buy the large ABS pack now and wait for a large compatible pack somewhere else?
http://www.backcountry.com/ski-packs?page=2 I've searched the compatible packs on sale there and couldn't find any.
 

PowderPanda

Staff member
I think that is a good price.. then just get any ABS compatible zip-on. The zip ons are not base size specific. So if you found some one selling one or one on clearance, snag it up.

Here's a 15L Dakine- Works great for day touring. I have a 15L ABS snowmobile that I use at times.
http://www.evo.com/outlet/airbags/dakine-abs-vario-cover-15l-pack-base-unit-not-included.aspx#image=69277/341454/dakine-abs-vario-cover-15l-pack-base-unit-not-included-pacific-front.jpg

Snowbigdeal has older styles on sale.
http://www.snowbigdeal.com/abs-vario-zip-on-attachment.html
 
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