Introducing the new SCOTT Air 30 RAS Backpack
The Air 30 RAS, developed in collaboration with Snowpulse, is a multifunctional avalanche backpack with a removable airbag system.
Weighing in at only 1.4 kgs, the Removable Airbag System is light, compact, and in many situations capable of saving lives. It can be installed within a very short time in a backpack, and once installed is immediately ready for use. As soon as you pull the airbag trigger (which is integrated in the shoulder strap), the airbag fully inflates within 3 seconds. In the event of an avalanche, the inflated airbag can aide in pulling the user towards the surface and can prevent them from being completely buried. The system can readily be used several times, simply fold the bag and replace the bottle.
The Air 30 RAS Backpack has undergone months of testing within the framework of our successful partnerships with the Ski Patrol Chamonix, the Heliguide Monte Rosa and the Warren Smith Ski Academy. In addition, our SCOTT Mountain Guide Team of Ralf Weber, Andreas Millinger, Flory Kern and Jean-Yves Fredriksen have also been equipped with the airbag backpack for months. This gives us ongoing feedback and input from key opinion leaders who are familiar with the demands and needs of freeriders and mountain travelers.
Warren Smith, owner of the Warren Smith Ski Academy, sees the following advantages in the Air 30 RAS:
“Over the past month I've been testing the SCOTT RAS Backpack which will be released in autumn 2012. Out of all the different types of airbag backpacks I've tested over the years this really does come out top in my opinion. It's super lightweight, compact and 30 liters so perfect for back country days and also compact enough for freeskiing. What's amazing is the fact that you can totally remove the airbag and use the backpack in other environments. That's great for me as a ski coach as not all of my days are in freeride conditions. If you've ever been considering going down the road of backpacks with airbags this one is definitely worth looking at.”
A short presentation of the backpack by Warren Smith can be watched in the video above on the right side.
The Air 30 RAS Backpack will be available on the market from next autumn.