I Reviewed the Most Advanced Ski and Snowboard Avalanche Airbags. These Top Picks Are Bona Fide Lifesavers
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If you start stepping out into the backcountry in search of fitness, fresh lines, and freedom, avalanches should be on your radar. These unpredictable natural dangers are unfortunately most common in the steeper high alpine terrain where we love to descend on skis and snowboards. Education and experience can help you stay in lower-risk situations, but even pros get caught off-guard. Thankfully, backpack-mounted airbag systems have been shown to improve survival rates in the event of an avalanche, helping keep you afloat above the debris.
As a result, these avalanche backpacks have become standard equipment for pros in the backcountry and are increasingly popular with recreational riders despite being some of the most expensive backpacks money can buy. If, like me, you spend a lot of time touring outside of the controlled environs of the ski resort, you’ve likely considered splurging on one of these avalanche airbags.
Choosing between the third-party airbag backpack systems that combine with an even bigger pool of pack options to hold them can be daunting, especially given the price points. To help you decide, I’ve tested most of the options on the market and shared the avalanche airbags that I think offer the best combination of ease of use, price, tech, and features.
Want the lowdown on more great snow sports gear? Check out the rest of Men's Journal 2025-2026 Ski Awards, where we’ve tested everything from outerwear to après-ski gear to bring you the best of every category—jackets, pants, bindings, and more.
Best Avalanche Airbags of 2025-26 at a Glance
- Best Avalanche AirbagOverall:Arva ST35 Switch
- Best Budget Avalanche Airbag:Backcountry Access Float 22
- Best Avalanche AirbagVest:Dakine Poacher RAS Vest
- Best Lightweight Avalanche Airbag:Arc’teryx Micon LiTRIC 32 L
- Best Avalanche Airbagfor Extended Missions:Mammut Pro 45 3.0
Best Avalanche Airbags of 2025-26
Best Avalanche Airbag Overall: Arva ST35 Airbag Switch
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France’s Arva makes avalanche airbags packs with their proprietary Reactor system and while they might be one of the lesser-known airbag pack brands in North America, they’re also one of the lightest and most versatile. The Reactor airbag system keeps it ultralight and weighs in around 100 grams heavier than comparable LiTRIC packs even though it uses a comparably heavier canister-based airbag inflation system. One of the ways it pulls this off is an optional carbon-fiber air cartridge that shaves 170 grams compared to their steel canisters for about $100 more. The system is also smartly laid out, putting the canister in the center of your back to avoid annoying weight imbalance. ‘
There’s also a lot of potential interchangeability and versatility built in to this pack setup. The Reactor airbag system can be swapped between compatible packs, so you could move it from, say, this 35-liter pack to Arva’s 15-liter Ride Vest to minimize the pack footprint for snowmobiling or heliskiing. Likewise, the Switch pack frame used here accepts any other Switch-compatible Arva pack cover, so you can add airbag and non-airbag pack cover options for different scenarios without the cost of buying an entire new pack.
While comparable in weight to the lightest electronic airbag system packs, one downside to the canister-based system is the cost and hassle associated with refilling cartridges. A refill is usually done at a dealer store or through the mail and only costs about $25 but takes time compared to electronic systems which can be repacked and recharged at home. Still, many prefer the proven simplicity of a mechanical system without electronics and batteries and the lower upfront cost (around $1000 with canister purchase) of this lightweight Arva pack and airbag system makes it our top recommendation overall.
Best Budget Avalanche Airbag: Backcountry Access Float 22 Avalanche Airbag Pack
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Airbag packs have proven benefits, but probably the biggest barrier to more widespread adoption is cost. The latest electronic packs cost around $1500 while you can get a solid non-airbag touring-specific backpack for less than $200. It’s hard to put a price tag on safety, but this cost delta prices out many infrequent or budget-constrained backcountry users who would gladly carry an airbag pack if they were more affordable. Thankfully, as new technologies enter the market, older models such as Backcountry Access’ Float 22 pack can be discounted. The canister-based Float 2.0 system has been around for almost a decade of field-tested widespread use and while it isn’t the lightest or most compact option, this smaller pack costs less than $600 (plus about $200 for a new canister).
The 22-liter pack isn’t built for multi-day excursions but gives you dedicated storage for your safety equipment plus just enough space for day tour essentials such as food, water, and layers. Because BCA is so well-establish in the backcountry safety world, it’s also relatively easy to find locations to refill the canister when needed after a deployment of the airbag.
Best Avalanche Airbag Vest: Dakine Poacher RAS
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While most backcountry skiers and splitboarders default to a backpack-mounted airbag system to be able to carry everything they need for an outing, there are situations where the lower-profile fit of a vest are much preferred. Whether you’re heli-skiing, cat skiing, or snowmobiling, the Dakine Poacher Removable Airbag System (R.A.S.) vest keeps the airbag system close to your body and makes additional small-item storage more accessible on the front while keeping weight and bulk to a minimum.
The vest is designed to be worn over a jacket and can fit too loose if worn over baselayers only, meaning it’s purpose-built for machine-powered backcountry situations where you’re not shedding and adding layers frequently. The vest makes the most sense if you already own a Dakine or Mammut pack that uses the R.A.S. 3.0 system since you can easily move it between vest and pack. Otherwise, the Mammut R.A.S. system is sold separately for about $450 which means, even when purchasing a new airbag system, this is still one of the most affordable options for getting an airbag system at around $700 total cost.
Best Ultralight Avalanche Airbag: Arc’teryx Micon LiTRIC 32 L
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The LiTRIC electronically powered airbag system is the newest on the market and, as employed in the Arc’teryx Micon LiTRIC 32 pack, is one of the lightest options available in this class of pack. It’s also one of the most expensive, somewhat expected when buying the latest and greatest, but the $1600 sticker might still be a shock to folks not accustomed to the cost of airbag packs. Over the long run, however, not paying for air canisters and their refills will add up and save on the lifetime cost of the system if you’re practicing with it (and you should be). Notably, practicing get much easier and cheaper with this system since you can deploy it multiple times on a single charge and don’t need to run to a licensed dealer for air refills.
The pack itself weighs 1200 grams (the system about 1100) so it is not the absolute lightest airbag pack available (check out the Arc’teryx Micon LiTRIC 16 if weight-shaving is your primary goal), but it’s the lightest pack with an all-around volume and utility that’ll serve anything from heli-skiing to all-day tours. Unlike its cousin, the Ortovox AVABAG Zero 27 which uses the same LiTRIC system, the Micon LiTRIC 32 has a dedicated pocket for shovel and probe which makes packing for a tour and accessing your rescue tools simple. It also has enough volume that you don’t have to make hard gear decisions when loading up the pack to head out. (Keep in mind that airbag systems eat up some interior volume and force you to pack your gear around them.) The 32-liter size is about right for most day tours without being so large you worry about its impact on your descents which makes it easier to bring the extra safety along for the ride.
Best Avalanche Airbag for Extended Missions: Mammut Pro 45 3.0
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Carrying an airbag has proven benefits, but backcountry travelers will often leave it at home when going on longer, multi-day missions as the system adds weight and because most airbag packs lack the required space for your overnight accommodations and increased food, equipment, and water stores. Thankfully, there are higher-capacity packs such as the Mammut Pro 45 for folks that want airbag safety and regularly carry larger amounts of gear. (Guides may also opt for this pack for the volume even for shorter day tours as they’re often carrying extra equipment beyond what recreational skiers bring.)
The Pro 45 uses Mammut’s canister-driven R.A.S. 3.0 system and despite the increased pack size, it’s one of the more affordable systems, costing around $1000 total when adding in the cost of the sold-separate canister. The distinctive bright-orange zipper highlights the dedicated safety equipment pocket and there are several other handy ski-specific features as well. The shoulder strap has a sleeve for routing a radio mic unit to a convenient location on your chest, there are multiple ski- and snowboard-carry options, and there are special pockets for goggles/glasses and optional hydration bladder. The R.A.S. system is also transferable, so you can move it to a smaller pack or vest when desired.
Do Avalanche Airbags Really Work?
Thankfully, there’s been a lot of research done on real-world incidents that shows the effectiveness of airbags at improving outcomes when backcountry users get caught in an avalanche. The amount by which airbags increase your chances of survival gets hotly debated by avalanche safety professionals, but it’s pretty clear that there’s a significant potential benefit to having and using one in the right situations.
Of course, merely having an airbag on your back isn’t a magic halo of protection. Your best defense against dying in a backcountry avalanche is still wise decision-making. Regular avalanche education and practicing rescue techniques with your touring partners is arguably much more important for avoiding disaster. You should also practice deploying your airbag system to both ensure it’s in proper working order and to make sure you’re comfortable with its operation.
What to Look for When Buying an Avalanche Airbag
Airbag System
One interesting aspect of these avalanche airbag packs is that the airbag safety systems in the packs are often made by one company and the pack by another. There are just a few systems in circulation, which makes it a bit easier to compare that piece of the puzzle.
The LiTRIC system was co-developed by Arc’teryx and Ortovox and both companies offer packs that employ it. This is the newest system and it uses a battery-powered, rechargeable power system that allows you to use the pack and inflate it. This is good for longer trips where you might theoretically deploy the pack but still want to be able to refill and keep skiing or exit. It also has the distinct advantage of permitting you to practice with it without needing to get a compressed air canister refilled somewhere at cost and inconvenience. Black Diamond’s Jetforce system started as a canister system but was changed to an electronically powered fan-based system similar to the LiTRIC system in 2019.
The Alpride E2 is a Swiss-designed electronic system that also uses a powered fan to inflate and appears in packs by BCA and Scott. For the early years, most airbag systems used a compressed air canister that inflates the airbag when the trigger is pulled. Mammut’s Removable Airbag System 3.0 works this way and appears in packs from Mammut and Dakine. The canister systems can be bulkier and slightly heavier and require filling at licensed outlets, but often cost less upfront.
All of these systems are subject to the same rigorous testing and standards and have been in widespread use by the public for several years. Likewise, the end result of an airbag deployed around the head of the user is pretty similar between the packs and the biggest differences come down to weights and deployment mechanics.
The Pack
The airbag system accounts for most of the cost of these pricey packs, but you’ll want to carefully consider the pack it’s loaded into as well.
Pack size is an important metric and I generally recommend a larger pack 30 liters or bigger for most applications since you can always leave it less than full, but it’s harder to carry extra gear on a smaller pack and the weight differences are usually marginal. The one exception is if you exclusively use an airbag pack for outings such as catskiing or heliskiing where you don’t need to carry as much equipment.
Most airbag packs have dedicated storage for your baseline rescue equipment of a snow shovel and probe. How you access this equipment can be a deciding factor if you’re particular about this aspect of a touring pack. Likewise, number of pockets and their layout and size generate strong opinions. Some like a minimalist pack with few pockets, while others like everything in it’s own specialized storage space which can add to the weight of the pack, but makes organization easier.
Weight
Because you’re often schlepping these packs miles into the backcountry, manufacturers make a big deal about weights. In reality, the weight differences between airbag systems and their packs are usually fairly small. The Arva Reactor and Ortovox/Arc’teryx LiTRIC systems are the lightest, but there’s only a couple hundred grams difference between any of these airbag systems which isn’t a big deal to a lot of recreational backcountry skiers. Packs can differ in weight by a wider margin given the wide range of pack sizes available, potentially adding up to a couple of pounds to the weight on your pack compared to the lightest possible option. How much weight matters to you compared to other factors such as ease of use and capacity will come down to how far you usually travel with your pack.
Why You Should Trust Me
I’m a lifelong skier raised on icy upstate New York hills currently based in Breckenridge, Colorado, where I ski over 100 days a year, split fairly evenly between backcountry and resort. I spend those days testing all manner of gear from skis to jackets to apps to avalanche beacons for Men’s Journal, Powder, Tripsavvy, Gear Junkie, and I serve as editor of the backcountry ski site WildSnow. I’ve skied on four continents and aim to hit all seven eventually, but some of my favorite runs are in my backyard.