Ski disaster air bags

NAME Altitude ABS ski pack and avalanche air bags

THE COST From $190 for the pack; $989 for the ABS Vario Line Base Unit air bags

WHAT IT IS Nobody likes to say the "A" word, but avalanches happen, even in the lower-lying peaks of the Northeast. Dakine has partnered with safety pioneers ABS Airbag Systems to create the Altitude ABS packs, standard ski packs that can be detached from the harness and replaced with an ABS Vario Base Unit (complete with two 85-liter air bags). When disaster strikes, a quick tug deploys the bags, expanding your overall volume (research has shown the larger your volume, the more likely you'll be propelled to the surface in an avalanche and not buried).

MORE INFO Packs: dakine.com; air bags: avalanche-center.org