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The Avalung was on the market for less than a year before it saved its first life. Two winters ago, a helicopter ski guide in Valdez, Alaska got caught in an avalanche and was buried alive. He was able to use the Avalung while rescuers searched for him. The extra time he was able survive under the snow while breathing trapped air was credited as one of the factors that saved his life. The prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (J.A.M.A.) recently printed an article acknowledging the research and methodology used in testing the Avalung, and concluded that the use of the Avalung could reduce the probability of asphyxiation by extending the amount of time someone can survive after being buried by an avalanche. Even more people had their life saved last year by using the Avalung. It is comfortable with or without a pack, and the ultra-minimalist harness design is secure but not restrictive. At 1/3 the cost of an avalanche beacon, weighing less than a pound, it is one of the most important developments since the avalanche beacon. The Avalung II has a built-in filtration device that draws air directly from the snowpack. A one-way valve allows you to breath air trapped in the front body area. The exhaled C02 is exhausted in back of the potential victim. This significantly reduces the probability of“icemasking” and re-breathing exhaled CO2, two of the most dangerous problems a victim faces. In test cases people have lasted over an hour completely buried in the snow. It can be worn in any conditions over your clothing and weighs only 15 ounces
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