BCA’s new Float E2 avalanche airbag packs use an Alpride E2 supercapacitor system to store energy that powers the compressor upon deployment. Supercapacitors store and release energy based on electromechanical properties rather than a chemical reaction like in rechargeable batteries. This makes supercapacitor performance much more reliable in cold temperatures. For the same reason, the energy stored in a supercapacitor releases faster when activated for deployment. The E2 is TSA-approved for hassle-free airline travel. While the E2 system makes it easy to travel by air, our innovative Side Stash pocket and Back Stash zip make it easier to travel on snow —without stopping to hydrate, swap hat/gloves/eyewear, or even skins— just rip ‘em, stash ‘em and go!
See the “Battery and Charging” tab on this page for more details on how the supercapacitor works and charges.
Specifications
- 31 liters with E2 system
- 6.1 pounds
- Alpride E2 Supercapacitor system with 150-
liter airbag
Preventing or minimizing burial depth is the key to reducing avalanche fatalities. That’s because the majority of time in an avalanche rescue is spent on excavating the victim. An airbag is designed to keep you at or near the surface, minimizing excavation time.
How do Float airbags reduce burial depth?
- Inverse segregation, more commonly referred to as the ‘Brazil nut effect’ is the science behind why airbags work. The turbulent movement sorts different shaped objects by size (similar to the way large Brazil nuts will rise to the top when a bowl of mixed nuts is shaken). Smaller objects are more likely to fall into the voids created by the turbulence, while larger objects move to the top. In addition to increasing your overall buoyancy, the Float avalanche airbags are designed to make a backcountry user ‘bigger’ than the surrounding pieces of debris in an avalanche. The Floats use compressed air in the cylinder to fill the bag and make the user’s volume larger, reducing or eliminating burial depth and increasing your chances of survival.
