I’d go with the pack over the sling and personally I like the Covert design over the Anarchist.

I think you are safe from a design standpoint with the BD pack interface and it possibly getting ripped off. I mean, if the avalanche is that violent that your pack gets ripped off, that probably means your arms got ripped off, your legs are mangled, and neck is broken.

I went with the sling model myself. The BD packs just do not cater enough to snowboarding for my tastes. If you change layers often that could be a pain I suppose. The one time I had to change layers (remove basically) during a day I just stashed it with my coat on the pack. We weren’t skinning in avy terrain. I then put it back on with my jacket before our drop. Generally in Colorado, I find that I am not changing what I am wearing much. It’s too frickin’ cold. I might throw a down jacket over what I am wearing while standing around, and wearing the avalung under that is no problem.

I have the avalung anarchist and I must say that while in general it’s pretty nice, carrying a snowboard on it sucks monkey balls.

Maybe the covert addresses it.

I have used both and for similar reasons I to thought the sling version was inconvienent while shedding and adding layers while the anarchist has become my favorite pack . I don’t know about sucking monkey balls but possibly buffalo shlong

Monkey balls…buffalo shlong. You guys are killin’ me. 😆

Killclimbz,

Not going to second guess you at all but that pic is not a good example of needing to carry your board. Unless its just a real short section of the climb it looks totally skinable.

This is more like it.

Just sayin’. 🙂

I have the covert (small one, right?) and I have not carried my split in board mode, but I think it will work better in split mode on the two sides.

Food for though, I saw a guy in the wasatch last season with a sling-style avalung shoe-horned into his non-BD pack. Some significant modification of the avalung was necessary, so this may not be a particularly good idea.

Thanks,
Paul

First photo by hikeforturns btw…

i always viewed the avalung as yet another heavy thing that i would have to drag up the hills.
When i finally got kids the concept of surviving, if i wasnt broken in two, for 30min as opposed to 3min made up my mind. BC insurance policy.

I bought the sling last year and it dont bother me none.
It does get awkward with so much junk on the front of your body. I like to bring the big camera with me so with that and a avalung i look like a christmas tree decorated with BC gear.

A good friend bought the big BD pack and the snowboard straps(if you can call it that) are wicked thin. I try not to carry the board too much any more but its nice to know that when i do it wont cut the cord mid season. Thing with the packs is too make sure to really pay attention to blowing the in/outake vent so that you dont fill it with snow when you sit down. Avalung trumpet orchestra.
the sling doesnt have quite the same problem.

Plus I think the BD fit just doesnt cut it compared to the fit of Osprey packs. Koalas and sheet.although i do think osprey is getting fat. some of their packs need to look back to their older brothers and go on a diet. the whole multiple-use dual pack and training water camel back thing is just too heavy. BD has a way of keeping true to duty and i love em for it.

Anyone seen or tried the new Arcteryx Silo? looks like an improvement to the M30 as far as i can see.

http://www.arcteryx.com/packs.aspx?type=descent

From what I have seen all packs are going small/thin on their staps. I have the osprey cerres 50 from 3 or 4 seasons ago. 3 straps about 2 inches wide with big plastic buckles. It works great. Everthing I look at today has 3/4 inch straps. Thats the size I like for my sleeping bag or mat, but not my board