Are you looking for an avalanche backpack? Hold up! You might want to consider a vest instead. Introducing the Db Journey Snow Pro Vest.
A good utility vest can be a suitable alternative to a backpack. Db's Snow Pro Vest is custom-built to house your backcountry kit.
Db Journey
Gear
Backpacks are so 2023
Gear Spotlight: Db Snow Pro Vest
Jon Olsson and Truls Brataas’ Db (formerly Douchebags) has developed a new tech-fitted vest, perfect for resort days or short tours where you don’t need a huge carrying capacity but need all the avy protection you can get. Designed in collaboration with snowboarder Sage Kotsenburg and tested by Norwegian special forces, Db’s vest offers a couple of advantages over a standard backpack setup.
The low-profile design with pockets in the back and front promises better weight distribution than a standard backpack, quicker access to the essentials and no need to take it off on the chairlift if you’re lapping in the resort. It features a dedicated compartment for avalanche gear in the back that’s perfect for a shovel and a probe, two front pockets for skins and snacks, and a diagonal ski/snowboard carrying system. It’s a one-size-fits-all (S-XL) made possible by two compression systems, a chest and a leg strap. All together, this system ensures a good fit while maximizing maneuverability. The vest is made out of windproof material that acts an additional layer on the cold days, while staying breathable thanks to the Monomesh ventilation channels.
Db Snow Pro Vest
Volume
8l
Dimensions
62 x 52 x 13 CM (H x W x D)
Weight
1.3 kg
Materials
Main: 100% Nylon, Lining: 100% Polyester
Db Journey
Safeback SBX
To address the elephant in the room: No, the orange handle is not an airbag release mechanism. It’s a new avalanche safety system developed by Safeback that’s designed to save your life in case you get buried. Three out of four avalanche deaths are caused by suffocation. Safeback’s technology helps to increase the time you can stay alive under the snow from 15 minutes up to 90 minutes (according to their testing). It works by using a tiny, battery-powered motor on your back to suck air out of the surrounding snow and deliver it to you through tubes integrated into the shoulder straps. I know it sounds crazy, but watch the video below for a better explanation.
The Safeback SBX Lever in action.
Db
How the Safeback SBX system works.
Safeback
The Snow Pro Vest is available alone for 259€ or with the Safeback SBX mechanism for 599€ and seems to be a great backpack alternative for the days where you want bring the essentials, maximize freedom of movement and have that extra piece of mind in case shit hits the fan.
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Db Snow Pro Vest
I had been looking for a vest that had enough storage but was also lightweight. It didn’t exist, so along with the Db and the team at Safeback, we created one.
