A good piece of gear for off-piste skiers is an avalanche airbag system (ABS), but it seems that a lot of skiers who carry one aren't deploying them in the case of an actual avalanche. writes about a new development that could help everyone in a group deploy their airbags, thanks to wireless networking. A German engineer has tweaked the ABS deployment system to allow it to sync with others. This way, one person in your group can be designated as the leader, and when he deploys his ABS, everyone else's will automatically deploy as well. Avalanche airbag systems consist of two airbags stowed in a backpack that inflate to keep a skier closer to the surface in the case of an avalanche.
What do you think — good idea?
— Lisa Lombardi