Safeback SBX Receives ISPO Award

The Safeback SBX avalanche survival system has been awarded the ISPO Award 2022, marking it as one of the most innovative products coming to market in Winter 2023/24.

Safeback was founded with one goal in mind: to create products that would increase the likelihood of survival for avalanche victims.

Safeback SBX, the first system of its kind to actively supply air to snow burial victims during burial. This added air supply extends the potential survival window during burial in an avalanche or tree well without requiring a mouthpiece.

"In an avalanche situation, it often comes down to minutes. The Safeback SBX system extends this rescue window for the buried victim and thus the chance of survival. An important innovation for the backcountry,” added Dr. Martina Wengenmeier, ISPO Award 2022 Jury Member & Editor ISPO.com

Receiving the ISPO Award marks Safeback’s transition from the product development phase, into commercialization. This prestigious innovation award puts Safeback in the company of market leaders across all outdoor segments, and the SBX system will be displayed alongside all other winners at ISPO Munich 2022.

“Safeback SBX has been developed based on four important fields of expertise. Medical, focusing on requirements for survival during avalanche burial. Mechanical, focusing on gas transport through snow and how to influence it. Technical, focusing on building a system that delivers according to the medical requirements. And practical user trials, to satisfy even the most demanding backcountry user. This has been a fantastic journey with many challenges that we have solved to arrive at Safeback SBX, and we are honored to receive the ISPO Award,” said Tor Berge, Co-founder and CEO of Safeback

Safeback SBX is a lightweight and compact system, designed with a user-friendly interface. The SBX control unit, roughly the size of an avalanche beacon, is integrated into the body of the backpack, with the outlet houses routing through the backpack straps. The system is activated with a T-shaped activation handle, like those found on avalanche packs. When activated, it begins pumping in air from outside of the pack, up through the outlet hoses to the victim’s breathing area.

During burial, the air in the snow becomes the victim’s air supply. Snow is a porous medium, and even dense avalanche snow contains at least 50% air. The fresh air from the system replaces air that the victim is breathing out, resulting in a continuous supply of breathable oxygen, and a reduction of CO2 in the breathing area. Safeback SBX can run for 90 minutes at -30C, thus extending the potential survival window of burial under the snow.

“Backcountry travelers have very high demands of their equipment, especially regarding its practicality, simplicity, and reliability. We were determined to find a solution that could deliver breathable air to the victim without requiring a mouthpiece, while also being compact and lightweight – we wanted to design a product that we would gladly take out skiing ourselves. Together with our engineering and industrial design partner, Eker Design, we have been through many iterations leading to our final design. The SBX has been rigorously field tested to ensure its durability and consistency in a variety of winter conditions.” - André Mjølhus, Co-founder and CTO of Safeback

For the 2023/24 winter season, Safeback SBX will be sold as a part of certified SBX Backpacks produced by our backpack partners.

Total price for a backpack equipped with Safeback SBX is set by backpack producers and will range from 600-800 Euros depending on the pack and its features.

Safeback SBX is patented in Norway, and patents are pending in the EU, US, Canada, and Japan.

For years, the ISPO Award has established itself internationally as a trend-setting award for outstanding products. Retailers appreciate it as an orientation guide for the upcoming assortment selection, journalists as a summary of groundbreaking product innovations, and customers as a preview of tomorrow's market highlights.