After I first picked up the brand new Arc’teryx Micon Litric 42 airbag pack at a commerce present over the summer season, I assumed to myself, that’s sort of heavy for a ski touring backpack. Then I noticed the “LiTRIC” label and airbag set off and realized that there was a completely functioning airbag system in there. A relative featherweight.
Quick ahead 5 months and I’ve taken the Arc’teryx Micon LiTRIC on about fifteen excursions. Not sufficient for the ultimate phrase on this pack, however loads of hands-on time to share the nice and dangerous for folk contemplating the substantial funding on this household of digital airbag packs.
Why Pay $1650 for a Backpack?
There’s no getting round it. The Micon LiTRIC 42 is downright costly at $1,650. Digital airbag packs are dear on the whole, however it’s the very best of the high-end. You may purchase a canister-style airbag pack and a complete quiver of non-airbag packs for that a lot. Or you can purchase the wonderful Scott Patrol E2 (geared up with the comparable Alpride E2 Supercapacitor) for $1,350 and a brand new pair of ski touring pants.
However in case you have the funds, the Micon LiTRIC is exceptionally mild for an airbag pack. Arc’teryx claims it’s the lightest airbag system in the marketplace. My 42-Liter model, essentially the most voluminous of the three choices, weighs in at 2,138 g (4.71 lbs) My 30-liter Scott Patrol E2 clocks in at 2,786 g (6.14 lbs). Canister-based programs are bulkier and heavier. The favored Dakine RAS Poacher 36L pack geared up with Mammut’s Detachable Airbag 3.0® system, for instance, weighs 3,062 g (6.75 lbs.). The Arc’teryx Micon LiTRIC shaves a couple of third of the load of the Dakine pack but additionally prices twice as a lot.
The LiTRIC system can be fairly small in comparison with different programs in the marketplace, roughly the identical measurement because the Alpride E2. Canister programs are infamous for chewing up inside quantity in ski packs and digital programs just like the LiTRIC decrease footprint.
I used to be a sluggish convert to digital airbag programs, however it’s robust to argue towards the opposite apparent advantages . Digital programs enable the consumer to apply deploying the airbag without having to refill a canister. They’re additionally a lot simpler to journey with since they don’t face any sort of journey restrictions like pressurized canisters do.
How the Micon LiTRIC 42 Matches within the LiTRIC Pack Universe
The Arc’teryx Micon LiTRIC packs are actually out there within the US after the system was recalled in 2023. Like I alluded to earlier than, the Micon LiTRIC 42 is the most important of the three-pack lineup that additionally consists of 32L ($1,600) and 16L ($1,500) choices. Arc’teryx sells the non-airbag geared up Micon packs in 32L and 42L sizes which have been round for a number of years underneath the “Rush SK” title.
There are a number of different digital airbag programs in the marketplace. The highest rivals are Alpride’s E2 and Black Diamond’s Jetforce, each of that are heavier and a hair cheaper than the LiTRIC. Alpride’s E2 system is licensed out to different pack producers so that you’ll see it in BCA, Osprey, Deuter, and Scott’s airbag packs. (Drew Zieff reviewed the BCA Float E2 35L pack just lately for WildSnow.) The LiTRIC system was co-developed by Ortovox and Arc’teryx, so that they’re the one corporations utilizing the tech at this level.
What follows are my first impressions of the usability of the pack itself. I’m not digging into the LiTRIC system tech too deeply right here for proper now–WildSnow has coated the LiTRIC airbag system itself in depth– and I’m within the on a regular basis expertise of utilizing the pack within the area.
What I Like In regards to the Arc’Teryx Micon LiTRIC
First appears like these can usually come off as very unfavorable (or artificially constructive). I attempt to sniff out flaws in gear earlier than I be taught to understand the extra delicate advantages. So whereas I’m about to element a few of this pack’s cons, here’s what I actually like about it.
The burden.
I already touched on this earlier. However I’ve been snowboarding with the pack nonstop, even whereas mellow meadow skipping as a result of the load appears to fall slightly below the edge of feeling like an airbag pack. That is main since most folk see weight as one of many two main limitations to adopting an airbag pack.
The goggle pocket.
Or when you don’t carry goggles, a “issues” pocket on the prime of the pack. It’s huge. I want each pack had a pocket like this. I’ve been in a position to drop sun shades, sunscreen, lunch, snacks, and so forth in and there’s room for extra.
The airbag set off deal with.
It may be anchored into totally different places on the shoulder strap and will be moved to the precise shoulder as an alternative of the default left shoulder. Lefties can be psyched. In minimalist trend, the set off is at all times uncovered on the shoulder strap somewhat than tucking right into a devoted pocket or sleeve. Luckily, there’s a twist-lock mechanism that forestalls it from being pulled erroneously. Is it attainable to unintentionally lock the deal with whereas making an attempt to deploy the airbag? That’s a query I requested Arc’teryx. Right here’s their response:
The whole objective of the patented one-handed rotationally locking deal with system was to beat the widespread failure within the area of customers leaving their set off deal with zippered or Velcroed away when dropping right into a line, whereas additionally avoiding widespread unintended, usually hazardous, inflations brought on by trouble of making an attempt to fold and zipper away a set off deal with when in conditions the place unintended deployment was prone to occur.
We needed to create a system that was extraordinarily quick and safe to lock and unlock whereas touring – together with the flexibility to unlock the deal with in an emergency, even when it was unintentionally left within the locked place. Whereas the totally “unlocked” place is a 180-degree rotation from locked, the customers can deploy the system even when the deal with is rotated about 45 levels in both path from locked.
To look the system the consumer should rotate the deal with all the way in which till is snaps into the locked place, so simply rotating it out of the devoted “unlocked” place won’t have an effect on the flexibility to deploy the airbag. This method was launched in 2015 on the Voltair airbag packs and was discovered to be extraordinarily efficient—for each avoiding the unintended inflations that have been quite common on the time, and avoiding the hidden-handle mistake that was additionally continuously reported by customers.
LiTRIC builds on this confirmed system by introducing a brand new off-axis deal with rotation whereby the deal with lies flatter towards the shoulder when locked and stands additional away from the shoulder as soon as rotated into the “unlocked” place. The introduction of the bi-color deal with with vibrant orange uncovered when unlocked and black uncovered when locked provides to the intuitive ease of use and indication of locked/unlocked standing.
The primary compartment.
I don’t have a scientific method to check the precise usable quantity, however the principle pocket is massive. I had no hassle becoming a number of gear in there, together with a full spring load out (for testing functions, for now) together with RAD Line, crampons, ski crampons, tiny harness, and so forth. The compression straps do a very good job of compressing the pack for smaller masses. If ski mountaineering is in your seasonal cycle, I wouldn’t hesitate to go for the 42L for all-season snowboarding.
The Scott Patrol E2 30L (left) in comparison with the Arc’teryx Micon 42 (proper)
The shoulder and hip straps.
The Micon LiTRIC 42’s hip and shoulder straps are easy and light-weight, however removed from uncomfortable. They do loads with a bit in that regard. Regardless of having basically zero padding on the again panel, I discovered carrying the Micon Litric, even with heavier masses, to be loads comfy.
Gripes with the Arc’teryx Micon Litric
Okay now to my notes and nit-picks up to now.
Again Panel
The again panel is boxy and padding is non-existent. Whereas not uncomfortable, I’ve discovered that It’s a bit bouncier on the downhill than others, together with the Scott Patrol E2. That massive rectangular again panel doesn’t precisely hug your again or hips. I’ve been compensating by cinching the shoulder straps as tight as attainable, and that has been enough for my wants.
Pack Structure
The Micon LiTRIC zips open clamshell model, and I’ve tended to place the 2 zipper sliders to the facet in order that I can entry the principle compartment and the avy instruments pocket from the facet with the pack mendacity on its facet. As a result of the airbag is positioned on the prime of the principle compartment, there’s not a ton of room to tug issues out of the pack from there. Aspect entry has typically labored fairly properly, however I’ve to recollect to maintain the zipper sliders on the facet between the 2 facet compression straps.
The hip belt pockets are small, elastic, and never secured by a zipper. I haven’t misplaced something out of them but, however the lack of safety means they’re been devoted snack pockets. I feel that’s advantageous given the beneficiant goggle pocket up prime.
Avy instruments pocket
One unusual design characteristic is the facet avy instruments pocket entry. The higher compression strap bifurcates the principle facet avy instruments pocket zipper, making it a bit bit fiddly to entry with gloves on. You both have to push the zipper slider underneath the compression strap, or unhook the compression strap totally, which is awkward given the non-traditional buckle hook factor. You can too entry the shovel-probe pocket from the highest through a small zipper contained in the pack’s primary compartment.
There’s one sleeve contained in the avy instruments pocket for a probe or shovel deal with, however it’s inconceivable to tug the probe or deal with out from the facet once they’re holstered in there, so I’ve been merely including all of the gear in there unfastened, which has labored advantageous. Backside line, it takes extra time to tug out avy instruments than some other pack I’ve used. That may very well be a dealbreaker for some skiers on the market. Others might want to apply getting these instruments out to mitigate the fiddle issue.
Odds’n’Ends
There are few different issues which have caught out to me as fascinating. All of the buckles are plastic, which is a departure from most different airbag packs that make use of steel clasps and buckles to face up to the beating of an avalanche. I reached out to Arc’teryx to ask about this design selection and testing and here’s what they stated:
“All Arc’teryx LiTRIC programs are examined to and conform with CEN 16716, which incorporates a number of totally different harmful force-loading checks on completed packs and elements. With our background as beginning out as a climbing harness firm, we realized that the essential forces would and may load primarily into the leg-loop, not the hip-belt or shoulder-straps. Our objective was to design an intuitive and straightforward to make use of leg-loop system that customers would use each time. On the time we helped develop the CEN commonplace it was estimated by different airbag corporations that leg-loops have been solely used round 50% of the time.
Our patented answer was launched on the Voltair packs in 2015 and much exceeds the CEN power necessities of leg-loops—when loading the whole system, the power vectors will be directed effectively all the way in which from the air-bag anchors to the leg-loop, like in a harness.
We discovered that looping a leg-loop by way of a hip-belt strap causes the power vectors to misalign, and when loaded the hip-belt/leg-loop association floats up the consumer till both the hip-belt is stopped by the rib cage or the leg-loop finally will get loaded—which causes the forces to switch to the hip-belt buckle.
On the Arc’teryx system, the hip-belt and hip-belt buckle don’t see any important loading in any respect. The shoulder-straps will float up-and-off the customers’ shoulders and customers received’t see important loading in comparison with the leg-loop. We selected to take care of the convenience of use and luxury of ordinary backpack plastic buckles for the conventional pack performance and focus the protection associated load-bearing elements into the airbag to leg-loop to consumer interface.”
The ice axe carry is bizarre. There’s a dogbone and decide loop on the backside of the pack, however no devoted holster for the shaft aside from the higher compression/ski/snowboard carry strap that doesn’t cease it from shifting laterally. It’s the identical system because the Rush Sk 32 pack (now the Micon 32) that I’ve skied with extensively. There’s an attachment level for a ski strap or different DIY answer in the midst of the pack at the very least. However the best choice I’ve discovered is so as to add the software to the avy instruments pocket, which solely works when you’re utilizing a shorter software just like the Black Diamond Venom LT or Petzl Gully. However then you definately even have one other factor in the way in which of your avy instruments.
Testing is ongoing
Up to now, the Arc’teryx Micon Litric 42 has a number of quirks. It additionally has some main strengths. I’m going to maintain snowboarding with it and attempt to get a extra full long-term assessment posted as soon as I do know it in and out. At this level I’m a fan of the pack total, primarily as a result of I haven’t thought twice about carrying it. It’s so dang mild. The very best security gear is the stuff you’ll truly use, and I’m positively extra eager to haul the Arc’teryx Micon Litric 42 than all of the earlier airbag packs I’ve used, even when the options aren’t as dialed because the Scott Patrol E2.
Hit me up within the feedback in case you have any particular questions or have examined the Micon LiTRIC 42 your self.
Bergen Tjossem is a ski fanatic, conservation skilled, and nature nerd primarily based in Vail, Colorado. His life and profession have centered round defending the pure surroundings and public lands that raised him, however as Ed Abbey put it, “It isn’t sufficient to battle for the land; It’s much more necessary to take pleasure in it.” So when he’s not working his day job, you’ll discover Bergen ski touring earlier than daybreak, mountain climbing at nighttime, operating trails till his legs fall off, snowboarding 13er’s along with his pals, or making the world’s greatest pizza along with his spouse, Rachel. You could find him on Instagram.
