ISPO Award Winner 2024: Mammut Eiger Free 20 Removable Airbag 3.0

»Our goal at Mammut is to make the backcountry as safe as possible. A transceiver, a shovel and a probe are mandatory to rescue someone in the event of a full burial. However, an airbag can reduce the risk of this critical situation significantly. However, we often hear, that the airbag is too heavy, too bulky,« explains Alexis Gal, Junior Product Manager Packs & Bags at Mammut. So the brand set out to make an airbag pack for no excuses.

The Eiger Free 20 Removable Airbag 3.0 is ultralight, customizable, and extremely durable for ultimate safety performance and unrestricted movement. In short, it is an airbag pack that is not too heavy or bulky to take on any backcountry mission, even when there are long hikes or the ascent gets steep and technical.

Or in pro athlete and mountain guide Nadine Wallner’s words: »The Eiger Free Airbag is the perfect solution for me to always have an airbag with me! Through several rounds of feedback and field testing, we were able to optimize many useful features for high alpine, technical terrain, as well as easy freeride areas, and develop a lightweight, compact airbag.« Elite athletes, including Nadine Wallner and Jérémie Heitz, helped develop and test this lightweight 1.5 kg airbag backpack. The pack itself is only 470 g on the scales. To get there, the Mammut team used two guidelines: a minimalist approach to reduce as much as possible, as well as innovative fabric with a great balance between strength and lightness.

The pack is customizable and repairable to cater to individual needs on alpine adventures in the backcountry with minimal weight. As the airbag system can be removed as well, the product can also be used for adventures without avalanche danger. With abrasion-resistant, lightweight ULTRA™ fabric and improved longevity, this minimalist pack ensures durability and maximum performance.

The Eiger Hook System offers customizable gear-carrying options for ascents. Specially developed by the Mammut team for this Eiger collection, the aluminium hooks are designed for durability and convenience and are one of the big innovations of this backpack. Aluminum is stronger than a plastic buckle, more durable and capable of supporting a heavier charge. »The hook is very easy to use, even with big gloves«, says Alexis Gal, Junior Product Manager Packs & Bags at Mammut. Combined with the straps, it can be used to attach skis or a snowboard easily in the way you need it. Moreover, the new system lessens the risk of getting snow stuck and blocking the system.

It’s also straightforward to remove and change in case of breakage. This last point is not only true for the hook system but for the backpack and its different features in general. They have indeed been thought out to last, but in case of breakage, they are also made to be changed or fixed easily. »All the features have been designed for durability in harsh alpine conditions. But in case of breakage, they are also easy to fix and repair.« says Gal. While its durability makes the product very reliable when out in extreme conditions, being used for longer, also plays an important role from a sustainable perspective.

• Only 1.5 kg with airbag system and refillable carbon cartridge, just the pack weighs only 470g
• Abrasion-resistant, lightweight and waterproof ULTRA™ material for durability
• Newly developed Eiger Hook System for customizable carrying systems and longevity