This morning, Black Diamond announced that its Jet Force Avalanche Airbag Packs are under recall. The packs, which were sold under the Black Diamond brand as well as its two subsidiaries POC and PIEPS between the Nov 15, 2014 and July 7, 2015 are covered under the current recall.
According to the email sent out by BD,
“In a limited number of cases, system malfunctions have resulted in involuntary shutdown and/or failure to deploy.” That’s a little scary for the manufacturer and very scary for the users (many of which are on in the same). But luckily, “there have been no accidents or injuries resulting from these malfunction.”
Phew…
However, shipping is taken care of by BD and “firmware” repairs will take place at one of their global service centers.
The new JetForce technology is a revolution for the avalanche safety industry and it’s a testament to the progression airbag packs for backcountry skiing. The level of concern from the higher ups in BD is obvious, especially in the letter from President, CEO, and Founder Peter Metcalf who commented on the recall and how it’s hitting close to home:
“We are all deeply commited to the safety of our users, and humbled by the trust our customers—in many cases friends and family members—place in the equipment we produce.”
Instructions for returning your recalled pack can be found here: JetForce Recall
