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Plastic Fantastic! Kaya Lampe from Truckee soars over the crowd and into the airbag as the group gathers after the last run of the day. |
Comments (2)Out and About: Hitting the Blob on Memorial Day
By Beth IngallsPublished: June 20, 2010
Freeride skiers and boarders love to stretch their season out as long as humanly possible, and spending Memorial Day on the snow is a source of pure joy. Add a cool new product called an airbag to the mix, and the fun factor goes up exponentially. The group pictured here spent the entire day at Kingvale Terrain Park hitting a steep lip, launching themselves skyward, and landing on the double-layer 50- by 30-foot inflatable cushion.
This airbag is USAirbag’s first product prototype and had only been set up two other times this spring. According to its website, USAirbag is a company “comprised of a motley crew of avid snow lovers and adrenalin junkies” that wants to pave the way for riders to go “bigger, faster, and harder in creating the next generation of tricks and jumps.” The airbag, nicknamed the “blob,” can be used not just by skiers but all extreme sport lovers who want a safe way to perfect tricks without worrying too much about the landing.
The airbag can be rented for events or purchased new for just under $25,000. USAirbag is hoping that resorts here and worldwide will be eager to add an airbag to their ever-expanding list of terrain park features, or simply bring one in for special events and competitions. Based on the response that this airbag brought to Kingvale on Memorial Day, they’d be crazy not to.
Info: USAirbag LLC, (646) 919-6751, usairbag.com
~ Beth Ingalls
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