Klim Aspect 16 E2 Airbag Pak Review (2023)

Klim recently took the avalanche industry by storm by officially entering the electronic airbag market with their own snowmobile-specific avalanche airbag packs, the Klim Atlas and the Klim Aspect. These packs have proved to be crowd favorites among backcountry snowmobile enthusiasts and avalanche safety experts alike. Now, after three years on the market, it’s time for the next generation.

The Klim Aspect 16 Airbag Pak has been redesigned for snow season 2022-2023. The all-new design features the latest Alpride E2 electronic airbag system which is smaller and lighter than its predecessor the E1 and inflates an airbag that is 12 liters larger. Read on as we, the SnowBigDeal team, give an in-depth look into the functionality and performance of this new pack along with a detailed comparison to its predecessor in our Klim Aspect 16 E2 Airbag Pak review. We believe this pack will be a hit for years to come.

WHY CHOOSE AN AIRBAG /

Why choose an airbag pack? Most of us in the industry are familiar with at least one person that has been affected by an avalanche death or injury. Avalanche danger is very real and ever-increasing—as snowpack trends below average and more players sled the backcountry. Avalanches kill more than 150 people worldwide each year. Avalanche deaths occur through blunt force trauma, hypothermia, or burial and suffocation. Avalanche airbag packs are highly effective at preventing/limiting head and chest trauma and burial. The airbag itself provides cushion for the rider’s head, neck, and back while some packs even offer chest protection through a vest design. Airbags help you stay near the surface of an avalanche by increasing your size and volume and even providing a cavity in the snow should you become buried. When your life is on the line it’s unlikely you’ll quickly learn how to use your airbag, which is why we recommend an airbag pack that is familiar, easy to use, and guaranteed to perform, something Klim excels at.

COMFORT /

Klim is extremely well known in the West and around the world for making snowmobile products and gear of superior quality; their avalanche airbag packs are no exception. Both generations of the Klim Aspect Pak are built to be snowmobile-specific and comfortable while shredding up the backcountry. Modeled after the Klim Nak Pak each is lightweight featuring an ergonomic harness ideal for heavy use and heavy packing. Two adjustable, padded, compression straps go over the shoulder and fully integrate into a padded chest harness providing minimal chest protection and even weight distribution. The chest protection isn’t like what you’d get from a vest, but still a nice addition for such a small pack. The chest harness clips, zips, and fastens with two Velcro strips for increased comfort and security. The chest harness is preferred over a traditional hip harness to help keep the pack weight off of the shoulders. Also included is an adjustable waist and leg strap with a stashable crotch strap to further secure the pack and prevent injury during an avalanche.

The Aspect 16 utilizes heavy-duty nylon and robust materials for extreme durability and abrasion resistance. If this pack is anything like the Gen 1 model, you won’t have much of a problem with wear and tear. The pack also features YKK® heavy-duty zippers throughout and moisture resistance; however, it is not waterproof.

The Aspect 16 (Gen 2) weighs in at 6.59 lbs (2990 grams) empty making it incredibly lightweight and one of the lightest electric airbag packs on the market — nearly half a pound lighter than the first-generation Aspect bag. The Aspect 16 E2 is incredibly lightweight, but not the lightest E2 pack out there. Snowmobile-specific features like its durable materials, removable tool pack, goggle pocket, and chest harness add some weight to the pack. If you’re not sensitive to weight, it will be worth it to gain added durability and gear storage.

The Klim Aspect utilizes an ambidextrous pull handle system (preset on the right shoulder) making it possible to personalize your configuration for easy access and quick deployment. No matter what side the pull handle is configured to, it is easily accessible for both hands due to its central location. The pull handle can also be moved higher or lower for better reach.

STYLE /

Let’s be honest, most avalanche airbag packs in the industry aren’t that stylish; they feature bright and vivid colors appealing to skiers but not so appealing to snowmobilers who like to match their gear and machine. While style isn’t all that important for life-saving equipment it can be an added bonus when buying an avalanche backpack. The new Klim Aspect comes in two color options: Concealment — a nice all-black option, and Electric Blue Lemonade — a blue and black option. The bag design and color options provide a sleek and modern look that pairs well with all of your snowmobiling gear. This bag is truly an eye-catcher.

STORAGE /

The Aspect 16 has a backpack volume of 16 liters, hence the name, and features several compartments for storing your safety equipment, gear, snacks, and other necessities. The main compartment features a radio pocket with mic routing and features a full zipper opening allowing it to be opened like a suitcase. Inside the pack, you will find internal shovel handle storage and probe storage with a drain. Your shovel blade is meant to be stored on the outside of the pack in the external shovel blade compartment. The harness shoulder straps include loops for a radio mic and the pull handle (either side). Also included is a moisture-resistant tool pack with an external attachment. The tool pack can be removed and stowed in your tunnel bag or kept in the pack; it is also a great location for storing extra batteries. One of the highlighting features of the Klim Aspect is its unique molded goggle pocket and removable chamois. It is designed specifically to fit Klim brand goggles; however, you shouldn’t have much of a problem fitting goggles from other brands. You’ll have to play around with the fit a little bit. We took one of our biggest goggles, the 509 Aviator 2.0 S1 Ignite Goggle, and were able to get it to fit. We did have issues getting the pocket to properly close as the goggle nose piece and battery pack were obstructing the fold. By flipping the goggle upside down we were able to get them to fit properly. You shouldn’t have any problem fitting extra lenses; although, fitting a goggle and lenses might prove tricky.

AIRBAG SYSTEM /

Unlike the first-generation pack, the new Aspect features an automatic pressure relief valve that drains airbag pressure after about 3 minutes. SnowBigDeal’s testing has shown this to be accurate. 3 minutes is quite a bit of time for deflating an airbag and the pressure relief valve is not meant to deflate an airbag after a test pull or accidental deployment. This valve allows partial deflation, but not complete deflation. The pressure relief valve is designed to slowly relieve airbag pressure to reduce the stress on the seams and fabric of the airbag balloon and maintain the balloon’s lifespan. When deployed the bag will inflate in 3-4 seconds and remain inflated for a minimum of 3 minutes before triggering the pressure relief valve.

To deflate the airbag after a test/accidental deployment riders should use the new external deflation release (new to the second-generation model). The deflation release is accessed through a newer zippered compartment on the bottom right side of the pack. Access might be a little tight and uncomfortable, especially for users with large fingers, but with practice, it gets easier.

The Alpride E2 System weighs in at 1140 grams, about 2.5 lbs (140 grams lighter than the E1), and is being hailed as the lightest electrical airbag system on the market. The smaller E2 system only occupies 1.19 liters of space and produces an airbag 12 liters larger than the previous model (162 liters). It is 40% smaller and 25% lighter than the Alpride E1 System.

The Alpride E2 System utilizes a supercapacitor to store energy and power a radial compressor on deployment. Both the E1 and E2 systems use the same compressor design as that used in the latest generation car turbochargers providing high pressure and fast inflation (3-4 seconds). Neither system is sensitive to lower temperatures and provides the same performance in temperatures -22ºF to 104ºF (-30ºC to +40ºC).

The E2 electric airbag system is charged with a new USB-C type port in 20 minutes via any USB-compatible energy source (wall outlets, power banks, even solar), and the charging cable (USB-A to USB-C) is included. Better yet, when off-the-grid, the E2 can be charged in 40 minutes with two AA batteries. If installed, the supercapacitors will automatically begin to recharge off of these two batteries immediately after inflation is complete. This is great for us klutzes out there who constantly trigger our packs on accident. With Alkaline AA batteries you can expect to get 1 recharge and with Lithium AA batteries you can expect 3 recharges. A USB type A power brick does not come included with this pack, fortunately, they are very common for charging cell phones and other personal electronics. You can generally get multiple pulls out of a fully charged supercapacitor (2 or 3) – always check your charge after deployment.

The new Alpride E2 system also features a new LCD screen to show the charge indicator of the supercapacitor and AA battery level. Specifically, the LCD screen shows: (1) the supercapacitor charge level, (2) the AA battery power level, (3) If the pressure relief valve is triggered, (4) the status of the self-test process, (5) whether the USB-C cable is connected and powered. Three colored lights (green, orange, and red) indicate the system status and whether the bag is operational and charged. The system also runs an auto-test process on startup to ensure that all of the electronic components are functioning and that the airbag is charged.

Something not mentioned in the product description is the new marking arrows on the airbag balloon that help guide rescuers to the head and face of the avalanche victim. The new balloon markings indicate the side of the airbag exposed, front or back, and point to the victim’s head.

Note: Before the first use, the system will not respond to activation (on/off) or input from AA batteries; the system must be charged with the USB-C port before powering on for the first time. After prolonged storage without batteries (during the off-season), the system will take longer to charge than after inflation. Also, you might notice that these items are tagged incorrectly and still state that the airbag system is the Alpride E1, this is incorrect and you can verify the pack does hold the E2 system by looking at the size and branding on the capacitor.

TRAVEL /

The Alpride E2 System doesn’t use a traditional gas canister or cartridge deemed unsafe for air travel nor does it utilize a lithium-ion battery. Both the E1 and E2 systems are TSA-approved for convenient airline travel and can be stored and shipped without restriction.

PRICE /

The second generation Aspect 16 Pak has increased in price to $1,199.99 from the $999.99 price of its predecessor. This price hike matches the trend we’re seeing all across the industry. The Aspect 16 is a high-demand item, you will see pricing fluctuate according to that supply and demand. We believe it’s worth the added cost, especially when compared to traditional canister-powered airbag packs. One of the benefits of an electric pack is that it is a one-time purchase. Canister airbag packs generally cost money to refill and you could be seeing costs of up to $175 for a refill and hazmat shipping. That’s just the cost of one refill. Say you deploy your canister airbag three times this season (maybe by accident, maybe not), you will end up spending up to 500 dollars just for three deployments. Electronic airbags can be used and reused with no added cost.

HOW IT COMPARES /

*Pricing may fluctuate due to supply and demand.

SUMMARY /

We believe that the new Aspect 16 E2 Avalanche Airbag Pak is an excellent choice for the aggressive mountain snowmobiler. Klim is constantly innovating, improving, and enhancing their products for superior quality and performance. The redesigned Aspect Pak follows suit and is miles ahead of the previous generation pack. The redesigned Aspect is more convenient than ever and incredibly easy to use, even under pressure. Unlike most airbag packs, this bag is designed by snowmobilers for snowmobilers. It features maximum durability and versatility for superior riding performance. The new Alpride E2 System is the lightest electrical airbag system on the market — 40% smaller and 25% lighter than the E1 system. The Aspect 16 E2 is incredibly lightweight — while it’s not the lightest E2 pack out there, it is the lightest pack with abrasion-resistant materials, gear storage, and added protection built specifically for snowmobilers. Overall, the Klim Aspect 16 looks good, feels good, and performs reliably ride after ride — we hope you have it and never use it.

Note: Avalanche airbag packs are fantastic, but we highly recommend all backcountry riders also carry an avalanche beacon or transceiver. Beacons help users search for avalanche victims or be found if they fall victim themself. An avalanche beacon is the most important piece of backcountry safety equipment you can get; browse our beacon selection or message us for more information.