Yes -- $1025 -- it is an "air bag" pack -- so the pricing is not so different from other "air bag" packs. The North Face Patrol 24 ABS pack is $1179 from REI. Other ABS packs from BCA are more in the $700 range.
Not to bag on Randy, but ABS is a specific manufacture, and airbag is a generic term. ABS (the manufacturer) aggressively licensed out its tech to The North Face, Dakine, and K2.
The BCA Float 22 with a canister retails for $675 total, and the Float 32 with a canister retails for $725 total. Keep in mind canisters are sold separately because they're shipped charged (except for REI). It was an important goal of BCA this year to reduce the weight and cost of manufacturing, reducing the cost to the customer and encouraging sales. I think you'll find that BCA is the most price-competitive airbag pack on the market this season.
For non-airbag packs, I find anything over 35L is to thick to add a diagonal ski carry. But for day trips, I rarely need anything bigger than 35L, so I've been using the BCA Stash BC (35L) for the past two years. For lift-accessed, fast-and-light, and spring day tours I'll drop down to the Stast OB (16L). Yes, I have a quiver of packs. I use a 45L pack for overnight ski tours and prefer an alpine climbing pack like Millet's Prolighter 45L.
For full disclosure, I'm BCA's Tech Rep for the Pacific Northwest and a guide for Pro Guiding Service. So I obviously have a deep and abiding bias. More about BCA's airbag pack is at backcountryaccess.com. Feel free to ask me questions - maybe we need a new thread for airbag packs instead of hijacking this one!
