Whenever you're spending money on security or safety, you should look at what else the money could be spent on more effectively. Is there something else that costs the same or less and would provide the same or better improvement in safety?

You're also "spending" weight and bulk. In some endeavors, weight and bulk can be the enemy of safety, or prevent you from carrying something else that would be more useful.

I'd like to emphasize that I don't begin to know enough about avalanche airbags to have an opinion about them one way or another. I'd like to hear from people who know more than me about these issues.