Other devices use motion sensors and revert back to transmit mode after being motionless for two minutes. Arva devices just go back to transmit mode after eight minutes, annoying for a longer search, and in the case of a second avalanche, the eight-minute delay sounds like a long time indeed to be completely buried under the snow. The Black Diamond Recon is, similar to the Barryvox, a top-of-the-line recreational beacon, with the Guide carrying enhanced functionality for professionals similar to the Barryvox S.
Both the Recon and the Guide have bluetooth, a rare and useful feature for enhanced customization and information, and the Guide even has an inclinometer to measure incline angle, a useful feature for anyone.
But it carries a hefty price tag with it. Both have flagging capability for multiple victims and auto-revert in case of a second avalanche. Overall, any of these reliable devices would make for a great backcountry companion. Disclosure: The Inertia may receive a small commission if you make a purchase from the affiliate links included in this feature at no additional cost to you. Our goal is always to entertain, educate, and inspire, and we hope you find this feature useful.
Just like Transceivers. The W-link is giving a name to those humans…and transceivers. Not only can you identify them as humans, but you know them by name. Using only a single AA battery but still maintaining fairly decent battery life, these transceivers will fit unobtrusively under your coat. The BT stands for Bluetooth, meaning you can update software via the Pieps Avalanche Beacon app on your phone and manage features.
Some people thought this was a breakthrough innovation while others hated it, so they released the Micro BT button to appease both crowds. The Micro BT button, you guessed it, has a button to switch from send to search. The DSP sport is Pieps basic recreational model. The BT indicates that it has Bluetooth and is upgradeable via an app. The only other differences are a motion sensor, increased battery life, and a tiny bit better range in the Powder BT.
It has all the bells and whistles and is the high end transceiver offered by Pieps. It has a scan function identifying numbers of signals within set distances, an inclinometer, analog mode and all the features of the previous two. It has multiple signal suppression, auto revert and an easy to use intuitive design. It is digital only with no alternate analog mode. This helps protect the beacon from getting damaged or ripped away from your body during an avalanche.
Just like a smartphone or computer, keeping your beacon up-to-date will help maximize its performance. Buying a beacon is a great first step toward realizing your backcountry goals, but it's only one of many critical factors. In addition to the gear you bring, proper avalanche safety includes learning about the intricacies of snowpack and snow conditions, being able to evaluate and safely navigate avalanche-prone terrain, and recognizing and mitigating human factors.
Beyond these introductory courses, there are a number of resources online to help you become a safer and more experienced backcountry traveler. Single-day courses like Introduction to Avalanche Safety or Avalanche Awareness Clinics are another great place to start getting familiar with the essential gear and learning the finer points of snow and weather conditions.
A beacon is just one piece of the avalanche safety puzzle and should always be accompanied by both a probe and shovel. Some skiers and riders, especially those who frequently head into avy-prone terrain, might also carry an avalanche airbag pack for extra assurance in the event of a slide.
In terms of other clothing and equipment, our backcountry skiing checklist is a good place to start and details everything you need for a day on the slopes, from jackets and pants to accessories like ski socks and gloves.
Adventuring in the backcountry can be incredibly beautiful and rewarding, but there are a lot of inherent risks, and having the right gear is crucial to staying comfortable and safe.
Photo Credit. Best Overall Avalanche Beacon 1. See the Ortovox Diract Voice 6. See the Mammut Barryvox 7. See the Arva EVO5 8. See the Arva Neo Pro See the Backcountry Access Tracker4 Along with a shovel and probe, a beacon is a crucial backcountry safety tool In general, beacons can be broken down into two categories: those ideal for recreational use and those geared towards professionals such as ski guides, avalanche course instructors, and pro patrollers.
Send and Receive Modes An avalanche beacon has two main modes: send and receive. A beacon has two primary modes: search receive and transmit send In search or receive mode, visual and audio messaging directs rescuers towards the buried victim s. Search Range and Width Most avalanche beacon manufacturers claim a search range between 40 and 70 meters. Search range varies by beacon but usually hovers between 40 and 70 meters Most avalanche instructors teach search patterns based on a meter radius, meaning that any beacon here is appropriate for a Level 1 or 2 course.
Digital vs. Analog Beacons All current avalanche beacons operate digitally, although a few high-end models—including the Mammut Barryvox S, Black Diamond Guide BT, and Arva Neo Pro —give you the option of swapping between analog and digital modes. Avalanche Beacon Functions Auto Revert-to-Transmit Most modern beacons now have auto-revert functionality, which is a safety measure in the event of a secondary avalanche. Auto-revert functionality adds extra assurance in the event of a secondary avalanche Auto-revert functionality differs considerably among beacon models and could very well be a deciding factor in which model you choose.
Multiple burial indicators and signal suppression are especially helpful in larger group settings Self-Test and Group Check Most avalanche beacons perform a self-test when turned on, checking to see that the antennae are transmitting a signal and the battery has enough charge. Performing a group check before heading into the backcountry Weight and Dimensions Avalanche beacons are small enough to fit in your hand and tip the scales at around 5 to 8 ounces.
It's important to keep your beacon stowed close to your body Unlike safety equipment like a rope or airbag, avalanche beacons also do not have stated lifespans. We prefer when beacons show an exact battery percentage rather than a tiered icon Battery life can vary a great deal between models. Carrying Case and Strap There are two primary ways to carry an avalanche beacon: in a zippered pant pocket or in a dedicated case with a strap usually a chest harness.
Avalanche Safety Courses Buying a beacon is a great first step toward realizing your backcountry goals, but it's only one of many critical factors.
Evaluating snowpack is crucial to understanding potential avalanche risk Completing Your Backcountry Kit A beacon is just one piece of the avalanche safety puzzle and should always be accompanied by both a probe and shovel.
Powered by Drupal. Read More From Switchback Travel. There are important considerations when making a purchase: What is your skill level?
In what region For experienced skiers and snowboarders venturing into avalanche terrain, an airbag pack can provide an extra boost in safety. These systems function by inflating an airbag to about liters via Thanks to a considerable rise in backcountry adventuring of late, splitboarding is having a moment. With the ability to separate your board on the way up and secure the halves together for a true snowboarding experience on the way down Whether you're new to backcountry skiing or have been earning your turns for decades, selecting a touring binding can be a particularly intimidating task.
In , the market is absolutely flooded with The other acceptable location is in a zippered pants pocket. The pants pocket needs to be an internal i. Laminated pockets are not okay because these types of pockets have been torn off during an avalanche.
Despite worry from some readers, there has never been a reported case of someone having their pants ripped off in an avalanche with their beacon inside. GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves.
No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison. Best Avalanche Beacon of Photo: Ian Nicholson. Share this article:. Our Editors independently research, test, and rate the best products. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Learn more. Our crew of seasoned snow professionals has spent the last half-decade testing over 20 of the best avalanche beacons.
For our update, we bought 14 of the best models for our latest side-by-side analysis. Across North America from Alaska to the Cascades to the Sierra Nevada, we put these beacons in the hands of novice users, certified ski guides, avalanche forecasters, and safety course instructors, and tested them in real-time in both single and multiple burial simulations. Whether you're an industry professional or a brand new backcountry enthusiast heading outside the ropes for the first time, we can help you find the right avalanche beacon for your adventures.
Top 14 Product Ratings. Displaying 1 - 5 of Mammut Barryvox S. Black Diamond Guide BT. Backcountry Access Tracker3. Arva Axio. Mammut Barryvox. Show full specification details Hide full specification details. See all prices 2 found.
Range 9. Range Longest range in the review. See all prices 3 found. Range 7. Easy to use and very intuitive. Signal suppression function can be tricky in certain situations. Range 8. Fast processor, which excels in the fine search. Slider toggle is stiff; difficult to operate with thicker gloves or mittens on. Score Product Price Our Take Black Diamond Recon BT. Pieps Micro. Arva Neo. Backcountry Access Tracker 2. Backcountry Access Tracker S. Pieps Micro BT. ARVA Evo5.
Another round of side-by-side testing and comparisons. Traveling in the backcountry in the winter can be an amazing experience, however, unlike a ski area, the risk of being caught in an avalanche is not mitigated by bombs or ski patrol. Good decision making is crucial to not getting caught and you should ALWAYS wear a beacon "just in case" anytime you are traveling in or around avalanche terrain.
Rainier National Park. Overall speed should be among the most important factor backcountry travelers should be considering when purchasing a beacon.
While all the extra features are cool and easy to focus on, speed and ease of finding a single buried beacon should be your strongest considerations.
The ease of finding a single victim is the most basic but most important function of any beacon. Photo: Side-by-side testing in Mt. The Barryvox S is one of only a few models that tells its user to turn around if they have gone too far. It displays the "U" shaped arrow shown here when you have overshot your mark.
Intuitive design and simple well-labeled controls like the ones shown here on the Black Diamond Guide BT are critical in assisting rescuers to save their friend quickly under what is unquestionably an extremely stressful situation. As beacons get more capable they inevitably have a more complex interface and often more buttons.
While this is fine for more practiced and experienced users unlike a lot of other outdoor gear more isn't necessarily better. The fine search is the final stage of searching and it's where most less practiced or novice users waste time or blow it altogether.
This is also one of the areas where we observed the largest difference in the effectiveness of the different models. Tester Ian Nicholson with an Arva Neo. In all models except the original BCA Tracker DTS , the arrows go away at 2 or 3 meters you are just supposed to ignore the arrows below 2m with the original Tracker.
While not a huge deal, models whose arrows disapeared at 2m instead of 3m were generally easier to use by novice or less practiced individuals. BCA and Pieps designed their arrows to go away at 2m while Arva and Mammut designed theirs to go away at 3m. Showing the steps of the fine search. At 10m the beacon should be keep at ground level. Below 2m the beacon should be kept in the same orientation while bracketing. In most cases, the numbers on the screen are close to but not actually the correct distance to the buried beacon, nor do they correlate to the distance along the flux-line.
While no model was that far off, both of Mammut's models were the closest to the actual distance. The numbers displayed are an approximate distance in meters along the flux line. The reason that is significant is that the flux lines are curved so it rarely takes you in a straight line distance.
Also of note, the distance isn't exactly a meter with the exception of Mammut but it is close enough. Your range affects your search strip width, or how much area you can cover as you systematically search the debris pile.
More range means a quicker single acquisition, but we feel range should be a much lower priority than things like processing speed. Bracketing stage with the Barryvox. It took some practice to work as well in the fine search as other models.
OutdoorGearLab's real-world beacon test range results.
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