Which beacon
- Thread starter Hardass
- Start date
J
Mammut Barryvox S if you'll take the time to learn all the features. I recommend this one most of the time when I'm teaching courses because of the range. The Barryvox transceivers will consistently pick up a signal before the rest.
I carry a Pieps Pro and my wife has the new Black Diamond Guide which is Pieps guts with a BD logo. They have nearly the same range as the Barryvox but start up faster and are quick with signal processing while bracketing.
If that doesn't do it for you then get the BCA Tracker 3. It seems to be the simplest to pick up and use quickly if you won't take the time to learn the features but it has less range in the field in my experience.
I carry a Pieps Pro and my wife has the new Black Diamond Guide which is Pieps guts with a BD logo. They have nearly the same range as the Barryvox but start up faster and are quick with signal processing while bracketing.
If that doesn't do it for you then get the BCA Tracker 3. It seems to be the simplest to pick up and use quickly if you won't take the time to learn the features but it has less range in the field in my experience.
I personally use BCA. They are simple to use and they have great customer support and service. I do not have any recent experience with any other brands. Someone please correct me if I am wrong but it is my understanding that black diamond is anti Powersports in the backcountry
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J
This is the second time this has come up in a couple of days so I just spend 2 minutes looking into it. Black Diamond supports The Conservation Alliance which in turn supports The Winter Wildlands Alliance. I didn't follow the trail any further but the Winter Wildlands Alliance doesn't have the best reputation in the sled community in the PNW.
That's 2 steps removed from BD but there's still a link. The great thing about our consumer economy is that you can vote with your dollar when you buy that next transceiver.
BCA is the only brand that I know of the supports and caters to snowmobilers, a lot of brands in this space (mammut, pieps) make donations to wilderness coalitions. I have a few tracker 2's, they're cheap and easy to use plus BCA customer service is awesome.
I will say, if you get a tracker 2, make sure it has the most recent software. When you put batteries in it, it should read 'tr-04'. If it doesn't, send it in to BCA and they'll take care of you
If I can recall, Black Diamond used to be the climbing/mountain sports segment of Patagonia and they're pretty outspoken in their support towards wilderness groups.
I will say, if you get a tracker 2, make sure it has the most recent software. When you put batteries in it, it should read 'tr-04'. If it doesn't, send it in to BCA and they'll take care of you
If I can recall, Black Diamond used to be the climbing/mountain sports segment of Patagonia and they're pretty outspoken in their support towards wilderness groups.
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Agreed with the support stuff from what I have seen. So I have bought T3's
J
Yes, BD used to be the hardware side of Yvon Chouinard's business but if I remember my history right he split them apart when someone using one of his harnesses died in a climbing accident. I don't think he was comfortable making safety equipment so he stuck with the clothing side of it (Patagonia) and now BD is a publicly traded company that has gone far from it's origins. Patagonia publicly supports activists which are much different than advocates. I'm not ok with Patagonia but I'll still spend money on Black Diamond.
BCA does support the sled community but even they aren't infallible. They fall under the K2 corporation which had been under Rubbermaid and is now under Kohlberg & Company and includes Atlas snowshoes and Tubbs snowshoes which probably put money into similar access organizations. If you do get a BCA get the Tracker 3, it's a much better transceiver than the Tracker 2. The T3 is simpler to use, has better audible feedback, "Big Picture" mode can be really useful, and signal suppression (flagging) works better in a multi-burial scenario. It's worth the extra money.
I've had my mitts on all of them and I know which ones people tend to learn the easiest, which ones have the most advanced features, which ones consistently have the best range, and I know what was recommended for fast times in the companion rescue exam.
V
volcano buster
Well-known member
I ended up with a Pieps DSP Sport. When I purchased it, there were only a few other options that were in the same ball park. I see that many of the offerings are comparable now.
https://beaconreviews.com/index.php
https://beaconreviews.com/index.php
