BCA Tracker 3 issues

[Burney]

Curious to hear thoughts on the tracker 3. Was in an avy rescue class this week and we found 2 to be faulty. One would go to search mode when set to send. Mine only picks up a signal in search mode when with in 20 "meters". and that was with good coupling, only 10 with poor coupling. Both instructors said they wouldn't be comfortable using it in the field like that. Sent in a warranty claim but they say 5-6 weeks for that...

Opening a can of worms I assume here but curious if others have had issues.
Also open to recommendations on what beacons might be the best option. Im thinking the BD guide/recon BT or Mammut...

[cydwhit]

Three years ago mine did the same "going to search instead of send" thing. BCA was quick to warranty it, but I sold the brand new model they sent me and went to the Mammut Barryvox S and haven't looked back. It's all anecdotal, but I've seen enough Tracker 3's act up that I'm not stoked on using them.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

-Mammut and BD are better than the rest and have been for a while, especially in terms of range (https://beaconreviews.com/).
-BD just bungled a recall around the previous version's flawed button design and people are pretty pissed.
-The button on the new BD is still inferior to Mammut's.
-All the noise you may have heard about Trackers being easier to use is bullshit.

So...

-Get a Mammut.
-Sell the replacement Tracker when it comes.

[2FUNKY]

Have not experienced that with mine or heard of it within the group of people I know, definitely not saying it doesn’t happen. I have witnessed and read of major failures from other brands so there’s that. They are all electronic devices and can/will fail eventually, or not. Unfortunately that’s the reality. Personally I would warranty it for a new one and keep using the new one.

[total_immortal]

I've used a 3 for the last few seasons without problems. Did you update the firmware? There was a firmware update last season or the season before, I wonder if that has something to do with the issue? Definitely makes me a little leery now though...

[Shredhead]

My 1st gen Tracker acted the same and BCA replaced it, even though it was well out of warranty.
I’m a couple of beacon since then and also have a Mammut.

[snoboy]

I have seen enough issues with BCA beacons that I would never buy one, and I would never recommend any else does either. My work now supplies BCA, and when my current issued Mammut gets retired, I will happily (?) purchase my own beacon (likely Mammut) instead of using a BCA.

Lots of fit & finish issues as well as design weirdness. Not that those necessarily disrupt function, but they indicate a lack of attention to detail that I'm not sure I want to see in life safety gear.

I also see a lot of the fleet fail range tests every year. Sounds like that's what is happening with yours.

That said it's not all bad - I think they make great shovels.

[galibier_numero_un]

Let's put this way ... If my partner had a BCA, I'd encourage him to swap my Barryvox for the day, because you know ... you want your partner to have better rescue gear than you do ;-)

Of course a "slipping out of send into search issue" might have me rethinking that strategy.

... Thom

[climberevan]

IDK about the Tracker 3, but my GF consistently finds my beacon whenever I hide it in snowfields using her Tracker 2. She wanders about for a bit and then makes a beeline for it. Is the T3 worse, somehow?

[GKWood]

For what it's worth, I am getting the same issue now with a Tracker3 I got last winter and only used a handful of times. Just sent in a warranty request. I guess I'm gonna have to change my touring plans for this week. In hindsight I should have held on to my Tracker1.

[isisis]

My Tracker 3 just quit working on my this AM. Wouldn't turn on (despite numerous battery changes) & I had to give up a day of backcountry. I don't have any record of when I purchased it but I'm pretty sure it is still under the 5-yr warranty. I filled out a warranty form & sent it in with photos showing the serial #. I really hope they come through and honor their warranty but needless to say I'm not crazy about this.