Avie Beacons at REI

[Greydon Clark]

SP- You'll enjoy the BCA Tracker.

Also, has anyone returned a beacon to REI? Most places have big signs that say "No Returns on climbing equipment" and consider beacons climbing equipment. Also, I probably wouldn't stake my life (or the life of a friend) on a beacon bought at the scratch and dent sale.

[up an down]

i like my X1

[H-man]

I like the Orthovox M2. Extended range from the analogue but good digital in close. Other than last seasons unfourtunate incident in Jackson when the guys beacon failed after hitting some rocks in the slide I have not heard anything negative. I like mine alot, am I missing something???

[grrrr]

Originally posted by nightpanda


at the end of the year REI will typicall give you 10-15% of the money you have spent at their stores.

Excepting all (non-REI) credit card sales for which the dividend is zero.

[Red Baron]

...and I've never seen a 15% dividend; REI's goal is to return "about" 10%, but if I remember right, it's usually around 7%, right?...

[SSSdave]

DougW, nice to hear your report on how the Barryvox did since I bought one a few weeks ago after digesting various web comments. Went through all the button pushing and manual but have not done any field training yet since the tahoe powder faucet has been dry lately. It's the smallest beacon. Check out www.backcountrystore.com
-dave

[CS]

Regarding the REI dividend, I'm pretty sure it's 10% off any cash, check, or REI CC purchases and either 7 or 8% for non- REI CC purchases. Also, no dividend for sale items. Oh, and I've never seen a 15% return.

And Punani, my vote is for the DTS. And get a shovel and probe while you're at it. As has been said before, it does you no good to find a person only to have no way of digging them out.

[The Reverend Floater]

Poon,

Twice a year I watch a big group of newbies use every different beacon on the market, and the Tracker is far and away the easiest for beginners. And I still use one because it's the easiest to understand in panic situation, IMHO.

[DougW]

Originally posted by SSSdave
DougW, nice to hear your report on how the Barryvox did since I bought one a few weeks ago after digesting various web comments. Went through all the button pushing and manual but have not done any field training yet since the tahoe powder faucet has been dry lately. It's the smallest beacon. Check out www.backcountrystore.com
-dave

Sorry - crap , it wasn't that model , maybe I'm totally screwed up , maybe it was the Ortovox M2 that he had . most diffentially has digi /anolog. All the digi only models had a hard time doing the pin point.

[jibij]

3 words:
broform dot com
Find a way to get an account if you don't have one.

M2, X1 and F1 all for about $100 less than anybody else.
You can get the X1 with a shovel and probe for much less than your REI price for transceiver alone.

[Superstar Punani]

Thanks Mags/Mins!!!!


I'm a total beacon/probe/shovel JONG. $$$ is not an issue for me so I'm looking for the best JONG-friendly beacon, not the cheapest.

Since I leave on Tues I have no time for mail order stuff, so I'll hit up REI or some other store.

Later

Pu

[Odin]

Originally posted by Punani
so I'm looking for the best JONG-friendly beacon, not the cheapest.

Without question, the DTS Tracker.

[Dr. Crash]

Weird. I got my Barryvox at REI I don't know why they don't have it anymore. It is as JONG-friendly as the Tracker, plus it will let you learn analog searching in practice (and then use it in real time for the initial search).

drC

[Spats]

Reason #1 to get a Barryvox:

It's small.

Really small.

Small enough that you will stash it in your inside pocket and always have it with you.

Trackers are really, really big. You need to wear the harness to put them on. And you'll be thinking "It's not dangerous today, I don't need to wear this." And you might not have it with you when you or your friend get buried. And the beacon you have is, by definition, better than the beacon you don't.

Plus it's as easy to use as the Tracker. Hold the button down, follow the arrows, always rotate it slowly.

Plus, if you set it up right, you can get ANALOG BEEPS along with the digital readout. This means you can hear the beeping well before the digital locks on (giving you the search range of analog), and can hear when there's a multiple burial. Thus you get the best of both worlds.

I'm not slagging on the Tracker, I would *much* rather someone have one than any analog beacon. But having used both in the snow, I find the Barryvox has obvious advantages.

They're cheap at:
www.mooremfg.com
who also have shovels and probes and are really helpful on the phone.

The money you save on sales tax will pay for overnight shipping and leave you $ for airport drinks.

[G]

Geoff's pros and cons list of your potential beacon:

F1.
Pro: Probably the most popular beacon ever made. it's small, durable, reliable and has great range.
con: It's an analog. unless you pracice once a week, You'll never be as fast on a search as if you had a digital. multi-burials can be a nightmare.

X1.
Pro: a good digital upgrade from the F1. I've heard it described as "a tracker in an ortovox package" a
Con: there have been some SERIOUS questions on the reliability of the earlier models. not sure if this has been totally cleared up yet.

BCA
Pro: super easy to use. proven reliability. fast reaction time. great with multi burial searches.
con: it's a little bigger than most other beacons. kinda expensive too.


result: avoid the f1 only because it's analog, and you don't have time to learn and get good at searches. I'd avoid the X1 only because of the questions of quality.

Winner:
Tracker. By a mile.

If you're the one buried, it doesn't really make much difference, but If it was my carcass under the snow, and you had a beacon in hand, I'd pray to god that it was the BCA.

By the way: I personally own the mammut. I decided on this one after doing tons of research and testing every other beacon available. it's a little less user friendly, but also a good one if you take the time to practice with it. Not as fast to learn as the bca, but much easier than an analog.

[cmor]

con: It's an analog. unless you pracice once a week, You'll never be as fast on a search as if you had a digital. multi-burials can be a nightmare.

Most internationally certified guides use the f1 because it is faster than digital in multiple burials. My barryvox goes nuts when you get 3 or more in a close area. Micro-strips with digitals can be limiting

[G]

I'm not saying that all analog units suck, just that digital is, overall, going to be way faster in the hands of a less skilled user.

And Punanni aint no internationally certified guide. At least not in skiing.

They're great beacons. But I think amateurs should stick to digital.