Avi Beacons.

pretty good beacon. much better than the XI IMO.

The best made right now is the Mammut Barryvox.

Same easy digi mode as the tracker, but has the analog option and is much much smaller and easier to wear.

I used to use a ortovox, then the tracker. Now using the Mammut and unless something amazing comes out this will be the beacon I use for awhile. Very Very happy with it.

The barryvox is on backcountry.com for $255 right now

iggyskier speaks truth, and also the standard standby is the BCA Tracker. big, but extremely simple and gets the job done well. very reliable.

tracker is a great beacon for sure. sets the standard.

the Barryvox is superior, IMO, because of the ability to switch between analog and digital. ALlows you to pick up a signal before the tracker does and I find pinpointing much easier and accurate in analog mode.

Plus....It is SO MUCH SMALLER. Tracker is clunky as hell.

Check out the difference


Anyone looking at getting a beacon...the barryvox is smaller, usually cheaper ($251 at REI right now), has a better on/off switch, better harness, allows for the user to switch between analog and digital at the touch of a button, allows the user to customize the settings, and has better battery life (in my experience) than the tracker.

The only area where some people find it confusing is in multiple burials in digi mode. IMO...again the barryvox is much better. You can switch right over to analog and use it before switching back to digi.

The Tracker is a great beacon, no question, but why not get the best?

I've used all the above, I own a Pieps DSP Advanced, and it's pretty good. Really, you can't go wrong with any of the newer digi transceivers, they are all way better than the old Pieps 457 analog I used to use.

yeah....the good old yellow pieps.

and this brings up a good point:

Any beacon is good if you Practice. That is the key to it all. The more the better.

i like my tracker

I've got the barryvox, it's pretty sweet, would have gotten the tracker out of simplicity, but the barryvox was only $175 at the time, it's just as easy to use, and with more practice becomes more accurate than the tracker. And the cd rom has lego guys act out burial senarios, it's so rad.