Sales in Avalanche beepers rise, but what should you buy?

Skiers and snowboarders enjoying the back-country need to be prepared and well equipped.

The three classic essentials; transceiver, shovel and probe are the vital to ensure the chance of a quick rescue and must be carried by all members of an off-piste group.

Last year there were thirty five deaths in France due to avalanches and with the number of people venturing into the off piste increasing this number could easily rise. However sales in avalanche safety equipment are also rising and there are a number of modern beepers on the market.

French avalanche safety company Arva  have recently released their latest beeper onto the market, the “Arva Link”. The beeper has three antennas for a wide but accurate search field and uses digital and analog signals to track the location of a buried victim. The high resolution 360 degree screen make it simple to use and easy to read.

Swiss company Barryvox has the “LVS” and  Ortovox  has the S1.

As Patrick Giraudon, general manager for France Nic Impex, the manufacturers of Arva says it is not enough to own a beeper “users should be trained and exercised regularly”.

Which ever beeper you choose practice is important. Many ski resorts now have a dedicated transciever training ground where you can practice searching for buried beeps.

As Henry Shniewind, founder of  
Henry's Avalanche Talks says; “The best beep isn't necessarily the most expensive one. It is the one you know how to use.”

Watch our video on a beeper search below