WTB: Cheap Avy Beacons (x4)

[The Dad]

The recent spate of inbounds and sidecountry slides has me spooked for my wife and kids. I want to put transceivers on each of them, even though they will never use receive mode. But because they will never use receive, spending on a state of the art DSP/S1/etc. just doesn't make sense.

Anyone got anything?

[BurnHard]

Ortovox F1 (Older blue version) - $150 Shipped & PPed?

[Doremite]

Older gen Ortovox F1 Focus bought from MtLion in 2007. Fully functional. $100?

[The Dad]

Thanks, guys. I'd like to wait to see what other options come in. Just FYI, though, my baseline is going to be driven by the Pieps Freeride, $199 from Backcountry before the Maggot discount and 12.7% Live.com kickback get added in, so figure $150ish. Unless I'm mistaken -- and please tell me if I am -- the feature set of the Freeride should be comparable to or better than the F1, and it comes with a warranty. Not saying that $100-150 isn't a reasonable price for an F1, just that it may not be enough to sway me.

[Jonathan S.]

Unless I'm mistaken -- and please tell me if I am -- the feature set of the Freeride should be comparable to or better than the F1, and it comes with a warranty.

They are very different designs.
In very quick summary:
-- receive range: F1 is among the longest; Freeride is shortest ever
-- send range: all beacons are very similar
-- size and weight: Freeride is very small & light
-- harness design: F1 is all strap; Freeride has pouch design (although it's on the big side, offsetting the small & light beacon)
-- searching features: F1 uses analog accoustics and a few LED lights; Freeride has LDC screen for approx. distance and flux line alignment
-- as a victim in a multiple burial: F1 can confound the signal separation abilities of the S1, DSP, Pulse, 3 Axes; by contrast, Freeride entails no such problems, and can be deactivated by the Pieps iProbe (which a professional rescuer at a ski area might very well have)

Reviews coming up here:
http://www.wildsnow.com/1476/avalanc...-review-intro/
... although only for multiple-antenna models, and focusing on backcountry companion rescue, which is not what you seem to have in mind.
If you're looking for a beacon exclusively for "find me" purposes for in-bounds use, then the Freeride is targeted exactly toward your needs.

[The Dad]

Thanks, Jonathan. That's my take on the Freeride as well.