Which new beacon in 2020?

[Jonathan S.]

If you're the kind of person who in general is into additional gee whiz super techie features, and if your opportunity cost of the price differential is trivial, then the S is worthwhile.
Otherwise, the baseline version is still a highly capable model.

[Peyto]

Have you seen this run-down by Mammut?
http://www.mammutavalanchesafety.com...vox-s-and.html

I’m a KISS guy, went with the ‘normal’ Bvox. No ragrets.

Samesies - picked up a plain jane barryvox for this season and have zero complaints. Simple is usually better...

[wilcox510]

Thanks for the feedback, I think I'll stick with the basic one.

[river59]

Anyone have a strong opinion on the pieps powder bt vs. the pieps micro bt button?

Replacing my tracker dts and the the prospect of a smaller transceiver has me curious. Usually carry in a beacon pocket vs. harness.

[kootenayskier]

Anyone have a strong opinion on the pieps powder bt vs. the pieps micro bt button?

Replacing my tracker dts and the the prospect of a smaller transceiver has me curious. Usually carry in a beacon pocket vs. harness.

Just had to make a similar decision, as my wife’s Pieps is being replaced by Black Diamond. The annoying automatic functions on the Micro were a dealbreaker, so went with the standard unit.

[river59]

Are you talking about the proximity sensor version of the micro? I wasn't aware that the button version had automatic functions, other than auto revert.

[::: :::]

I’m intrigued by the micro also, but wonder about how effective the auto-revert is & whether it is not useful when it’s dark out (light sensor trigger for send)

Or is any of that even an issue?
Any current users that can comment?

[river59]

Good point about darkness. I have seen a few reports of the micro switching to search while sealed in a beacon pocket or bib pocket. No reports that I have read saying it switched while in the bag they supply for pocket carry.

Any micro users out there?

[Bunion 2020]

One thing to keep in the back of your heads is that if you need to use your beacon IRL you are going to be stressed beyond words.

Do you really want something that is difficult to manipulate in such a scenario?

[river59]

Very good point. Given that I have spent the last 10 years with trackers, I am used to the press button mode switching, but I always worried about inadvertently switching with it in my pocket. Never happened with probably 300+ carries, but the worry was still there.

The security of double sliders to switch modes seems pretty foolproof, with one glaring exception.

[galibier_numero_un]

I just got my Barryvox S. No time spent with it yet, but I have to say that I'm very impressed with the switch.

One thing I'm not too big on is the hard, open frame holster. Maybe I'll get used to it. These holsters seem to be all the rage. I'm guessing someone did a time study and found that you get to it maybe 10 seconds faster.

As I wrote the above, I decided I'm ok with it.

I'm slowly becoming a Mammut fanboy - first, their ropes, then their ski packs, then, their air bag packs, and now this.

... Thom

[Jonathan S.]

Good point about darkness. I have seen a few reports of the micro switching to search while sealed in a beacon pocket or bib pocket. No reports that I have read saying it switched while in the bag they supply for pocket carry.

Any micro users out there?

My review of both is posted here:
https://skimo.co/pieps-micro-beacon-beacon

[river59]

That is super useful. Thanks Jonathan.

[::: :::]

Good stuff Jonathan, thx

[I've seen black diamonds!]

I've been doing back yard practice with my Pieps Pro BT (which recently arrived as a replacement for my DSP Pro):

The "detailed scan mode" for multiple burials is very simple and, I think, very effective. It lets you toggle through each of the signals it is receiving, displaying the distance and direction of each. In my opinion it's more intuitive, faster, and gives you more information than other multiple burial functions I've used. This feature needs to be turned on using the Pieps app. Note that I haven't used the latest Barryvox beacons or any Arvas.

I'll try testing the "interference protection" soon. I won't aim to be comprehensive, but I will get a sense of whether it does a better job than my previous beacon (which worked much better if my phone was in airplane mode, but didn't seem to be effected by my Garmin GPS watch).

[myles long]

I just got my Barryvox S. No time spent with it yet, but I have to say that I'm very impressed with the switch.

One thing I'm not too big on is the hard, open frame holster. Maybe I'll get used to it. These holsters seem to be all the rage. I'm guessing someone did a time study and found that you get to it maybe 10 seconds faster.

As I wrote the above, I decided I'm ok with it.

I'm slowly becoming a Mammut fanboy - first, their ropes, then their ski packs, then, their air bag packs, and now this.

... Thom

I just got my Barryvox S too..used it a few times practicing. I too wasnt a fan of the holster when I first saw it b/c it isnt what I am used to seeing, but i think it is a more simple faster setup for access.

I do like the group check function on startup, kind of a neat feature and automated way to go through the process.

[gimpy]

im still using an old barryvox and was thinking i should upgrade....... this thread is making me think i shouldnt bother?

[~mikey b]

ok now I’m pissed off

bought a Mammut Barryvox to try

put batteries in it and turned it on

no display at all

it beeps every 30 seconds and the SEND light lights up but that’s all it does

put my Pieps in SEARCH and it’s not there


put Pieps in SEND and Barryvox in SEARCH and it still beeps and the SEND light flashes in SEARCH

tried several different batteries


fack!

[~mikey b]

I did not expect to have to warranty this right out of the box

[MakersTeleMark]

I'd say, tomorrow is the day to send some windload!

Or, I would take that POS and throw it really hard at something and have some other things that I wanted to do that on my mind to get a 2fer.

Video it before and after. Post, of course.

What a nice POS.

[~mikey b]

time to get the crack Maggot legal team on the case

[MakersTeleMark]

time to get the crack Maggot legal team on the case

pm Danno.

[~mikey b]

I did not say crack smokers

[MakersTeleMark]

[~mikey b]

I guess I don’t understand the context

I don’t know who those people are