Beacon Recommendations

I've got the Tracker3 and have been satisfied with it. It's easy to use, easy to understand, and does what I need it to. Having the same beacon as your wife could also have its advantages, as it means you each know how to use the other's beacon if needed for whatever reason.

That said Tracker owners don't seem nearly as excited by their beacons as Barryvox owners are - so maybe there's something I'm missing out on there and if I were to upgrade it's what I would most strongly consider. One downside to the Tracker often mentioned in reviews - and something that rings true when I've done on the ground comparisons - is that the Tracker3 doesn't have quite as much range as other beacons. This is something you have to account for when using it and could potentially effect search times.

There is also the new Tracker4 that just came and hasn't seen many (any?) reviews yet. It reads to me like they've only changed the external features of the beacon (rubberized casing and a bigger/brighter screen), so I doubt it'll be worth the extra price to most casual users.

Love the tracker 3 personally. I'm a big fan of not having any oversize switch on a beacon like all the BD, Pieps, etc. Even the models that aren't prone to the failure McNutt experienced just don't seem right to me that the switch is so oversized and able to be slid easily. As said above the Barryvox is probably the only other one I'd consider for its switch design as well as being able to flag multiple burials for longer than one minute. With that said, if you don't know how to take advantage of every function the barryvox has then it can lead to some confusion for some users since it has so many. The tracker 3 is more of a no BS type of beacon for the every day user, and it's nice that it is very small and can fit in smaller pockets should you decide to go the bungee cord route instead of a harness.

I've talked with a bud at BCA and the tracker 4 just uses the same functions of the 3 but with a better display and more rugged design that'll allow for better grip when handling. Otherwise its range, etc. is all the same. I was bit let down that they didn't increase the range to compete with the barryvox.

Some friends like the ortovox s1+ for it's flip-phone design, but it's way overpriced for the features you actually get. That beacon was more of a marketing gimmick than anything.

Thank you both for your responses. Sounds like tracker 3 it is.


@.nasty does slope style sell the tracker 3? I couldn’t find it on your website.

TripleblacksThank you both for your responses. Sounds like tracker 3 it is.


@.nasty does slope style sell the tracker 3? I couldn’t find it on your website.

We do!! We just haven’t gotten our BCA order yet. Happy to offer a 10% discount for an NSer

I've been using the Barryvox for the past few seasons. It's done really well for me in search scenarios and the range is great. I've only played around with the BCA offerings a bit but they seem really straightforward and are definitely a good option.

One thing to consider with the Bca beacons is the more simple design is done completely on purpose. Having less that the beacon needs to do makes it the fastest in terms of user feedback. It gives real time updates on position compared to the slight lag that most other beacons offer. When you are doing a fine search having instant feedback can make all the difference in a situation where time is crucial.

personally I think the trackers offer everything a user could need. Learn how to use it and it will be not only one of the easiest beacons but also the fastest.

**This post was edited on Oct 17th 2020 at 2:45:16pm

I use the ortovox S1+

It's an amazing beacon. Highly recommend. The features are great, and the flux line calculation is really cool as well. I like being able to personalize it, and I was able to program my name, blood type, cell phone, etc into it.

Plus it throws me back to the flip phone days. 0% chance of switching modes on accident is tight.

Trackers are good. Barryvox is a little confusing at first (I just got one) but its straightforward once you do more reading and all the features are explained better. Cant wait to practice with this thing once theres actual snow on the ground. I like the group check function and multi-burial flagging options too, and W-Link, which I guess is just a deeper reading of the signal which can indicate if a buried victim is moving or not but you might run into an issue where someone else in the group doesnt have a W-Link compatible beacon but its probably more useful for the professionals/guides/patrol, etc. for triage. Nevertheless, you can save someone with yours haha

**This post was edited on Oct 17th 2020 at 7:25:25pm

tomPietrowskiOne thing to consider with the Bca beacons is the more simple design is done completely on purpose. Having less that the beacon needs to do makes it the fastest in terms of user feedback. It gives real time updates on position compared to the slight lag that most other beacons offer. When you are doing a fine search having instant feedback can make all the difference in a situation where time is crucial.

personally I think the trackers offer everything a user could need. Learn how to use it and it will be not only one of the easiest beacons but also the fastest.

**This post was edited on Oct 17th 2020 at 2:45:16pm

Have a tracker 3 used it all throughout high school in really high consequence skiing in the French alps. Solid as fuck beacon and the simplicity is a huge factor. I don’t want to dick around trying to figure out how to switch to search mode when someone’s buried

If I were buying a new one today, id probably get the barryvox... but really any of the latest models are pretty darn great.

I have used the ortovox 3+, the Black Diamond BT, the BCA T3, and all of the models that Arva makes...




If you can get one, Id say the Arva Neo is probably the best bang for buck on the market... the one I had constantly outperformed its own search specs... crazy good transciever. wish I didnt break it by dropping it off a 4 story stairwell... lol

DingoSeanIf I were buying a new one today, id probably get the barryvox... but really any of the latest models are pretty darn great.

I have used the ortovox 3+, the Black Diamond BT, the BCA T3, and all of the models that Arva makes...




If you can get one, Id say the Arva Neo is probably the best bang for buck on the market... the one I had constantly outperformed its own search specs... crazy good transciever. wish I didnt break it by dropping it off a 4 story stairwell... lol

Arva has some seriously underrated gear. We used to carry their beacons in the shop, just never sold well being more of a euro brand. Although I bet we’d sell them no problem now! Haha