Newbie and avy gear selection/purchase

[tantrumpipeline]

This will be the first season for my gf in the mountains, avy courses are booked for January and flame away all you want we are going prior to that, which beacon is the most affordable yet easy to use, possibly a full pack shovel probe beacon kit as we will need that regardless, I run the ortovox +3 digital and it's been easy to use when we practice with them although the 3m mark is wonky and a known issue for this model. Not going to sit here and say we don't ride avy potential areas as we all know you can't classify that in the back country but we will be sticking to the lower risk areas until trained up although I'd be a liar to say without her and with the guys we don't tear all over. Biggest concern is ease of use for this purchase then cost, my ortovox I got on YouTube and found an English walk through and that would be nice with say a tracker or pieps model for her thanks for any input

 

[buckie]

i just got both my new tracker dts beacon kits i ordered of ebay and they are super easy to use and came with a good probe and nice shovel for 249 a package best deal around IMO itll be the first year ridding for my misses too and she finds it very simple to use if you wanna stop by and check out the kit your more than welcome

 

[Boobage]

What? You have to have avy course to ride mountains?
I love my mammut. Super easy to use.
At my avy class the other day it tracked from furthest away when the group did some outside testing.

 

[tantrumpipeline]

i just got both my new tracker dts beacon kits i ordered of ebay and they are super easy to use and came with a good probe and nice shovel for 249 a package best deal around IMO itll be the first year ridding for my misses too and she finds it very simple to use if you wanna stop by and check out the kit your more than welcome

You have the store? Ill look into it yhanks

 

[SidewaysInto3rd]

easy .. go to a store and play around with all the beacons in your price range and decide which one you like the most

all the new ones are easy to use and work well ..

 

[buckie]

ya you bet they are called SnowBigdeal not sure if they are still on sale but i paid 249 i think they are 299 regular they call it the bca backcountry essentials kit the beacon alone is 289 here in town and they give you a couple 10% off coupons for future klim and 509 purchases

 

[tantrumpipeline]

easy .. go to a store and play around with all the beacons in your price range and decide which one you like the most

all the new ones are easy to use and work well ..

That would be ideal but we are both too busy during business hours but a good call for sure thanks

 

[Bnorth]

I would caution against the tracker dts. It only has two antennas and three is the industry standard now. The Tracker 2 has three antennas as well as probably the simplest to use. Only real downfall is that it isn't a great beacon in a multiple burial situation.

 

[buckie]

I understand the 3 antenna models are the new top standard and great if you can afford them but for those who can't the ability of the dts is great tons of people have them and use them everyday

 

[cdnredneck_t3]

I agree with Bnorth. I have a Pieps and a Tracker DTS. The trackers work great in a single burial with a little bit of practice. Most people are not aware of how to use the multi burial function properly as it is not very user friendly in that regard.

 

[waynemags]

wife got a backpak, shovel, probe and beacon at ralphs in calgary. if i remember it was under 400. all good stuff.

 

[thunder44]

I just bought a Tracker 2 , shovel and Probe from BCA for an Xmas present and I paid &400 out the door including tax.

Also I found it to be the most user friendly. It may not have all the bells and whistles but who needs those in an emergency. I would rather be really good at finding someone than to know what the tempurarure is outside but that's just my opinion.