 Poster: A snowHead
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What do people think of decathalon gear?
I like to do a bit of side country off piste when I ski, never ventured very far from pistes as not had any equipment.
Looking at getting a shovel and probe etc and I've got some lessons in Germany soon so I'll know how to use them. But was wondering if anyone has any experience of using the wedze equipment.
I use decathalon for cycling and camping equipment and have always been very impressed with the quality and value of their stuff, just when it comes to life saving equipment I'm a bit unsure.
Do I need to be spending more on high end equipment or will having their stuff be better than nothing?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I suppose it comes down to how do you put a price on your life and the life of people you ride with. Plastic shovels for instance are a waste of time and money as they're known to snap quite easily in the compacted snow, your probe should be at least 240cm to locate people buried deeply. Transceivers again cheap ones will broadcast the same as expensive ones in transmit mode but in search they won't be as good. You can get kits from well known brands for under 200 quid which to me is very little if I'm ever in the situation I need to find someone.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Decathalon own brand stuff in my experience is good for the money, but not actually good. It's been an ok place to pick up the more insignificant odds and sods. Ok I guess for non essential stuff (ie probably stuff other than life saving avalanche rescue gear).
Note: my experience is limited to camping equipment and clothing, I've not used any of the snow gear besides a board bag (which is ok for the money, it's a bag and hasn't broke yet).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@francium.: all good advice... but not really related to the question of Decathlon though (unless they're started making own-brand tranceivers).
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Just had a look at the website the arva kit isn't too bad for the money.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Decathlon are doing an Arva Evo 4 with an ally shovel & 2.4 metre probe for £174
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| musher wrote: |
| Decathlon are doing an Arva Evo 4 with an ally shovel & 2.4 metre probe for £174 |
and that's a bargain!
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Decathalon stuff is good value, I use their climbing and skiing equipment all the time, it's all good quality. Far cheaper than the ski shops with the added bonus of being able to take equipment back after you have used. I took a pair of ski boots back last year in France, bought them in Edinburgh 2 months previously and decided I liked some others better.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks for all your input.
Have to agree that decathlon is perfect for the other bits that big brands stick big price tags on for the same piece of kit. But avalanche kit will probably be better doing some research and spending a bit more money.
I'll have a look around and maybe talk to the instructor on the avalanche course to see what their suggestions are.
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There's nothing wrong with their avalanche kit! It's very good!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@musher's package is not just a bargain, but also very good kit.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I bought a replacement probe from Decathlon ( the quick tensioner had gone in my old one) Barry bargain.
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You know it makes sense.
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Couple of years back on the rather intense week long Euro Avalanche course they threw my 2.4 proble away saying at that length it was of feck all use........
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Weathercam,
What did they want you to replace it with?
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Poster: A snowHead
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...and why?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@KnightRider, I think the distinction would have to be made between Decathlon own/dedicated brand gear, and brand name gear sold by Decathlon from well know manufacturers. As others have pointed Arva is a well known brand, if however they were selling a Wedze avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel, it would be a different situation.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Sat 7-01-17 18:37; edited 1 time in total
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@musher, I'm guessing that in a probe search line, if everyone else is using a 3.00 or 3.20 probe, you are using a 2.4, you are going to be leaving 60 or 80cm strip unprobed at depth. The other arguments I have seen, include that a longer probe gives better directional control (2 hands on the section above the snow), a longer probe means that you don't have to keep bending down (less effort) etc. I appreciate that if you are probing below 2.4m (8ft) the chances of digging someone out alive are pretty slim, so it would be a body recovery exercise.
All the main manufacturers probes appear to top out at 320cm, but I know that Ortovox used to do a 60cm extension for some of their probes. They also still do a steel probe for the ski patrol/rescue user.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| musher wrote: |
| ...and why? |
Probably along the lines of "we know this excellent ski shop in town that will sell you a 3.2m probe. Definitely not run by our mates, definitely not charging rip off prices to people we've told their gear isn't up to it, definitely not giving us a kickback every time another mug falls for it".
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@powderadict good point, the arva kit does seem good value and from what everyone has said is quality stuff, will have a look when back from my course.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@dp, suggest you check out http://www.euro-avalanche.com/ it's what all British Aspirant Guides have to take and there's quite a few other Nationalities.
As I said, it's quite an intense week's course, and after daily classroom theory in the morning it was up the hill to play out various scenarios and practical in the afternoon.
If you think about using a pole, you're already wasting circa 1.4ms where you hold it above the ground as you tend to stand rather than bend down to the ground so you can work quickly and cover a large area - so in effect with a 2.4 you're only probing 100cm below the surface.
With avi kit, if you're taking it seriously it's pointless even attempting to be a cheap-skate, I for one would not want to be skiing with you if that's your attitude / POV.
But hey maybe you know better 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Weathercam wrote: |
With avi kit, if you're taking it seriously it's pointless even attempting to be a cheap-skate, I for one would not want to be skiing with you if that's your attitude / POV.
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My Quecha probe with it's simple knot and notch mechanical lock out is infinitely better than my old "trusted brand" Lifelink one with a busted plastic lock out (busted largely through years of being carried in a pack) - main advice is check your avy kit not just on the day before you go. You obviously wouldn't want a plastic or fibreglass probe but provided it locks out well and has sensible dept gradations there is less need to be Gucci provided you've got enough heft to penetrate lite concrete.
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