Ortovox Avalanche Rescue Set.

A snowHead

Just bought an Ortovox Avalanche Rescue Set from Ekosport at a very good price.

Ortovox Zoom + transceiver.
Aluminium shovel.
Aluminium probe.

£180 plus an extra £ 15 off with voucher code DESTOCK15 making it £ 165 delivered.

Bargain.

A snowHead

I've been using a Zoom+ for a few years. Best feature is how easily you can fit it in your trouser pocket compared to other transceivers. The Zoom+ is also very intuitive to use.

Downside of the Zoom+'s simplicity is that it has no masking feature, for me that isn't a problem as
A - I try to avoid exposing myself to situations where multiple people get buried.
B - Most of the time I'm skiing
with just my wife and,
C - I know how to use micro search strips if I do encounter multiple burials (and have enough people power to dig out multiple people at the same time).

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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@JoyZipper, thanks for link.

I'm looking at getting my first kit - initially I just wanted the transceiver only as I'm not taking about major off piste and don't want to lug a bag and shovel around all day - just more peace of mind.

Is this plan just a waste of money/effort unless I get the whole kit and commit to use it?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Badbobby, do you just want other people to save you but don't want to be able to help them?

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^^ can't expect other people to carry probes and shovels if you don't and if you don't all know how to use the kit it's not that useful as rescue is fairly time limited, I think 15 min is average survival time if buried.

There's several very compact packs which you'll barely notice while skiing.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@dp, what's so bad about a pocket with a good zip? I broke a rib last February while doing an avi training course.....we were off piste up in Flaine in a blizzard, caught the front edge and slammed chest / transceiver onto the hard ice. It was probably an older model transceiver, large, black.

I've bought my own this year, went for the above zoom+ set, due to neat size etc (same set is more expensive in France of course at 200 eur)

After all it is free

@adithorp, @Daishan, yes, fair point. I suppose what I meant is if I'm pottering around not really off piste, but I guess you're right in that you've either got all the gear or none of the gear.

@langball, generally better to keep your transceiver closer to your head as that's where you want your mates to be digging first - you can't breath through your pocket Happy

Takes time and effort to work towards your head after they just burnt all their energy finding your hip.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

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@langball, With the 3+, I find I can get with a 15-20cm in practice, which is close enough to find your head sooner than you hip, arsse or pocket Happy

snow reports

I must admit, I thought the same @PaulC1984 when I tried on some Black Diamond ski pants that had a dedicated padded Pieps (Transceiver) pocket on the thigh.

You know it makes sense.

@RichClark, Seems a bit odd.

That said, they are an american brand, largely run by blokes

Perhaps they thought their c0cks were snorkels and thought it most important to clear that area first...... Toofy Grin

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@PaulC1984, Laughing

A snowHead

@clarky999, One of our guides last season kept his tranceiver in his thigh pocket – his view was that it was ok if the pocket was designed as an "internal" one with no seams, rather than sown on top of the main fabric and therefore liable to be ripped off. Not for me though, I've got proper thighs Laughing

A snowHead

A further advantage of carrying your transceiver in an internal trouser pocket is that it is much more secure when you are skinning in just a base layer.

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Ive got an ortovox 3+ but I have to admit that the Mammut Barryvox Pulse is better. IN Any training finding the lines to the burial the 3+ had a couple of indecisions but got there. The Mammut was permanently locked on the curve line all the way to the burial.

I was really impressed.

As for position. I have mine on a chest harness and my trousers have an elasticated pocket just above the knee for a phone. Someone in the shop said "people think this is a transceiver pocket. However, it is a pocket to force you to put your phone far away from the transceiver because it interferes with the transceiver signal".

Don't know if that is true or just good sales patter.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@GlasgowCyclops, on the Black Diamond ski pant i tried, it says the following:

You'll need to Register first of course.

My Ortovox booklet says to have it on your chest or trouser pocket

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I don't particularly like the standard harness, and I think many people just use those because it's more or less been standard since the start.

This from their Micro manual, which at least indicates that they're aware that their products are carried in pockets and apparently have no issues with that.
"PIEPS recommends using the MICRO carrying system (A) or using the MICRO Bag with hand-loop (B), if the MICRO is carried in a securely closeable clothing pocket."

The argument against a jacket pocket has always been "your jacket may be ripped off you", although with an airbag with a leg loop that may be less of a risk these days. The crotch pocket seems like the optimum place to me. I don't really want you probing there, but it seems likely to be secure. If I carry a mobile I'd generally have it turned off anyway, but there's less chance of cross-talk from VHF radios which are carried in chest pockets (BCA people aside perhaps).

If you carry it in a pocket you'd need it tethered. If you carry it in a pocket it would be more discrete when you're in the bar, which many people will actually not like (it's ok, we're no longer impressed, everyone has them these days).

After all it is free

Note that others also make transceiver pockets - Sweet Supernaut Salopettes, Peak performance mid layers etc . Important also to clip it to a belt or brace loop so you don't fumble it 200 ms down hill when you get it out after the avalance tho!
I skied with a guide who had it in his trouser cargo pocket and gave 2 reasons: a) he was getting it out for group checks frequently, min twice a day b) an avalanche with that level of force that ripped it out would be a very high energy trauma event and not likely to be survivable. I do think that guides are often basing some of their choices on the basis that their clients aren't actually competent to rescue them however!

I wear my transceiver in the the middle of my chest, and my phone whether on or off in a thigh pocket. I know I could end up being anyway up in an avalanche, but in my view the closer your transceiver is to your airway the better (seconds matter). Also, if you have a Barryvox Pulse it should always be chest mounted, otherwise the the vital data sensor won't work effectively (this only matters if searchers also have Pulses).

A slight aside. I always wondered at the strange name of the Barryvox, but it turns out Barry was a famous avalanche rescue dog, so the name becomes Barry's Voice, something you want to hear if being rescued.

Mammut's high end Alyeska jacket and matching bibs, have been designed with a transceiver pocket in the chest part of the bib, and an access zip in the jacket that allows access without removing either jacket, harness or pack.

https://www.mammut.com/p/1020-10511-5325/alyeska-pro-hs-bib-pants-men/

Regarding placement by guides. Every heli-ski guide I been out with has used the manufacturers harness under the jacket, but I guess that might be more of a liability issue, in case clients copy them. A guide I regularly ski with in Switzerland always uses his right thigh pocket.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

I'm not sure I agree with the "you need to wear it near your airway" argument. There are many ways you could be oriented, and we're going to be digging into your location from down slope. The probe will be giving you a tracheostomy, but the point of first contact is likely to be elsewhere. In any case in a standard harness the transceiver rides pretty low down.

I think that the early Pieps (yellow, with the earpiece) had to be carried in a pocket and didn't have a harness. I may be wrong; I only used it for one season. The next season was Ortovox F1 time, and that did come with the harness which is pretty much unchanged from modern designs.

That's true about guides, but most operators have fairly strict rules and want everything standardized (they all wear helmets too, but that's not their choice). It's easier if everyone has the same thing, mounted the same way. Personally I'm fine with the harness thing because I'm just used to it - I'd probably forget the transceiver if I had it in my pocket. And the risk of it getting into the washing machine would be increased.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Basically my reasons for wearing it on my chest (besides getting into the habit when I thought it was just what you did...)

1. It is least likely to part ways with me. This is my main reason. Strapped to my chest I am confident it's not going anywhere. I would rather not trust my transceiver... which is a potential lifesaver in an avalanche scenario... to a pocket zip. Whether it comes open of it's own accord or tears, I don't want it to go missing because firstly my mates won't find me, and secondly they'll waste a lot of time and energy digging a lone transceiver out of the snow.

2. My upper body represents a larger single surface area than any other part of my body. I feel as though when somebody is probing, they're more likely to hit a large surface area thing like a torso+arms+backpack, than they are to hit a leg. So getting them started near the large area can only be good.

3. When using the transceiver in search mode, it is easy to keep on a short leash and still be in a useful place to use. In the case of a secondary, I think it would be easiest to chuck it through my jacket opening, which the leash would permit for. Far easier than fumbling around putting it back in a trouser pocket.

4. When you go for lunch / beer after you can undo your jacket zip and it's nice and visible for all the girls in the bar to see you're a gnarly off piste dude. Stuffed in your trouser pocket they'll think you're a bit too pleased to see them, which is never a good look.

snow reports

@JoyZipper, brought my Mammut Barryvox from hear. Best price I could find around and really quick delivery. https://www.snowcountry.eu
You may swell buy the kit whilst you're at it for an extra £30 or so, they aren't heavy, a bottle of water weighs more!! Just make sure you get a metal shovel.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@mishmash, The new versions aren't available anywhere yet (that I could find), even though a couple of websites have place holders for the new version (due end September):

https://www.alpinetrek.co.uk/mammut-barryvox-s-beacon/

https://www.snowleader.co.uk/en/barryvox-s-MAMM00615.html

A snowHead

A snowHead

@mishmash, Sorry, totally forgot to look at the site again before posting it.

Help!!

Ortovox Avalanche Rescue Set.

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