 Poster: A snowHead
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So divorce forces return to skiing, and need new kit. My old Analogue Barryvox needs upgrading and shovel needs to be changed. poles are still fine.
So what do I get? The old barryvox as used everyday for a few years when living in the alps, now I would think I will be doing say 2-3 weeks a year. Money is tight but only want to buy once. There are so many out there and having read a few reviews it looks as if it go cheap ortovox Zoom, pay more Barryvox or pay even more Barryvox S. Should I get one that has firmware upgrade?
shovel would like light but to too expensive
thanks for your thoughts
David
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ortovox Zoom+ - excellent shape/style/build, reliable and easy to use. Have had mine for x 3 winters and super.
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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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+1 for the zoom. Light on features, nice and simple if that’s all you need. Price is friendly too.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@david n, I asked on here what to replace my old Barryvox with some months ago, definite consensus was Barryvox, and S if I felt like shelling out. They seem to massively outperform anything else on speed.
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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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Range on the Barryvox and Barryvox S is longer than on comparable models. Tend to see that as a key feature.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'm for Barryvox too. I have Barryvox S, but I have reasons for that. If you don't have pretty valid reasons to go with S, normal Barryvox will do just fine, as it has all the features normal people will need, and for about 100eur less. As mentioned, it works on longer distances then anything else. When it's about your or your friend's life, this is biggest plus you can get. Price? Well they are not cheap, but it's about your life, so few 100eur is not really that much to pay for, when your life is at stake. So looking like that, they are cheap, even if you go with S.
Ortovox? Well it works, just not as good as Barryvox, and for that little difference in money, I wouldn't go with it. It's simple, but when compared to Mammut or Pieps, it just works so much worse, I would skip (that's based on experience with 3+ and Zoom+, but no personal experience with new Diract). If I would really have to pick something else then Mammut, I would go with Pieps Pro BT or Powder BT.
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Why do you think the orthodox is so much worse?
Personally I've never noticed any significant difference in range or speed compared to others (I've got a tracker 4 too), and mate has a barryvox. Admittedly its not easy to use for multiple signals, which isn't something I'm too worried about.
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Having done a few 'intro' off piste days, where you're not expected to know everything so there was some kit instruction included, and all guides have looked at the mix of kit and basically ordered us as a search team based on the transceiver we had/its range. Anyone with a Barryvox S was the default search lead as it had the best range, followed by those with the simple Barryvox if the "S" owners were the ones trapped, folowed by others, again ordered by range (assessed in a side-by-side test using new batteries at the very start).
My take away from that was that it doesn't matter too much which transceiver you have if you're the one trapped...but you'll be hoping one of the people left standing has some flavour of Barryvox, so that's what I bought (non-S).
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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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If anyone's looking to sell any kit, I'm on the hunt for a transceiver, shovel and probe. Please PM me if you've got anything you want to sell.
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Shovel wise the BCA medium size has proved fantastic (mine is the B-2 EXT). It has a welded ferrule which is stronger and does not protrude from the top of the blade making storage easier. It is a good size so faster at digging and has a very strong design. Their new Dozer range looks even better. I've used it for evaluation pits and digging training and it shifts snow well.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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In range tests on a PSB ~4 years ago, the Zoom+ had a 10-15m shorter range than the Barryvox and Pieps transceivers of the time. It was very noticeable how much earlier the Barryvox/Pieps transceivers picked up the signal, and how much quicker they were in the search.
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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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You have to take as you find... I was on a group test, six of us (plus two guides) at the Haglofs Arctic weekender and my Zoom+ was the fastest to find on all three of our 'tests'. Different ranges, depths and it worked a treat. Totally agree the Barryvox is great, but it was slower. Point taken on range (versus the 'S') and multiple burials, but for many enthusiast (rather than pro guide) skiers, I'd recommend the Zoom+.
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@wiigman, which goes to show how difficult it is to get reliable data! There's no way in my hands the Zoom+ I have (as a practice beacon) will find my Pieps as fast as the Pieps finds the Zoom+. So, as ever, YMMV.
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You know it makes sense.
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I have the Black Diamond/Pieps Guide and I like it and I'm happy with it, but I got it as I had a very very good deal on it. If you take price and deal out of it, I would hands down have one of the Barryvox. On paper and in most real work tests I have seen or read about it has a bigger range, Barryvox 70m - zoom+ 40m and the Barryvox should be quicker. Also features such as the group check just seam a lot slicker and thought out. The only thing I like better on the guides is you can update via your phone.
That said price is an issue and the Ortovox Zoom+ is a good transceiver and easy to use. Speed will come down to how much you practice (in realistic environment).
For a shovel, I would maybe look at getting a package with what ever transceiver you get, could be cheaper and you can sell the probe on? Digging is what takes the time and it come down to numbers, fitness and technique. I would look for one that extends for a longer handle but other than that all the major brands shovels should be good.
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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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@milzibkit, If you're on Facebook then it may be worth joining the British Backcountry For Sale/Wanted Group. A friend of mine just put his Ortovox 240 Probe and Ortovox Pro Light 21 shovel on sale for £75. He also has a new boxed and unused BCA Tracker S Transceiver for sale for £130.
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Poster: A snowHead
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A simple search on a snowhead intro to off piste we tested the distance on them annoyingly the barryvox picked up the signal way before the rest of the group inc my bca tracker 2, I had heard/read that previous tests on sbowheads trips resulted in the same results. When I upgraded I managed to pick up a brand new barryvox on fleebay for £170. Keep a eye on there for probe and shovel, don't go to short on probe or a plastic shovel!
What ever you do end up with most important thing to do is learn how to work it!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Barryvox, not S unless you are intending full time use + geek.
On my Ski Patrol course over 3 weeks of daily practice with almost every new beacon being represented, Barryvox was consistently the best.
Range, ease of use and speed.
I have the s model but I am geek who happens to work as a ski patroler and an International Mountain leader.
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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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thank you, shovel sorted Black Diamond transfer.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Shovels....
Basically, anything is better than nothing.
Having said that, this is what I settled on after lots of incremental purchases
STORAGE:
- I want my avi gear inside the pack. Not strapped to the outside, where it can snag lifts, trees, coats , bags etc,
SHOVEL ( I only want one for emergencies, I'm not building kickers )
- metal , not plastic
- just a shovel, NOT with a probe in the shaft (ooh-er!). Don't mix the functions of probe and shovel. If you have to f*** about dissembling/re-assembling stuff before you start digging/probing, you're wasting time
- preference for shovel blade and handle in one unit. ( https://www.outdoorhire.co.uk/product/black-diamond-avalanche-shovel/). Do not want the embarassment of losing half the shovel in a panic, or dropping a piddly spring-clip in the snow
PROBES (OK. I have re-read what I wrote below, And it sounds smutty. But it's not. Be a grown-up when you read it )
- One *you* can deploy instantly and easily. So with some kind of quick-lock system. Lockwoods were very helpful when I bought my other half a quick-deploy probe. I found it easy to deploy, but OH simply did not have the strength to work the locking mechanism. Lockwoods were v helpfull, and exchanged for something that she could use.
END oF WAFFLE. Have a great day!
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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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Any experiences of Ortovox Diract with/ without voice, especially wrt to Barryvox? Need a new transceiver in a hurry for EoSB. Cheers.
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