The Mammut Barryvox S avalanche transceiver is recognised as a benchmark in modern avalanche rescue equipment and is what you’re most likely to see being used by professional ski patrollers, avalanche rescue teams and ski guides, so if you spend a lot of time in the backcountry it’s well worth checking out.
The Barryvox S speeds up avalanche rescue times thanks to a wider search strip and reception range than previous models; the search strip width is 70-metres and the transceiver also has a reliable reception range of up to 70-metres, and it’s capable of dealing with single or multiple burials, the latter even when signals overlap.
It’s been designed to be easy-to-use even for novices, which is obviously vital in an emergency situation – you don’t want to be faffing around trying to work out how your transceiver works when someone is buried.
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The Barryvox’s ‘Smart Search’ function features intuitive, acoustic menu prompts and very clear instructions to allow you to operate it efficiently and quickly, and it can even be used effectively whilst wearing gloves. The transceiver can also be opened one-handed whilst wearing gloves, further speeding up vital rescue time (90 per cent of avalanche victims who have not suffered major trauma will survive if rescued within the first 15-minutes of burial).
Another excellent addition is the fact that in the event of a secondary avalanche, the device automatically switches to ‘SEND’ mode in order to locate buried rescuers. The Barryvox S is also equipped with a ‘Smart Search’ function, which interacts with the actions of searching rescuers. In addition, the display is backlit, making it easier to read, and the carrying system is lightweight and easy to adjust.
Battery life is 300 hours in ‘SEND’ mode (although the pros always reckon you should change the batteries once they reach 50 per cent strength) so there’s no excuse for not getting out and practising with what is one of the most user-friendly avalanche transceivers on the market, and something that could quite literally save your or your mate’s life.
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