The perfect gift for your ski partner, the ARVA Axio Beacon might give them the best chance of finding you if you’re buried in an avalanche. Other beacons rely on a very short third antenna which is limited by the depth of the housing. This renders the antenna useful only in the final search phase: refining the area to probe. In contrast, the Axio’s third antenna is designed to be unfolded away from the housing to maximize its reception.
ARVA claims that deploying a large third antenna allows it to assist in all phases of the search, which would reduce wandering about along curved flux lines. It’s also claimed that this feature improves the multi-burial function by more accurately distinguishing among different burial locations. You’ll certainly appreciate any possible shortening of the search path, which is often slow going in a debris pile on an angled slope.
Specifications | |
Weight |
230g |
Antennas | 3 digital |
Transmit Range | 80m |
Search Range | 60m |
Number of Victims | 5+ |
Battery Life | 250 hours transmit, 40 hours search |
Skimo Co Says | |
Usage | Finding buried skiers |
Notes | Spheric search means direct targeting |
Bottom Line | Best locating technology |