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Independent reviews of avalanche transceivers (beacons) and detailed information about avalanche rescue.
beaconreviews.com
First off, beacons aren’t useful unless the user is trained, and practices regularly, so there’s more to it than purchasing.
I’m most familiar with Mammut and Pieps brands, and passably familiar with BCA. Ortovox and Arva also make beacons, but the popularity and availability of Mammut, Pieps, and BCA have me directing most newbies to those brands. Mammut in particular has a good reputation for performance and reliability.
A newbie should probably avoid buying a used beacon, one doesn’t know the use history of a used beacon, and beacons undergo updating and refinement. Newer beacons tend to be more capable and reliable.
Some manufacturers have different models of beacons at different price points with different features. The less expensive ones are exactly as safe and functional as the more expensive ones, so when reading the reviews and discussing the pros and cons, one should avoid the idea that the more expensive ones are safer or perform better during searches just because they cost more. The most important features are ease of use, personal compatibility (how well the user interacts, aka ergonomics), and range. Many of the features on the more expensive models are most useful to pros and advanced users. It’s also worth noting that the effective range of beacons is around 40-60 meters which limits the usefulness for ”looking for friends.”
Over their lifetime beacons can experience a certain amount of “frequency drift” so annual checking and updating is a good idea. I’m just trying to make the point that buying one and strapping it on isn’t going to help. Knowledge, practicing, training, and maintenance are required for effective use.
It‘s also worth considering that locating a buried partner is one thing, but rescuing and resuscitating them requires further gear and training.
