Black Diamond Guide BT Review

The “BT” in the Black Diamond Guide BT refers to Bluetooth. You can configure settings – including enabling an analog mode – and update software via a smartphone app. Bluetooth functionality aside, this beacon is stacked with features designed to better serve professional users. The Guide BT is essentially the pro-level version of the Black Diamond Recon X, which is more tuned to recreationalists.

Performance Comparison

Speed

Speed considers not only the processor speed but also how quickly a trained professional can use a beacon to find a single buried target. Thanks to an uber fast processor – which is really only rivaled by the instant-response BCA system – the Guide BT performed very well in our speed tests. During the coarse search phase, it had no trouble locking into a consistent signal at its maximum range. We were able to move towards a target at basically any speed we desired, with only the slightest amount of lag if we were coming in as fast as possible. In the fine search phase, the Guide BT maintained its ability to keep up where other pro-level beacons – especially delayed-response models from Mammut – tended to lag.

Interface

The Guide BT simply doesn't offer the same user-friendly interface as other pro-level beacons we tested. While this beacon is generally easy to use, and its performance doesn't hinder a search, some functions are cumbersome and simply don't work as well as we would hope from a beacon of this caliber. Even though it features a group check function, it only appears with a non-descript “CH” on the screen after boot up and requires the user to hold down the Scan button throughout the whole check, which we found very finicky to do with gloves on.

Issues with the device switch plagued Black Diamond-PIEPS for years before they issued a voluntary recall of the Guide BT in 2022. Despite updates to the design to address these issues, we found that the switch is still pretty difficult to slide. The three-way switch uses a slider mechanism, which locks into place via a small, secondary slider tab that has a small locking tab that engages into the main slider. It essentially requires two hands to operate, and still, the locking tab doesn't drop into place easily – you must actively adjust the slider into place so that the mechanism locks properly.

Notable Features

This beacon uses Bluetooth to connect with your smartphone via an app, which serves as the basis for most of the unique features found on the Guide BT. The app allows you to easily configure settings, turn on preset options, and update the software when necessary. The Guide BT includes fairly standard high-end options, like a revert-to-send mode and an ability to configure the transceiver to use either alkaline or lithium-ion batteries. This beacon already claims an impressive 400 hours of send mode with normal alkaline batteries, but with lithium-ion batteries, that number jumps to around 600 hours.

It also includes some more specialized, pro-level features. You can enable an analog mode, which can be quite useful in complex rescue scenarios. However, unlike other beacons that offer an additional analog option, the Guide BT's analog mode doesn't give a distance or direction, nor is the sound quality quite as good. It includes a built-in inclinometer, which received mixed results from both professionals and recreationalists – with so many other tools to more accurately measure slope angle, we wonder why this feature was even included. The Guide BT's Scan mode displays distances from 20 to 40 to 60 meters and lets you know how many burials are within each distance range.

Accuracy

The Guide BT uses five directional arrows, which are displayed two at a time to help you accurately stay on the flux line. On our final approach of the fine search phase, users of all abilities consistently had a much easier time with this beacon than some of the other pro-level models. In the fine search phase, the Guide BT always put us within 25 cm of a probe strike for a target buried up to 1 meter deep. While this is partially thanks to a properly executed bracket and most beacons within this range of accuracy, our team noted that everyone who tested the Guide BT more frequently came in right over the buried target rather than off to one side.

Multiple Burials

The Guide BT is one of our favorite models to use in a fine search, particularly in a multiple-burial situation. This beacon generally lagged less during this phase than other comparable models, and when the processor was overloaded with signals, it wasn't nearly as jumpy. It easily differentiated between beacons buried in close proximity, rarely mismarking or incorrectly flagging a target. The uniquely designed Scan mode allows you to get a lay of the land by quickly browsing through multiple burial locations. While we still would prefer the scroll function of other pro-level beacons we tested, this is actually a very useful tool for avalanche rescue exams and complex rescue scenarios.

Range

The manufacturer-measured range of the Guide BT is 60 meters, which is measured in a position of ideal coupling. But considering that your beacon isn't likely to connect perfectly with a buried victim's, we recorded the distance where we first acquired a signal and averaged it across all of our tests to gain a more realistic idea of a beacon's capabilities. The Guide BT averaged 40 m in our tests, which is entirely average amongst beacons on the market today.

Should You Buy the Black Diamond Guide BT?

The Guide BT is a premium avalanche beacon. If you're a professional, you will love the full suite of features and the ability to configure this beacon to best suit your own practice. The interface isn't the easiest to use, but once we were used to it, our expert team firmly believes that this is the most accurate option currently on the market. But even we admit that this beacon is expensive. While we loved playing with the advanced features on the Guide BT, most backcountry users will not require a beacon with this level of sophistication.

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