The Best Avalanche Beacons
Our seasoned crew of AMGA-certified ski guides, avalanche course instructors, and snow safety professionals spent a whole season testing these beacons across North America, from Alaska to the Cascades and from the Sierra Nevada to the Rockies. We closely examined important aspects like speed, accuracy, and range in single and multiple burial scenarios. We put these beacons in the hands of both novice users and ski guides to gather data on which model is best based on your level of training and experience.
We've also written articles on other key protective equipment we've tested, like ski helmets and avalanche airbags, where we discuss the latest technology to help you understand the best options.
Editor's Note: We updated our avalanche beacon review on November 15, 2024, to share some updates to the Backcountry Access Tracker S.
New to the Backcountry?
If you're here shopping for your first avalanche beacon and haven't taken an avalanche course yet, this video by Backcountry Access offers a brief overview of a beacon search and the terminology we'll use in this review.