Backcountry Access Tracker DTS Beacon

Works very well. I trust this little guy anywhere.

may be a little older than some of the other brands. But VERY functional and simple to use.

There are a lot of avalanche transievers out there touting there technological superiority, but the bottom line and most important fact about the Tracker is it is the FASTEST! I have been involved in the real deal, avalanche searches with buried victims, and my experience with the Tracker has been nothing short of stellar. This beacon is intuitive and friendly and all my friends use them as well as my wife, a 17-year patroller who still kicks my ass in search contests.

The Tracker is one of the best beacon options on the market today. Unless you are practicing beacon searches on a daily basis (i.e. ski patrol), this is the product you want for any and all of your winter backcountry adventures. The digital display and direction lights are extremely intuitive, and in a highly pressured situation, you won't be wasting extra time in evaluating your beacon's responses. It is fast and easy to get in and out of search mode, and teaching yourself the basics on this one is about as straight-forward as it gets. A beacon that is truly idiot-proof. The beacon's range is slightly less then that of other brands but if you are following proper avi protocol, that should not be an issue- with point last seen etc. Batteries last a long time, and straps are easy to use and release.

My 4 year old can find a beacon in under 5 minutes with this thing. The range is not as long as some but it is so simple to use. Multi burials takes practice but that is the case with all beacons.

I've had this beacon since I first started poking around in the backcountry over a decade ago. Since then I've passed all my avalanche industry certifications using a Tracker. Once you understand the special search function multiple burials are a whole lot easier. Practice, practice, practice. Working in the snow professionally, I can use any beacon I like, & I'm still using the Tracker. The Tracker is simple, solid, and won't let you down when you need it.

I have found this beacon to be easy to use and understand. The ortovox beacon that I had previously was not nearly as user friendly as the tracker. With it's digital distance display and tracker light direction indicators I found that with a little bit of practice this beacon is easy to use and works well when working to find buried beacons or skiing partners in a hurry. It is simple easy to use and easy to learn how to use. The only aspect that was a little weird is the carrying system. It has a holster that is pretty bulky and can be pretty annoying with a backpace, radio, and whatever else you may have buried in those jacket pockets. I have since gotten used to the system and am quite happy with it. Hope this helps.

This is the only beacon I will ever use. It has a great easy on/off dial and a simple search/ transmit button that really limits user error. Also, the simple directional light monitor accompanied by the audio beep and the digital distance reader makes finding your ski buddy quick and simplifies an often daunting experience.
Simply, the Tracker is just a well designed no frills easy to use easy to learn beacon.

I just picked this beacon up because I was looking for something easy to use and accurate and its perfect.

This is the most logical choice of all the beacons. The Pieps is nice and all, but if you are carrying this for the slim chance you will need it, then lets be real. I have had this beacon for years and aside from replacing the batteries at the start of the season I have had no issue. It is durable, easy to use, and simple to operate even in the toughest situation. If you are looking to get the best bang for your buck, then this is the answer and I just don't see the need to spend another two hundred dollars on something you hopefully wont have to use. However, if you need it, and are in the situation where you need to use it, this device will be reliable and simple as long as you practice before you play.

I've been super happy with everything about the tracker, except that it falls out of the holster if I'm jumping cliffs. Can be slightly annoying...

I have used several types of beacons and I find the Trackker to be the easiest and the most accurate. After a quick lesson and some practice time you will quickly develop confidence in your retrieval process. Try one out and you will see the difference.

it's all about the practicing and knowing how to use it--but I absolutely think this beacon is straightforward, simple, and I haven't found it to be bulky or weird to wear, perhaps I'm just used to it.

I have been fortunate in my travels throughout the backcountry to have never had to use one of these little devices for it's intended purpose (ie. your buddy's buried.) But I wear it nearly every day, even when I'm inbounds, and it is not cumbersome at all, the harness keeps it right where you want it; both out of the way and easy to access. In all of the beacon practice drills that I have done I have used many different beacons from many different companies, and while the adage 'the best beacon is the one you know how to use' still stands, this one seems to be the most intuitive, easy to learn beacon out there.

This beacon is the tried and true dual antenna that all backcountry travelers need. Most beacons are created equal but this one is one the most simple to use along with the easiest to get used to. One day out of the box in the beacon test centers and you will get the hang of it. If you do go into the backcountry please take more than just this with you. Take a class first then take a partner with a shovel in probe! BE SAFE!

I just realized that my review from many years ago is still archived and contains a potentially confusing reference:"Membrane buttons can be a bit hard to press if wearing very bulky winter gloves."Starting in Fall of 2004, BCA redesigned the housing with buttons that are far easier to operate with bulky winter gloves, so please ignore that part of my old review!
*****
2009 update -- my complete review is available at:
http://www.wildsnow.com/1605/backcountry-accesss-tracker-avalanche-beacon-review/

This beacon is super simple to use. Everything on this beacon is simple and straight forward. Its display is bright, clear, and easy to read/use. If you are looking for an inexpensive beacon to get the job done that is super easy to use, this is your best bet. It does lack some of the bells and whistles of other beacons, which can make multiple burials a bit more difficult. But this one is pretty much the standard in avalanche safety and for good reason.

Simple to use....I have this on loan while my other beacon from a different company is in for repair....

For a single burial, or a multiple burial where you can turn off each beacon as it is found, this beacon is amazingly fast for a novice, and gets even faster with more practice. However, multi burials in which each beacon stays on as it is found can be very tricky and require significant practice. Also, although the shorter range (as compared to analog beacons) is almost always not a problem, occasionally it can interfere w/ the search if the beacons are aligned such that the range is at its absolute minimum. Membrane buttons can be a bit hard to press if wearing very bulkly winter gloves.

The classic beacon. SUPER easy to use and even easier to understand. Haven't tested it in the real deal yet (thank god). Probably the most functional beacon on the market. The harness is nice as well.

In a pressure situation, you don't want a complicated beacon hurting a victims chance of survival. This one does the trick.

This beacon is very easy to use and user friendly. Very simple in design and doesn't have all of the bells and whistles of some of the others out there, but this is perfect for those who venture occasionally into the back country. Simple display has been fairly accurate in my tests and relatively quick to lock onto a signal with little interference or confusing directions.
I don't think it's a great tool for a multiple burial situation as some of the readings can go wonky and it's hard to visualize victims with the way the beacon works, but with practice it becomes sufficient for getting the job done.
If you're looking for a simple, no frills tool to stay safe in the BC and you don't anticipate being in a multiple burial situation, then the Tracker is one of the best choices out there.

I now have 2 beacons and had a third until I sold it off to my friend. Without a doubt this is the simplest to learn and use beacon I have ever used and will not be giving it up for any other model. All the other antennas and user interfaces are nice but you can't beat the simple to use and speed of use of this beacon.

The first beacon I've owned, and I love it, super simple to use, just so long as you practice with it, and you make sure the people you're with know how to use their equipment and their heads. Never used it outside of practice scenarios, but I have the peace of mind to know I could help someone if the shit hits the fan.

In my opinion the tracker is one of the easiest beacons to use. I have tried Ortovox's F1 beacon and I quickly discovered how much easier the tracker was to use, BCA makes it simple by providing directional arrows with the distance to the buried skier/rider. I'm sure with plenty of practice with an Ortovox beacon I could have become more efficient and effective in my searches. I still require much more practice for multi burials.

Easy, accurate, well respected. I highly recommend this for all levels of backcountry travelers. The ONLY beacon I like more is the Pieps DPS standard.

Intuitive, simple, and effective. When it really matters you need a beacon that you know how to use and know how to use quickly. This is that beacon. Don't worry about fanciness with other beacons and multiple burials etc. Worry about knowing how to save your partner and learning to avoid bad situations in the first place. It is also comfy and not too heavy. I've used the Pieps DSP and much prefer the style of the DTS because it is less likely to switch from search to transceive and vice-versa on its own. My only suggestion for improvement is to make the harness go over both shoulders so the beacon stays centered on your chest (mine always migrates to my side) - put it on a harness similar to a radio harness like ski patrol.

The one thing most people will notice with the BCA Tracker is how idiot-proof it really is. Although others certainly have a much longer range, this beacon is perfect for someone new to backcountry skiing - it really doesn't get much easier to use. This is also one of the most affordable beacons available which will be easy on your wallet when venturing into a new aspect of the sport that is considerably expensive. Like everything, there are drawbacks, but if you want something effective and affordable, the BCA Tracker is a good choice.

Great beacon....so incredibly simple and accurate. After doing some test runs at the beacon field the instructor of the AST1 course had set up some scenarios half way down the mountain. Two different scenarios, three bured beacons each time and a group of five searchers pulled out all three beacons each time in under 10 minutes. Not bad considering most people had never used them...

Easy to use and a great track record- plus the price keeps it in reach. Every skiier/rider needs one

Bought this beacon and never looked back. I have been on a few guided tours and this thing is simple to use. I had it figured out 2 mins after I powered it up. Can't really compare it to other beacons but I don't think it could be any easier.

This little beacon is about as good as it gets. Turn it on, strap it on, and forget about it. The harness is pretty comfortable, and when you need to use it you'll be thankful they put it on a leash. Thankfully I have never had a need for this little guy in a real world scenario, but having done practice drills with it, I can't imagine improving on its method. Every time I go out and practice with other experienced beacon users, the people with Trackers are always there first. Thats mostly due to the dual antenna design and the way that they pick up the transmitting beacon and zero in on the flux line.

If you are looking for a lifeline in the backcountry, this is it. As with all safety gear, learn to use it before you go trusting your life or others with it.

i have used this as a back up beacon and it works well. though i believe there are far better ones (i like the pulse).

This beacon is simple and easy to use and works great but I cant stand the holster system, so I stick it in my pocket. The beacon is quit large and then with the pouch it is even bigger and it flops around and slides under my elbow is is super uncomfortable. I would recommend the berryvox.

though this works well, there are way better beacons out there. also i hate their add. there is NOTHING simple and NOTHING is "straight ahead". but whatever beacon you get make sure you practice practice practice.

This little beauty is so easy to use and wear, it might as well be my Ninja Turtles blinking-light t-shirt I've had since '92. Definitely an essential addition to your backcountry arsenal. Strap is super comfortable and it is fully overly waterproof (I'm all over that test).

This beacon is very simple and easy to use. Its a little bulkier than some of the other higher end beacons, but one of the better for the price. We were playing find the beacon the other week, and everyone enjoyed using this beacon much more than the others. Very easy to learn how to use, and more accurate from further distances than the other beacons we had.

Incredibly easy to use and yields fast search times even for novices and those out of practice. (Relatively) Affordable. These are very important characteristics and make the tracker a very good choice for your first beacon and those who are price conscious.

This beacon would have received 4 stars with only minor gripes (slightly shorter range than other options, uncomfortable harness, bulkier than peers) It only gets 3 stars because the first Beacon I got started acting up after two uses and required me to whack it in order to get it to turn on. It was promptly replaced at no cost to me and this unit has been totally solid ever since, but those kind of malfunctions aren't acceptable in safety gear. It seems as if it is an isolated problem as friends have used Trackers for years and none have reported any problems.

Very simple to use. Tracks very fast which is what matters most.

love this thing. i always beat my friends in beacon drill with this baby. very simple and quick. okay for multiple burials.

I work at Snowbird Mountain School and most of what I do is with the small children. Eventually you run out of ideas on how to keep them all calm but excited to still ski at lunchtime. Solution, teach the kids how to find others with your Tracker!!!

Not only did this give me and others a hands up on entertaining kids, but helps reinforce how to use it and instill confidence that you can find your buddies fast if the worst happens.

Bottom line, its light and comfy to wear with a price you cant argue about.

During a recent Av class I had the opportunity to learn how to use the Tracker and the Pulse. I am in the 10% of the male population that has some degree of colorblindness and I found the distance readout very difficult to read in average light and also in sunlight. To my eyes the display always reads 88 and I cannot reliably read the decimal point either. When the display is stable (not changing) I can eventually read it but when the numbers are changing I could not tell whether they were getting smaller or larger. This was incredibly frustrating and GREATLY slows down the search. Other students who were not colorblind did not have this issue but I would say this unit is not recommended for individuals with some degree of colorblindness. I had no issue reading the excellent display of the Mammut Pulse and appreciated it's smaller form factor. The Tracker is like wearing a handgun under your jacket. Way too bulky! Also, the Pulse had a much greater range and was easier for me (a beginner) to use in the multiple burial situations.

For me the Pulse wins hands down!

I love this beacon. Right when you flip it on, it tells you the percentage of battery life left. The directional arrows, digital distance read-out, and audible tone give the information you need to get to your partner quickly. I wish all my buddies had this beacon, too! The special mode is great for multiple searches, and gives more accurate directions for pinpointing locations. It's the most reliable, most used, best warranted, and cheapest beacon available. They could easily charge $400 for this and sell just as many. Make sure you practice with it, and always bring extra batteries.

When my out-of-warranty Tracker's battery contact broke, BCA kindly sent me the newest version as a warranty replacement. The new beacon is still as good as the old one, and I really love it, but the new holster has serious flaws. The holster holds the beacon with the convex side against the body, holding it out away fronm the body, rather than snugly conforming to the body. It secures the beacon in the holster by a plastic clip, which requires two hands to unlatch, and at least one of those hands must be ungloved! Yikes! It is very easy to inadvertently switch the beacon from transmit to receive, while unlatching the clip, because the Mode button is directly under the clip. Precious seconds can be lost figuring out which mode the beacon is in. If the beacon is dropped while searching it can fall all the way into the snow, because of the bungy-cord leash. Double-Yikes!! When the digging starts, more precious seconds are lost replacing the beacon into the holster, or the beacon swings around getting in the way. Super-Yikes!!
The old sling system was MUCH BETTER! It had no holster at all, but held the beacon tightly against the body; required no manipulation of any fastener to start the search; and if dropped the beacon just fell back against the body.
If you buy this beacon, I recommend modifying the holster to use a Velcro fastener, that can be pulled open with one gloved hand. Also, be sure that you shorten the leash so that if you drop it, or just let it go to free up your hands, that it will not fall into the snow.
Best of all would be for BCA to ditch the holster altogether, and go back to the super-simple old-style sling.

This beacon is very easy to use. I feel confident having it with me in the backcountry and often wear it on deep days at the resort. The display and signal lights are very accurate and easy to read. The harness works great and I often forget that I have it on. If you are just getting started with backcountry travel this is a great beacon to learn with. Remember to practice regularly to keep your skills sharp.

The tracker is a solid buy. It's got a straight forward interface and is quick and easy. Like any transceiver, it takes practice practice practice!!

I really like the ease of use, and simplicity. The range is good too.I need a beacon that works fast and accurately, not a beacon with a compass, thermometer, bottle opener, or coffee press accessory feature.

This beacon is simple to use and relatively fair priced based on some other beacons. It's easy to find other beacons (thankfully I've only ever done practice runs), even in multiple burials. One thing that makes it really cool though is that it has a function where after 5 minutes or so, it will switch back from receive to transmit (it will give you a warning). This is really handy if you think there is any possibility of a second avy coming down. Basically, it has all the function you need to possibly save your buddies life.

This beacon is simple to use and relatively fair priced based on some other beacons. It's easy to find other beacons (thankfully I've only ever done practice runs), even in multiple burials. One thing that makes it really cool though is that it has a function where after 5 minutes or so, it will switch back from receive to transmit (it will give you a warning). This is really handy if you think there is any possibility of a second avy coming down. Basically, it has all the function you need to possibly save your buddies life.

I got this beacon back a few years ago and out of the box I was amused. At first I thought great, turn it on and it works...! But when I looked at it hard I noticed...
1. I had to turn it on, it wasn't just automatically on when I put it on.
2. It was big and bulky
3. it has a short range, like less then 40m
4. The lights are indicating where the flux line is
5. The numbers mean very little, especially in a multiple burial scenario.
6. When in close (5m) for the fine search the beacon is not very good at all.
7. It hears everything, so you will ultimately be able to find that transmitting beacon.
8. I was way faster at finding someone with my F1 focus that was 10years old.

So I sold my Tracker right away and got a different beacon that actually delivered on its promises. I am sooo tired of high end PR selling product that is less then it is made out to be. Considering the technology in Tracker is now more then a decade old it is hard to believe anyone would buy one. Everything else on the market is a better deal. Don't read this wrong, the tracker works, but not like they say it does. Ask any professional patroller who has used many types of beacons in practice and they say the same thing, "the tracker sucks!"

..could use these.

The Good:
Easy to use.
Proven track record.
LEDs not temperature sensitive like LCD displays.
Excellent customer service from BCA.

The Bad:
Not as light as some newer offerings.
Not as cool when you're showing off your gear.

Conclusion:
This avy beacon is still the benchmark for good reason. They're simple and intuitive to operate. I go out every fall a few times and practice using this puppy with friends, and even multiple burials are easy to pinpoint without a fancy mode to flag each beacon. A buddy had a software glitch with his a couple of years ago, sent his Tracker to BCA, and got a new one within a week (didn't miss a day of skiing).

A final thought. In extremely cold temps, LCD screens (which all the other fancier beacons use) freeze up and stop working. While you SHOULD always have your beacon on your body where it'd stay warm, in a situation where an LCD screen beacon is exposed to low temps (say, a multiple burial search)the more basic robust display of the Tracker will still work.

Just finished my 'Avalanche 1' course in New Zealand. I was one of the few with the tracker DTS and achieved one of the fastest times in the transciever search section. Simple to use, easy to understand, a great straight forward avo beakon. Highly recommemded. Very happy!
Baz...

Could be considered the standard for ease of use. Official beacon for many patrols and guide services including Ski Himalaya's "Kashmir Powdercats" ski guide service. Very easy to use for folks with little to no experience. Please practice before you go out. Once out, practice in safe conditions on a large slope to dial in the different phases of the beacon search.

Great beacon, great harness, great overall.

Very fast in searching even when you aren't as practiced as you should be. The battery life seems to do well also, lasted the whole season (december until June) without needing to be replaced while being used for at least 2 days a week and sometimes upwards of 5 times per week.

Super durable as well--I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.

Easy to use, nice harness, great warranty, affordable price. You can't afford NOT to own one, just make sure your ski buddy has one too!

These things are simple and effective.

The tracker's digital display and audio signals combine for an easy to use life saving beacon. Distance to burial is displayed digitally and when you close in to the burial, the beacon alerts by audio that you need to begin a fine search.

People complain about limited distance but the bottom line is this: You should be watching your partners all the time or have eyes on them while descending or ascending. With proper training and practice a rescuer should have some type of last known location to start from and follow clues.

Great beacon, great price, easy to use, a must have!

If you go in the backcountry, bring friends and avalanche safety equipment. This is one of the easiest beacons to use, but doesn't mean you shouldn't take a course. Learn it, use it, add friends, mtns and snow. Repeat as needed.

I got this to replace my Ortovox M2, and it is way easier to use, though I have never had to use it for a real burial, thank god. It is, however, a bit bulkier and it doesn't sit next to your body as nicely as the Ortovox.

Easy to use. Comes as described. I'm new to avalanche products and it was nice to have this beacon work in a simple and userfriendly way.

Simple and Fast are two things you want if you ever have to use this in a non-practice run. The Search mode guides even the most novice users with its simple instructions leading the searcher to the victim quickly. Battery display at start up gives a percentage of life of battery charge left. Three years experience with the Tracker and 6 years with my former beacon an Orthovox F1.

super easy to use, range is good and has a simple digital screen that points you in the right direction. however, like any beacon it only works if you know how to use it.

Easy to use, good signal, what more do you need?

very user friendly, although I hope I never have to really use it!

Very user friendly beacon. Easy to operate with a short learning curve.

I purchased the Backcountry Access Tracker DTS Beacon for a recent Washington Alpine Club backcountry class. It was easy to use and worked great in single and multiple signal recovery tests. A few of the students did have the new Tracker 2 and were initially quicker at finding transmitters but by the end of the training session the difference came down to the individual's ability to use the equipment than the transmitter itself. For the price the Backcountry Access Tracker DTS is an excellent piece of equipment. It is well built, easy to use and effective in rescue situations.

this beacon is solid, easy to use and dependable. This is the beacon that all others are compared to.

don't have much too compare it against since this is my first beacon, but no complaints so far. I've tested it a few times with a friend who has the same beacon and the results seem good. Fortunately, I haven't had to really put it to the test, but I have faith based on initial results that it will do the job in the situation.