BE QUICKER IN AN EMERGENCY: FIND OUT WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR WHEN PURCHASING A HIGH-QUALITY AVALANCHE PROBE

Be quicker – that’s what every detail is about. That’s why it’s essential to use an intuitive and effective assembly system at the top of the probe. The innovative PFA 2.0 quick assembly system is intuitive, quick and easy to pack. Thanks to the new quick-assembly strap, the probe can be assembled straight out of its specially developed quick-release cover. The PFA 2.0 quick-assembly system and strap enable immediate opening and assembly in one motion – without first having to take the probe out of its cover.

The quick-lock assembly system is a knot-assembly system, and allows for quick and simple set up. The probe is ready for use in just seconds, and can be collapsed just as quickly. The tension can be set by simply turning the optimized adjusting screw. 

To probe effectively, the probe must be stable and rigid enough to remain straight during use. Only then can you probe precisely and efficiently without errors occurring. The greater the probe’s diameter, the stiffer but at the same time heavier it is, assuming it is made of the same material.  

The length of an avalanche probe is important: Lengths of 240cm are typical, and this is sufficient for the average avalanche burial depth. But the probe must also be compact and easy to stow. Our probes consist of six to seven probe elements and are at least 240cm long in total. Thanks to the individual, shorter segments, each probe can be stowed in a backpack with a small total pack size. 

The intuitive visual guide system provides a quick and clear reading of the victim's depth at all times. Shoveling strategies can be perfectly adapted and valuable time saved thanks to the clear 1m marker, the contrasting depth scale and the colored end segments. The bottommost segment in neon orange indicates when you are approaching the victim. The exact centimeter value helps you to determine the exact burial depth and create a snow profile. 

A voluminous probe tip, i.e. a significantly larger probe tip diameter compared to the probe elements, ensures improved penetration. This reduces friction while probing. A pointed probe tip also penetrates hard avalanche snow more easily. 

The basis and foundation of a good probe is the material it’s made from. It must be light but at the same time stable. For our aluminum probes, we use high-end 7075 ALUMINUM T6, which provides an optimum ratio of weight to rigidity. Carbon is the material we use for our lightweights: Carbon is rigid, extremely lightweight and will not ice over quickly thanks to its low heat conduction. For those users who find reliability and a high degree of precision in leading them to the victim more important than weight, we offer probes made of steel. 

Steel or aramid is used for the tensioning system in our probes. As steel does not stretch, it is one of the most reliable tensioning systems. We use aramid for probe segments made from aluminum/carbon. Aramid fibers are lighter yet provide high rigidity and stability with limited stretching, making them ideal for use in tensioning systems.