The Ortovox S1+ is the most technically advanced avalanche beacon on the market and wins our Editors' Choice award. It was the highest performer and was also easy to use. However, it is different than all other beacons on the market because it doesn't follow flux lines in a conventional way. While it is expensive, it is not that much more expensive than its competitors.
The range is among the best we tested, which allows large search strip widths. Its closest competitors are the Pieps DSP and Mammut Pulse Barryvox. In choosing between the three, it comes down to if you are comfortable with the more advanced digital display of the S1 or prefer a more standard display. Some of our testers (especially those with more experience) were more skeptical at first because the S1 looks for victims and assists you in finding your victim in a totally different way. Unlike all other beacons we've ever used, the S1 doesn't assist you in following a flux line to your victim. Instead it uses "sensors" (hence the name S1) and calculates distances and angles of the flux lines and takes you straight to the victim. If you are only doing a few trips a year, we recommend the Ortovox 3+, which is $110 cheaper and even easier to use, especially for beginners, but does not have nearly as large a range.
In a recent training with experienced mountain guides, we all took turns using the three devices mentioned above in practice burials. Everyone traded off in multiple burials. No matter which guide had which device, the Ortovox S1 always came out on top, followed by the Pieps DSP and then Barrybox and then the Tracker. But all devices performed great.
New for 2011, the S1 became the S1+. The + is just a feature that the Ortovox 3+ already had and now is featured in the S1+. The + is the transmitting antenna and affects only the transmit mode of the beacon and has no effect on the beacon's search abilities. It basically chooses which is the better antenna to transmit from, thus giving the wearer a better chance to be found. Kinda sweet.
Hands-on Gear Review |
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Pros: Easy to use, long range, wave of the future. Cons: More experienced users will have to slightly retrain themselves, expensive. Best Uses: Back country skiing, back country snow boarding, snowmobiling.
Overview
OutdoorGearLab Editors' Hands-on Review
Likes
We consider the S1+ a game-changer like the Backcountry Access Tracker DTS was years ago. The Tracker was the first digital beacon and way easier to use than the competition. Fast forward to today, the S1 similarly stands out way beyond the Tracker and the rest of the competition. In a few years all beacons will likely be like this: three antennae and with a really intuitive display. This is the most user friendly beacon we tested. It is the only beacon that takes you straight to victim. You don't follow flux lines (do not have to corkscrew in), a system that all other beacons use. Instead of displaying directional arrows and distance, the S1 shows the victim(s) on a map. It almost feels like a basic video game – line the victim up in the sights and make the distance numbers get smaller In our tests, whether in the hands of a professional guide or a backcountry novice, the S1 almost always found a single victim first. But where the device really excels is with multiple burials. It shows up to three victims with the distances displayed under each victim. You can then hide the victims you are not searching for and later unhide them. In the event of a secondary avalanche, it will switch back to transmit mode once it senses you have not moved for 30 to 120 seconds (you choose the setting). It has updatable software. You either have to do this in a retail store or mail it in for a small fee. Updating the software is important as there were some early problems with coarse search. The S1 deals with signal spikes and eliminates the shadow box phenomenon. Dislikes While this beacon is very easy to use, it does have a small learning curve as it is different than most other beacons. This learning curve occasionally results in seasoned veterans finding it "weird" at first. There are many different icons and instructions that are mostly intuitive, but some require reading the user manual to figure out. Plan on a little extra time to get comfortable with the beacon menus and icons before using it. It does not automatically turn on when you clip the waist strap. This means you have to remember to turn it to transmit mode. Not a big downside but it would be nice if auto feature was restored (it was in past models). There have been some problems reported when searching at the maximum of the coarse search range. The beacon will point you away from the victim until you are out of range. — Chris McNamara and Ian Nicholson
OutdoorGearLab Member Reviews of Ortovox S1+Most recent review: October 19, 2011
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 Ortovox S1+ Credit: Ortovox
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