Ortovox S1+ Review

Likes
We consider the S1+ a potential 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 with technology that is likely to be the way of the future. That said, Ortovox has had several issues with this beacon's softwear and we feel it isn't quite there yet. We do think that in a few years it's possible that all beacons will be like this: three antennae and able to take you straight to the victim without having to follow the flux line in a traditional way.

In some ways this is the most user friendly beacon we tested. It is the only beacon that takes you straight to the 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+ found victims fast but not the fastest. 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. The processing speed was slower than the Backcountry Access Tracker 2, Pieps DPS and the Mammut Barryvox Pulse.

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 longer learning curve than most beacons because it is quite different. 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.

We also noticed that this beacon is a little slower under three meters and we felt it was a little slower the many other triple antennae beacons during the "bracketing" phase of the search.

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 the 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.