The Best Snow Safety Gear of 2019
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Gear that’s got your back, should things go sideways
BCA Float 32 Avalanche Airbag 2.0 Pack ($550)
The Float 2.0 sticks with traditional scuba-like compressed-air technology—though the cartridge is now 30 percent smaller—to lift a skier to the surface in a slide. Plenty of pockets and a helmet holder make this a workhorse of an avy pack.
BCA BC Link 2.0 Radio ($180)
The BC Link 2.0 takes a consumer-band FRS radio (no FCC license required), wraps it in sturdy weather sealing, and adds a lapel microphone with all the controls on it for an easy out-of-the-box solution for backcountry skiers who want solid group communication beyond cell range.
Pieps iProbe Two Probe ($155)
When every second counts, you don’t want to be probing blindly. The ten-foot-long iProbe Two has a built-in receiver that beeps when it detects the signal from a burial victim’s avalanche beacon, so you can find your target on the first try.
Mammut Barryvox S Beacon ($500)
For people who spend a lot of time in avalanche country, the Barryvox S offers the longest range of detection: 70 yards. The simplified interface uses large pictographic instructions to keep you focused.
Black Diamond Guide BT Beacon ($449)
Tiny but mighty, this beacon combines three-antenna functionality with a 65-yard range in a 7.9-ounce package. A sliding toggle—easy to operate with mittens—switches modes, while Bluetooth capability allows you to update firmware each year.
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Garmin InReach Mini Satellite Communicator ($350)
The 3.5-ounce, weather-sealed Mini is svelte and pairs with your phone or other Garmin devices so you can send and receive messages and geo-tagged emergency signals via the Iridium satellite network.
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Revo Traverse Sunglasses ($269)
Old-school glacier glasses had their moment, but what if you want peripheral protection without compromising your field of view? The Traverse pairs complete coverage with Revo’s full-spectrum polycarbonate lenses for all-around sunny-day performance.