The ski world is going all in on high-tech safety gear, packing more features into smaller packages.聽
Mammut Carbon 240 Light Probe
When there鈥檚 trouble, you need a probe that snaps together fast. The seven-foot-ten Mammut Carbon 240 assembles in under three seconds and weighs just 6.5 ounces, allowing it to fulfill its other most important duty鈥攄isappearing when not in use.
Price $80
Black Diamond Razor Carbon Pro聽Poles聽
You shouldn鈥檛 wear normal pole straps in聽the backcountry. If you鈥檙e caught in a slide or take a fall in deep pow, they can anchor you facedown in the snow. Black Diamond鈥檚 solution is a breakaway strap that gives you power when you need it聽but also keeps you safe when things go awry. The adjustable flick locks and low swing weight are bonuses.聽
Price $120
BCA聽Shaxe聽Tech Shovel
There aren鈥檛 many instances in which you need an ice ax (or what the French call a piolet) and an avalanche shovel at the same time. So BCA came up with a single tool that incorporates both. It also includes hardware for rigging a rescue sled out of compatible skis.聽
Price $180
B and D Ski Gear Ski Crampons
Free-hinging ski crampons鈥攃laws that fit over your skis for ascending steep, crusty terrain鈥攂ite least when you need them: in climbing mode. That鈥檚 because binding risers prevent your boot heels from driving them into the snow. B and D fixes that problem by adding riser posts to the crampons and keeper clips to the skis, so they鈥檙e always digging into the track at full depth.聽
Price $51
Pieps聽Micro Avalanche Beacon
This miniature beacon is smaller than a聽smartphone (and weighs a scant 5.3 ounces) but has a large screen and multiple-burial functionality. Instead of a toggle, it relies on a photo sensor to change from search to trans颅mit mode. That means when it鈥檚 nestled in a harness under your jacket, it stays in transmit mode, but when it detects sunlight, it automatically switches to search.聽
Price $390