Gear of the Week | ARVA NEO+ avalanche transceiver

FIRST IMPRESSION & PROPERTIES

The Neo+ from ARVA comes in a small package and looks simple and easy to understand at first glance. And so it is. Compared to some other devices, it looks a little clunky. I immediately noticed the separate ON/OFF button on the side. With a search strip width of 70 metres (manufacturer's specification), the Neo+ is one of the top devices on the market.

TEST REPORT

The NEO+ has now been with me on ski tours for several days and I also used it on the last avalanche course.

About the function:

The device is switched on using the red rotary knob on the side. As with most other avalanche transceivers on the market, the first thing you see is which software is installed and the battery status in percent. After about 3 seconds you get to the Group Check mode, which I particularly like. CH" appears on the display and Group Check is activated by pressing the mark button. Now you can test the function and frequency of other avalanche beacons at a distance of 0.5m to 1.5m. Press the Mark button again to switch to transmit mode. Now stow the NEO+ in the carrying system supplied and off you go! The NEO+ only fits into the plastic carrying system in one direction, which locks the on/off button. This feature is also well thought out. Sliding it into the carrying system is easy, but taking it out again with gloves takes a bit of getting used to. I can only get the device out and work with it by pressing on the back. The clip that secures the device is easier to release without gloves than with. The setup menu is easy to use and can be customised to suit your needs.

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Search Mode:

Intuitive and easy to understand, the NEO+ helps me to find the transmitting avalanche transceiver with 3 direction arrows, a distance indicator and an acoustic signal. You can see whether it is receiving 1 or more avalanche beacon signals. Everything works perfectly. A powerful processor, no delays and the mark function works well as far as I have tried so far without losing marked avalanche beacons.

Conclusion:

A super device, easy to operate and customisable to the user's needs. Top price-performance ratio and large 70m search strip width. Handling of the setup menu is simple and easy to understand. The only small drawbacks are the difficulty in removing the avalanche transceiver from the carrying system and the size of the NEO+, but in this price segment this can be overlooked.

To the tester:

Robert Stöckel is 36 years old and loves the mountains and the snow. His snow sports career began in Austria as a ski guide and took him to Canada six years later, where he worked as a guide and freeride trainer for four years. During this time, he completed the Canadian Heli Ski Guide Level 2 and was trained as an Avalanche Technician Level 2 through the Canadian Avalanche Association. Now he is back in the Alps and lives in Davos. In addition to his passion, he works in a small ski shop and gives avalanche courses in English on request. (Avalanche Safety Training)

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