Gear Review | Arva Neo BT Pro

ARVA introduced the ARVA 4000, the first French avalanche transceiver, back in 1985. The device, which was exclusively analogue and only had a single antenna, did not yet have a screen and ideally had a range of around 20 metres. What was innovative back then seems like a relic from a long-forgotten era compared to the technology in the new ARVA Neo BT Pro.

First impression

Visually, the NEO BT PRO is simple and discreetly unobtrusive in the typical ARVA colours. The operating options also fit in well with the overall package and appear practice-orientated. With its angular design, the device sits very comfortably in the hand and can be operated easily even when wearing gloves. I particularly like the slider on the side, which you can easily move into the desired position. Although there are lighter avalanche transceivers, including those from ARVA, the NEO BT PRO weighs just 214g and promises an enormous range of features. The 80 metre search strip width specified by the manufacturer certainly stands out.

Test report

The avalanche transceiver was tested in different situations with different test criteria. At the beginning, the focus was on handling and, of course, the core function of an avalanche transceiver - searching. I have traditionally been practising avalanche transceiver searches with my children for several years now. As we didn't have the necessary snow this time, two avalanche transceivers were hidden in molehills both in the chalet and outside. We used two Mammut avalanche transceivers, the Mammut Barryvox S and the Mammut Element Barryvox, which we would later use as a reference. At 3.5 cm by 5 cm, the NEO BT PRO display is nice and large and well lit. This is also noticeable in very bright sunlight, as you can see everything that is shown on the display with or without ski goggles.

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During the practice search in the three-dimensional space, the chalet, the avalanche transceiver worked unerringly and very easily. The two hidden avalanche transceivers were positioned on different levels in a wide variety of hiding places and were found in no time at all.

During the exercise in the open field, the wide search bandwidth proved to be very useful. The hidden devices were recognised very quickly and identified as two "victims" even when the devices were positioned very close together. Overall, I was impressed by how quickly and accurately the children were able to find the two hidden avalanche transceivers with the NEO BT PRO in the various test runs. It was very intuitive to use and the U-turn alarm quickly guided strays back onto the right path. The NEO definitely scored points in the test with its maximum range. In some cases, the NEO was able to recognise a signal much earlier than the competition. Fine search, crossing and marking functions also worked very well afterwards. To ensure that the rescue works well in all weathers, the display is very high-contrast and easy to read in all weather conditions.

The ARVA only performed slightly worse in two "disciplines" compared to the two Mammut devices. The ARVA avalanche transceiver takes a few seconds to switch from send to search. In the event of a real burial, this can increase the pulse rate, but otherwise the switchover time is still perfectly acceptable. The displayed distance to the signal of the searched avalanche beacon sometimes seems to be incorrect at the first signal contact. I had the feeling that the distance tended to be a little too short.

Of course, the NEO BT PRO can do more than just search very well. For example, the avalanche transceiver can be connected to the ARVA app via Bluetooth in order to configure the device more individually and/or access a variety of services. For example, it is nice to be able to save your favourite ski resorts as templates for the avalanche report in the app. With the app, you realise that ARVA is a French product, as there are still a few charming translation errors.

However, the app also offers some helpful tips for exercise scenarios. You can also save the individual exercises and compare them later. There is also information about behaviour in the terrain and the formation of avalanches, in condensed form of course.

Conclusion

Overall, the ARVA NEO BT PRO is impressive, with the search strip width of 80 metres standing out in particular. If operated correctly, this can certainly save a certain amount of time in real-life use. This is complemented by a very good equipment package and a very practical app. The avalanche transceiver comes with a soft and well-fitting holster that doesn't wobble on the descent.

With the NEO BT PRO, ARVA has created an outstanding avalanche transceiver that has nothing to hide from other manufacturers such as Mammut or Pieps.

Advantages & disadvantages

+ Search strip width of 80m

+ Easy to operate with gloves

+ Very extensive functions, even for professionals

- Battery indicator not always visible

- Comparatively slow switching from send to search

Details

80 m search bandwidth
Bluetooth technology for connection with the ARVA app
Analogue mode with automatic calibration management
Scroll function to select the victim you are looking for
GROUP CHECK mode including transmission frequency control
Marker function to identify victims already located
Display of 4 victims with "+" indication beyond 4 victims
Device with 3 antennas, to improve the chances of detection during signal search and precision during fine search
Digital signal processing enables efficient guidance to the burial area
Autotest mode, which allows the device to diagnose the correct operation of its main functions
Backlit screen for optimum contrast in all lighting conditions
Automatic return to transmission mode by detecting movement in the event of an avalanche
Dynamic interference management, which allows the user to adapt his search method in a disturbed area
Turn alarm to guide the rescuer in the right direction
Standby mode that allows the user not to switch off his device during the shovelling phase
Autonomy in transmission mode: 350 h with alkaline batteries / 450 h with lithium batteries

Here is the link to the Arva website with further information.

The avalanche transceiver was provided to PowderGuide by the manufacturer free of charge for testing. You can find out how we tested it in our test statement.