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Frequently Asked Questions
Oz Backcountry sells avalanche beacons, probes and shovels from Mammut and Arva online. We ship Australia-wide from our Helensvale warehouse on the Gold Coast, with free shipping over $150. You can buy each piece separately, or get all three in an Arva Snow Safety Pack.
The minimum avalanche kit is a beacon (transceiver), a probe and a shovel, and every person in the group carries all three. The beacon helps you find a buried person, the probe pinpoints them and the shovel digs them out. Take an avalanche course such as AST 1 so you know how to use them together.
If you ski, board or snowshoe in steep terrain outside the resort boundary, yes. Avalanches occur in the Australian Alps, especially on steep lee slopes after heavy snow or strong wind. Inside patrolled resort areas you don't need one. Ski tourers on the Main Range or the Victorian high country should carry a full kit.
Yes. We sell every Mammut and Arva beacon, probe and shovel on its own, so you can upgrade one piece or match what your partner carries. If you're starting from nothing, an Arva Snow Safety Pack puts a beacon, probe and shovel in one box.
Do both, but don't treat the gear as the safety plan. An AST 1 course covers trip planning, reading avalanche terrain and practising rescue with a beacon, probe and shovel. Many people buy their kit before the course so they learn on the gear they'll carry.
How to choose an avalanche kit
The minimum avalanche kit is a beacon, a probe and a shovel. Each piece needs the other two, and every person in the party carries their own set. If one person is missing a shovel, the group's kit is incomplete.How to choose an avalanche kit
The minimum avalanche kit is a beacon, a probe and a shovel. Each piece needs the other two, and every person in the party carries their own set. If one person is missing a shovel, the group's kit is incomplete.
• Beacon (transceiver). Every beacon we stock is a digital, three-antenna unit. The main differences are search strip width, how easy the screen is to read, and whether it pairs with an app for updates and practice. See all avalanche beacons.
• Probe. A 2.4 m probe suits most recreational touring. The 2.6–3.2 m probes give more reach in deep snowpacks and suit guides and patrollers. Carbon saves weight, and aluminium costs less. Browse avalanche probes.
• Shovel. Choose a metal blade and a shaft long enough to move snow efficiently. A telescopic shaft packs down smaller. Browse avalanche shovels.
If you're buying from scratch, a matched pack saves working out what fits together. See our avalanche safety packs.
Mammut and Arva avalanche gear we stock
Mammut makes the Barryvox beacons: the Barryvox ($598.45) and the Barryvox S ($708.75). Their probes run from the Probe 240 Short and 240 Speed Lock through the 280 and 320 Speed Lock, plus the lighter Carbon Probe 240 Light and Carbon Probe 280 Speed Lock. For digging there's the Alugator Ultra shovel. Shop Mammut.
Arva covers the Evo5+ ($550) and the Evo BT ($599.95). There are four Arva probes (Access 240, Spark 240, Ski Trip 240 and Guide 260) and four shovels (Access, Access TS, Plume TS and Ski Trip). The Evo 5+ Snow Safety Pack ($769.95) puts the Evo5+, an Access 240 probe and an Access shovel in one box. The Evo BT Snow Safety Pack ($899.95) pairs the Evo BT with a Spark 240 probe and an Access TS shovel. Shop Arva.
Avalanche safety gear for Australian and New Zealand snow
Avalanches do happen in the Australian Alps, on steep lee slopes of the Main Range above Thredbo and Guthega and around Mt Bogong and Feathertop. The Aussie season runs roughly June to September, and many local tourers then head to New Zealand or Japan, where the terrain is bigger and avalanche safety gear is expected on every trip.
Gear doesn't replace training. An AST 1 course teaches you to plan a trip, read terrain and use your beacon, probe and shovel together. Before each season, put fresh batteries in your beacon and assemble your probe and shovel at home so the movements are familiar. Then do a beacon check with your group at the trailhead. In New Zealand, read the NZ Avalanche Advisory before you go.
Carry it all in a pack with a separate tool pocket: see snow backpacks.
Why buy from Oz Backcountry
Free shipping Australia-wide over $150 (T&Cs apply). Gear ships from our Helensvale warehouse on the Gold Coast. Use the "In stock – ships immediately" filter to see what's ready today. Some items ship direct from the supplier.
Related: Avalanche Beacons · Avalanche Probes · Avalanche Shovels · Avalanche Safety Packs · Snow Backpacks · Snow