Probe 240 speed lock

The Mammut Probe 240 Speed Lock is an aluminium avalanche probe that goes from a 45 cm bundle to 240 cm of reach with one pull of the cord. When the segments lock you hear a click, so you know it is rigid and ready before it goes into the snow.

Who it's for

Anyone skiing, splitboarding or touring in avalanche terrain, where every person in the party carries a transceiver, a shovel and a probe. That means the Main Range above Thredbo and Charlotte Pass, the Victorian high country, and the bigger slopes of New Zealand and Japan. At 280 g it rides in your pack all season without you noticing.

How it performs in a search

Once your transceiver brings you close, the probe does the pinpointing. The Probe 240 Speed Lock gives you 240 cm of reach with a 12.75 mm aluminium shaft. The tip is shaped to push through avalanche debris without wasting effort, and depth markings are printed right around every segment, so you can read the burial depth from any angle and tell the digger where to aim.

The lowest section is bright orange, a quick visual cue while you are working the probe up and down in a tight spiral.

Using it under pressure

Speed Lock is built for cold, gloved hands. Pull the tensioning cord hard, feel it click, and the probe is locked. The high-tensile cord keeps the segments tight, and the handle clips onto the assembled probe so it stays out of the way while you probe.

The cover has an emergency plan printed on it, so the steps of a companion rescue are in your hand the moment you pull the probe out.

Certification and standards

• UIAA standard 157 for avalanche rescue probes
• Extended length: 240 cm
• Collapsed length: 45 cm
• Diameter: 12.75 mm
• Weight: 280 g

Maintenance and checks

Before the season and before each tour, assemble the probe fully: it should lock with a clean click and stand straight. Check the cord for fraying and the segment joints for dents, then let it dry out of its cover before you store it.