Main face with bright LED readout and options button
Press Release
Backcountry Access (BCA) this month announced the release of its newest avalanche beacon the Tracker4™, for winter 2020/21. The design of the Tracker4 avalanche transceiver marks a new industry standard for transceiver durability and ease-of-use for those moments when every second count.
When asked about what makes the Tracker4 different from other BCA transceivers, Bruce Edgerly, BCA co-founder and Vice President noted, “It’s not that different. That’s the beauty of it. We’ve taken all the best aspects of Tracker2™ and combined them with Tracker3™ to make Tracker4 our new ‘workhorse’ beacon. The most notable difference is the industrial design, which is made to be indestructible. But we still have real-time, ultra-fast processing, and no-nonsense multiple burial searching.”
First Impressions => The Tracker 4 is easy to use and offers a functional LED digital/arrow readout and a loud audio tone during tracking. It offers an innovative Signal Suppression and Big Picture feature to locate and differentiate multiple victims. The unit has glove-friendly controls, has a nice bright color, a rubberized grip, a leash, and an LED that can be seen in bright sunlight. The rear compartment can be opened for battery changes and to update the software.
Slim shape with grippy countered edges
BCA’s Tracker4 boasts robust durability and sports an easily grippable rubberized overmolded case that is a departure from the sleek gasket case of the Tracker3. The recessed screen of the Tracker4 adds another layer of protection against inevitable wear and tear during backcountry missions and field use. The screen also boasts brighter resolution and a louder speaker than the Tracker S and Tracker3, optimizing visibility and audio cues during searches.
BCA has been producing a version of the Tracker avalanche Beacon since 1997. When it was released, its first iteration, the Tracker DTS, was heralded as the world’s first digital, multi-antenna avalanche transceiver. Since then, BCA has developed numerous models with user-friendly features including, the Tracker2, Tracker3, and Tracker S avalanche beacons.
Top dial-Transmit, Search, and Off modes (with a locking tab)
About what makes the Tracker4 unique within the transceiver world at large, Edgerly continued, “We’re best known for our stripped-down, intuitive user interface and our super-fast real-time processing speed. We’re also the only transceiver maker that uses a full LED display. That’s because we’re the only beacon manufacturer from North America–and winters are cold here! LEDs work much better in those conditions than LCDs, so even in bitter cold temps we’re able to maintain a bright, real-time display.”
Battery compartment – also has a USB port to perform software upgrades
With the projected influx of backcountry users for this coming winter, a transceiver that prioritizes durable qualities and streamlined search features is a timely addition to the beacon lineup. “I’ve always loved the big, bright display and loud audibles on the Tracker2,” explained Edgerly. “Combined with its new rubberized case and sophisticated electronics, the T4 will inspire lots of confidence in users — especially ones like me that are tough on their gear. And this year, durability seems to be front and center in the minds of the beacon consumer.”
The Tracker4 is available for purchase online at https://backcountryaccess.com and from retailers across North America, Europe, and Japan that can be located at https://backcountryaccess.com/stores.
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