Avalanche beacons can be a great help in pinpointing the exact location of the buried, making rescue faster and more efficient. Sounding is the last step before you start digging, so it is very important to use it correctly and quickly. The best known manufacturers in this case are Pieps, Ortovox, LACD, Black Diamond, BCA, Salewa, etc.
It can be made of carbon or aluminium, I prefer the latter because it's more durable and you don't have to take care of it as much. It is important that the centimetre scale is marked on the probe, as this can provide useful information during the rescue. The probe should be at least 240cm long, but 260cm is recommended. There is also an electronic version (Pieps Iprobe), which gives you an extra sound signal to help you.
If the buried person was not wearing a beacon, a probe is the only way to find them, but in most cases we are talking about a victim.
If you want to learn how to use the probe correctly, sign up for an Avalanche course!
