An avalanche probe is the second step in a burial recovery — once your beacon has narrowed the search to a small area, a probe pinpoints the exact burial depth and location before you commit to shovelling. It takes seconds to deploy correctly and saves minutes of excavating the wrong spot.
Probes collapse for packing and extend to 240–320cm for use. Look for a minimum 240cm length, fast cord-tensioning deployment that locks rigid instantly, clear depth markings, and enough shaft stiffness to probe through compacted debris without deflecting. BCA, Black Diamond and Mammut all make probes that meet these requirements.
