One of 2 new transceivers that we have for this season. I had my first play with the Element on Tuesday and was very impressed. The Element is a one button, no options simple to use 3 antenna digital transceiver with signal masking.
In common with most 2nd generation digital transceivers, once the Element has received a signal you are guided to follow a curved flux line to the target with little arrows correcting you right or left as you walk along. A unique feature of the Element is that it uses a very definite tone change to alert you that you have strayed from the correct path.
The Element also uses a new Runway approach in the final phase of searching which does away with the left and right sideways pin pointing once the lowest distance reading has been reached. Those used to the old method will still prefer to use it but training feedback suggests that novice searchers lose a lot of time doing this and are better off not doing it. Instead an expanding spiral probing search is used for exact loaction.
In a multiple burial situation, the Element had a masking function available below 3 metres allowing the searcher to move onto victim 2 whilst the probe/dig team set to work (manpower permitting)
For simplicity there are no user selected options available in the Element, it is what it is, just turn it on and use it. It does has the ability to have it’s software updated in the future. Build quality is the usual very high Mammut standard.
I was very impressed with my first play with the Element. The runway approach did seem a bit too simple to me as I am used to pinpointing, but modern digital transceivers never leave you very far left or right of target so I can see the logic in it. It’s still possible to pin point in the old style if you prefer. One person in our test felt that the Element was a bit confusing if you badly overshot the target in the final search phase, it didn’t seem too bad to me but I will definitely explore this in my next tests. I should have a test unit within a week and will get the videos made as soon as possible. Also look out for the first review of the Ortovox s1+.
Probably coming into stock in the 2nd or 3rd week of October but you can back order one now to reserve one of our first drop.