Avalanche transceivers · Test magazine 2025
Tech talk with Michael Vollmer, MAMMUT SPORTS GROUP AG
Head of Safety Equipment Team · Print page 123
Who is Michael Vollmer? Safety Equipment Team Leader at Mammut
Michael Vollmer is Safety Equipment Team Leader at MAMMUT SPORTS GROUP AG. At the time of his interview for the BACKLINE 2025 test magazine, he has worked at Mammut for 15 years. Initially responsible for avalanche airbag development, he now leads the product management and development department for safety equipment. This includes avalanche transceivers, airbags, shovels, probes, ropes, harnesses, helmets and belay devices. Outside work, he goes climbing, mountaineering, freeriding and splitboard touring.
In the interview, Vollmer explains the development of the Barryvox S2 avalanche transceiver. Its housing, six millimetres thinner than its predecessor, is based on user surveys and field tests and is intended to improve carrying comfort. Development of the MIP display focused on readability in difficult lighting and support in stressful situations. Clearer icons, optimised menus and coordinated controls and audio are intended to simplify use. According to Vollmer, the Interference Guard, already available on the Barryvox S, detects potential sources of interference and adjusts transmission power.
The Barryvox app adds device management, firmware updates and training functions. Custom practice scenarios extend to complex multiple burials. Vollmer emphasises that regular transceiver and avalanche rescue training remains essential despite intuitive operation.
The Barryvox S2 is 6 mm thinner than its predecessor. What considerations were behind this change?
The 6 mm reduction in housing thickness is the result of intensive user surveys and field tests. The goal was to make the Barryvox S2 even more comfortable to wear. The more compact design improves ergonomics and increases wearing comfort without compromising robustness, usability, or performance. Additionally, the device's weight could be reduced.
The Barryvox S2 features a new Memory-in-Pixel (MIP) display. Why this change?
The MIP display offers significantly better readability under extreme light conditions – both in direct sunlight and in darkness. The demands placed on a display in winter, with high alpine sun and snow, are very high to ensure optimal readability. In stressful situations, a simple user interface is crucial (display, guidance, intuition, and readability). During development, great emphasis was placed on these stressful situations and optimal user support, both for the display and its content, as well as for device operation and acoustics.
According to Mammut, the new Interference Guard (IG) feature automatically regulates transmission power in the presence of passive and active interference sources. What advantages does this Guard offer?
The Interference Guard automatically detects potential sources of interference such as smartphones, radios, smartwatches, and avalanche shovels, and adjusts the transmission power accordingly. Consistent transmission power is important to be located from the maximum possible distance in the event of a burial. This feature has been available since the Barryvox S. Especially in groups with a lot of technical equipment, this is a real safety gain.
How has user guidance changed?
User guidance has been further simplified and made visually clearer. New icons, optimized menu structures, and improved navigation ensure that even less experienced users can operate the device quickly and safely. Intuitive operation is a central component of our product philosophy and essential in a stressful situation. The familiar and appreciated user guidance of the Barryvox S has been consistently continued, so users immediately feel at home with it.
What advantages does the Barryvox App offer?
The Barryvox App enables easy device management, firmware updates, and training functions. We are constantly developing the firmware to continuously improve the Barryvox. For the upcoming winter 25/26, we will also launch new firmware that further enhances the search function, thereby increasing efficiency. Another exciting feature is the ability to create and analyze your own training scenarios (from simple to complex multiple burials). This allows for targeted training to react faster in an emergency and save valuable seconds or even minutes. As intuitive as the Barryvox S2 is, training remains crucial for regularly familiarizing oneself with the device and avalanche rescue. From beginners to professionals, the app offers a valuable addition to classic avalanche transceiver equipment.
