The Recall Desk
SevereCPSC·22147·Announced 2022-06-02

Backcountry Access Tracker4 Avalanche Transceivers Recalled for Toggle Switch Failure

Backcountry Access Tracker4 Avalanche Transceivers are being recalled because the toggle switch can separate from the unit and prevent it from switching to search mode, which could prevent rescuers from locating a buried skier.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: Although no injuries have been reported, the source explicitly states the hazard "can result in severe bodily harm or death if a skier is buried under snow." This is a safety device whose failure creates a risk of serious harm or death in real-world use scenarios, which meets the Severe threshold for risk-of-harm products where the consequence is stated as potentially fatal.

Plain-English summary

Elevate Outdoor Collective is recalling the Backcountry Access Tracker4 Avalanche Transceiver, a device used to locate skiers buried in avalanches. The transceiver has a digital screen on the front, measures approximately five inches long and three inches wide, and is sold in yellow and black. The model name "Tracker4" and manufacturer initials "BCA" are printed on the front.

The toggle switch on the transceiver can separate from the unit and prevent the device from switching to search mode. This malfunction makes it difficult to locate a skier in an avalanche, which could result in severe bodily harm or death if a skier is buried under snow.

Approximately 9,000 units were sold in the United States, and about 450 were sold in Canada. The affected transceivers have serial numbers beginning with 21H05 or 21H06, which can be found inside the battery compartment after removing the top AAA battery. The devices were sold from July 2021 through February 2022 for about $390 at retailers including REI, Evo, Cripple Creek Backcountry, and online at amazon.com, backcountry.com, snowbigdeal.com, jagaloon.com, and specialty websites.

Elevate Outdoor Collective has received 14 reports of broken toggle switches, but no injuries have been reported. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled transceiver and contact Backcountry Access to receive a prepaid shipping label to return the unit for a free replacement. Contact Backcountry Access at 800-670-8735 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, email [email protected], or visit www.backcountryaccess.com/en-us/support/t4-update-form or www.backcountryaccess.com and click on "BCA TRACKER4 SAFETY RECALL NOTICE" for more information.

The recalled product

Product
Backcountry Access Tracker4 Avalanche Transceivers
Manufacturer
Backcountry Access, Inc.
Category
Consumer Product — Safety/Rescue Equipment
Hazard
  • toggle-switch-separation
  • search-mode-failure
  • avalanche-rescue-failure
Affected units
9,000

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

Related recalls

Same category