Review: BCA Link Mini

Weight: 6 oz

Size: 6.25 × 2.5 x 1.25 in

Channels: 22 FRS channels + 121 sub-channels

Range: 6 miles (usable), 32 miles (stated max)

Battery: 2 watts with 33-hour life, USB-C charging

Size: 6.25 × 2.5 x 1.25 in

Setup:

Out of the box, the BCA Link Mini comes ready to go into the backcountry. I’d recommend charging it fully using the included USB-C cable before embarking on any real mountain adventure, but mine came with enough juice for a few hours of testing right away.

The radio powers on by turning the large volume knob on top of the unit, and the small screen immediately displays what channel(s) you are tuned to. The channel coding is a bit unorthodox here, but actually makes sense: A01.009 means your A channel is tuned to Channel 1, privacy code 009. You can easily program a B channel to monitor simultaneously, and switch between transmitting on either by holding the up and down buttons.

Attaching the radio to your pack can be done by using either the included belt clip, an adjustable velcro strap system, or a more secure but more permanent plastic clip thats designed to interface with BCA pack straps. All of these are included in the box. For added security, there’s also a bungee clip leash. 

I’ve grown fond of sleek shoulder mics that more permanently thread through backpack straps, and the BCA Link Mini does away with that style in favor of versatility and ease of access. For my tastes, the unit is a little too big to clip to most shoulder straps, but was a great size to drop into a jacket chest pocket.

Features:

The whole point of this radio is simplicity, it seems, so there’s not actually a whole lot of additional features, especially compared to more powerful radios like the Rocky Talkie 5-Watt or the BCA Link 2.0. It transmits and receives radio transmissions on whatever channel you’re tuned to, and that’s about it. To be honest, that’s pretty awesome, because what else do you really need your radio to be doing?

The outside of the unit is built to be rugged, reminding me of the Garmin inReach Mini and its rubberized buttons and blocky, overbuilt, appearance. The Link Mini is IP55 rated, which does not mean it is waterproof. Rather, it’s water and dust resistant, tested to a weirdly specific standard. The 1800mAh battery will hold a charge for 33 hours of continuous normal use.

In Use:

I put the BCA Link Mini to use in a slew of conditions, ranging from in the ski resort and sidecountry, to spring volcano ski touring trips in the PNW, to heavy use coordinating athletes on photo shoots. Throughout this time, I was able to use it effectively with other Link Minis as well as a variety of other radio types from different brands.

Immediately, I noticed that the audio quality on the Link Mini is actually very good–it’s clear and impressively loud, something that I didn’t realize I had been taking for granted on other radios. The large PTT button is easy to use with gloved hands, and is a big improvement from the often hard-to-push PTT button on the Link 1.0 and Link 2.0. It’s obvious when you are transmitting thanks to the red light that turns on atop the unit, and it’s clear when the transmission cuts out with a short beep.

As I already mentioned, the unit is a bit big for my tastes to live permanently on my backpack shoulder strap, so I mostly carried it in a jacket pocket. It’s about twice as large as most shoulder/lapel mics I’ve used, and isn’t nearly as secure, so it bounces around quite a bit while skiing. The velcro strap is a neat idea, but I found that it slides up and down too much to really be effective.

Changing the functions and channels on the radio is pretty easy, but I’d recommend reading the included user manual if you’re not figuring it out right away.

Who should buy the BCA Link Mini?

The BCA Link Mini is a really good and impressively simple everyday radio for backcountry skiers, especially if you’re not a fan of shoulder mics. It’s cheaper and easier to use than the Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio, and I see this becoming a go-to radio for guide services to communicate with guests, or recreational backcountry users to keep comms within their group. The audio quality is excellent, the necessary features are all there, and the price is right.