With this in mind it is not really worth carrying a probe longer than 2-3 meters. 2.4m is a common length as you can probe to 2m and still have some of the probe in your hand.

I feel that most of the probes that are sold to fit inside shovel handles are a bit too short at 2m and it is worth carrying something a little bit longer. There are excellent probes made by, G3, Ortovox, Backcountry Access, Life Link and Black Diamond. Personally, I use a 240cm Carbon probe from Ortovox which keeps the weight down.

Probes are also useful for checking for crevasses and checking for cornice edges, specifically designed probes are much more useful than a ski pole that converts to a probe.

There are different methods of probing depending on the incident have a look at this tutorial which suggests what we think is the best method. It is worth practicing with a buried ruck sack so you can get a feel for snow, ice or a buried object.