Frequently Asked Questions

All Canadian residents who purchased a PIEPS DSP Sport, a PIEPS DSP Pro, or a PIEPS DSP Pro Ice (the “Beacons”) in Canada from January 1, 2013 to April 12, 2021 (the “Class” or “Class Members”) have the right to know about a proposed settlement that has been reached in a lawsuit Rawski v. Black Diamond Equipment et al., S.C.B.C. No. VLC S-2010419 (the “Class Action”).

On December 5, 2025, the BC Supreme Court approved the Class Action settlement. The settlement is a compromise of disputed claims and is not an admission of liability or wrongdoing or fault by any of the Defendants. A copy of the Court’s Order can be obtained here.

If you are a Class Member and you want to participate in the settlement, you must complete a Claim here by May 4, 2026.

The Plaintiff who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Class Members is Adam Rawski (called the “Representative Plaintiff”). 

The lawyers for the Class are Rice Harbut Elliott LLP (“Class Counsel”).

The Class Action alleges that PIEPS branded Beacons were not safe for their intended use and the Defendants failed to warn consumers about the risks of a defective locking mechanism on the Beacons which caused the Beacons to unexpectedly change modes from “send” to “search” or “off”.

The Defendants deny the allegations, which have not been proven, and are defending the lawsuit.

The Class consists of:

All persons resident in Canada, except for the Defendants and their officers and directors and any of the heirs, successors and assigns of the Defendants and their officers and directors (the “Excluded Persons”), who purchased electronic avalanche transceivers in one of the following three (3) models: 1) PIEPS DSP Sport, 2) PIEPS DSP Pro, or 3) PIEPS DSP Pro Ice (the “Beacons”) in Canada from January 1, 2013 to April 12, 2021 (the “Class Period”).

If you are not sure whether you are included in the Class, you can ask for free help by calling the settlement administrator at 1-833-777-7763 for more information. You can also send an email to [email protected].

Class Members who purchased a replacement Beacon (between October 1, 2020 and April 12, 2021) will receive a Compensatory Payment of up to $300, whereas Class Members who did not purchase a replacement Beacon will receive a Compensatory Credit of $50 toward any purchase on the Defendants’ online stores.

For Compensatory Payments there is a fund of $120,000 available to split. The precise amount of payment will not be known until after the Claim Period ends on May 4, 2026.

For Compensatory Credits there is a fund of $50,000 available to split on a first-come-first-served basis. Once the fund is depleted, no further claims for Compensatory Credit will be processed.

Note: The settlement does not include claims for personal injury or death in relation to the Beacons.

Yes. Class Members with personal injury claims may receive a Compensatory Payment or a Compensatory Credit from the settlement without jeopardizing any potential claims for personal injury damages.

The settlement provides for the payment of up to $338,120 by the Defendants, in exchange for a full release of all claims (except personal injury claims) against them by the Class.

The full settlement terms and court documents are available here.

If you are a Class Member and you want to participate in the settlement, you must complete a Claim here by May 4, 2026.

You may contact Class Counsel if you would like to be notified when this information becomes available.

Class Counsel has obtained  approval of a legal fee of $57,120, disbursements of $106,000, and an honorarium of $5,000 to the Representative Plaintiff. The amounts sought for legal fees, disbursements and the honorarium are independent of, and do not reduce, the funds available to Class Members for Compensatory Payments and Compensatory Credits under the proposed Settlement Agreement.

Class Counsel fees, disbursements and any payments to the Representative Plaintiff are also subject to Court approval to ensure fairness.