Black Diamond Beacons

Anybody have experience with these? Any good? Is there any real reason for a non-avalanche professional to spring for the guide over the reacon?

They’re the same as Pieps (color being the only difference).Plenty of reviews out there about Pieps.

Getting the Guide gets you the ability to do Bluetooth updates and group check. To me those are the biggest benefits. 

BD beacons are blasically rebadged Pieps beacons which have been an industry standard for decades. That said my beacon has the ability to do multiple burials. Which though burials are rare and multiple burials even rarer I do know of several.

To reiterate what was said above. These beacons are made by Pieps. They are almost identical in all ways. For a non-guide the Guide seems to be a bit more than necessary and the Recon will certainly get the job done. I really like my Recon!