Anyone have any info on the Recco reflector system? I'm thinking about buying a set, for use when skiing in inbound but hairy terrain (JHole, the Bird, etc.) I know a beacon is better, but I don't plan on skiing any BC anytime soon.
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Anyone have any info on the Recco reflector system? I'm thinking about buying a set, for use when skiing in inbound but hairy terrain (JHole, the Bird, etc.) I know a beacon is better, but I don't plan on skiing any BC anytime soon.
Basically a corpse finder.
Not a beacon alternative.
Cheap.
But it can't hurt to have them.
i have a set on both my boots (tele/alpine--1 per set of boots). they are only $20 for a set of two. you only need one on you at a time. put it on something that won't come off. on a ski or in a pack is a bad idea. i wear my beacon inbounds too if i feel the need. most resorts now use recco and it is a cheap alternative to having nothing but you'll be found more quickly with a beacon. all trollers carry a beacon. they have to get the recco sweeper from the shack before they can search with it. once they pull it out the search goes quickly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Plakespear
edit for clarification of how many recco chips used
i disagree with that. in an inbounds avy they will find you before the probe line picks up its first hit. trollers are quick to an accident site as they are spread out accross the resort. i think it recco is a good idea but not as good as a beacon.Quote:
Originally Posted by PNWbrit
arc-teryx has them all high profile on the sleeves of their new line. not too fired up to see that. i think a lot of people will not understand what it is for or place too much faith in it.Quote:
Originally Posted by AltaPowderDaze
Alot of companies are putting the chips in thier gear now. You can prolly go to reccos site and find out who. Recco will also pick up cell phones and radios, but not as reliably.
Avalauncher rounds also have chips molded in so that if you shoot a dud it can be found later.
Alta - what's different about putting the reflectors on your boots, versus putting them on skis (where they'll fall off) - won't the reflectors fall off of the boots too?
Quote:
Originally Posted by gonzo
i agree. most clothing and i think atomic boots now have them sewn in. if people think that they are ok to step outside of the resort boundaries just because they have it, they are mistaken. there has never been a live avy recovery that was dug out by search and rescue in the utah backcounty to my knowledge. it takes too much time to get the equipment needed to a bc site, even when it is close to the resort. a beacon is your best chance and even then sometimes...
skis are made to pop off in an avy and for a good reason. if the search team recovers your ski and not you then they start a probe line to recover a body. the adhesive is very strong and they are low profile enough to survive an avy still attached imo. other things such as jackets, pants, necklaces, backpacks, and helmets can be easily ripped off in a powerful avalanche.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jumper Bones
this thread would be useful in an avalanche forum should we get one. (owens)hint hint
Honestly, every little bit helps.
And at $20 I wouldn't pass them up.
Also if you wear a beacon inbounds, TURN IT ON. I keep reading about body recoveries where the victim had a beacon that was turned off.
Batteries are cheap and last hundreds of hours.
shouldnt matter where you put it from a pickup perspective, its essentially a longer range rfid tag from what ive heard about them. pretty neat idea, if you can afford the sweeper. i figure though, i paid for my beacon, might as well wear it when there is any instability.
I think this is primarily due to a design flaw with the Tracker. An on/off switch incorporated in the harness buckle is a far better solution.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spats
Also as a matter of routine I put my beacon inside my boot when I load the car. That way I always have to put it on when I gear up at the parking lot and it doesn't get left behind or ride around in a pack all day.
Summit County Rescue Group deploys our RECCO system as soon as possible (with the primary or secondary team).
Several Colorado ski resorts operate RECCO.
More and more clothing and equipment come with reflectors: Atomic, Sessions, Bonfire, etc... there's talk of assuring RECCO always goes out with the first team.
It's another tool.
Search posts:
Recco Rescue System?
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ad.php?p=76157
I put some technical stuff in there IIRC.
One thing that neither the site nor here has explained:
Can it be INSIDE the coat/pants? Most makers seem to be putting them rather visibly on their gear.
ie: can it go in the bottom of a radio pocket?
or even though its super sticky, have a good gear maker custom sew it on the inside/backside of a pocket out of the way?
Cargo pocket of ski pants?
I'm not even gonna question swapping it into other gear.
For $20 you ditch it when your gear gets worn out.
Just some thoughts about retro'ing these into gear.
I've got a pair of vans fargo snowboard boots that have a recco reflector in them-I can't tell where it is
I agreee with the corpse finding comment. However if the searchers know they are looking for a recco equipped corpse it will keep the searchers exposure to the danger zone minimized. Last year it took searchers 3 days to find a guy whos beacon failed.
The best recovery method is from a partner because they are there on the scene. You have seen death reports on this very forum where the victim died in like 10-15 minutes of burial. Recco relies on a receiver unit that your partner will not be carrying. Ergo, Recco is a corpse finder.
It also adds to the price of your clothing or boots at retail, all for the benefit of your heirs.
The other side benefit though is that apparently it looks for some element of an electronic circuit (I think a diode). So if you loose something in the snow, like maybe a cell phone or something, while the signal would likely be weaker than from an actual Recco reflector, it would probably work to find your electronic item.
I would imagine that when an inbounds slide occurred, patrol would dispatch the recco receiver immediately, or at the latest after patrollers have arrived on the scene and assessed the situation. Just a guess, but I imagine that there is just as good ofa chance that a buried victim would have a recco reflector built into their clothes as there is them wearing a beacon.