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dynomatic · (This post was last modified: 02-11-2015 08:38 PM by dynomatic.)

10/8/14 at 9:29am THREAD STARTER

Bob Lee
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The ski area where I work doesn't have the RECCO system on board, but I'm thinking about trying to get it in. I know there's no charge to the ski area for the equipment, but I was wondering if anyone here has used/trained with it, and what your thoughts about it are. Any downside in your experience?

10/11/14 at 6:25am

bunion
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They work. Not sure how many soft goods companies are still putting the reflectors in their clothing.

They generally are stored away and seldom get used enough that the operator is confident in the proper usage even though they are pretty simple.

10/11/14 at 6:41am THREAD STARTER

Bob Lee
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Thanks, I probably should have PM'd you in the first place.

10/11/14 at 7:05am

tball
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A bit OT.... I didn't have a Recco reflector in anything, so I bought a Patagonia belt with one embedded. I needed a skiing belt anyway, and this is a nice one with that added bonus of Recco:

http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/recc...?p=59185-0

Oh yeah, it's also a bottle cap opener... really Big Grin

Bode Klammer
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I put a pair of reflectors on my boots whenever I go anywhere near avalanche county. It makes The Woman of My Dreams fell like I'm safer, but Recco has been around for 30 years and their own website only mentions one actual save...

BK

10/11/14 at 9:56am

tetonpwdrjunkie
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I think they work. The problems that I see with them are getting the unit to the scene fast enough to save a life and the training issue that Bunion mentioned. If the unit is free, you should definitely get one. I still like Avi Dogs!

10/11/14 at 4:57pm

bounceswoosh
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tball View Post

A bit OT.... I didn't have a Recco reflector in anything, so I bought a Patagonia belt with one embedded. I needed a skiing belt anyway, and this is a nice one with that added bonus of Recco:

http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/recc...?p=59185-0

Oh yeah, it's also a bottle cap opener... really Big Grin

Thanks! I didn't think you could buy them outside of a jacket or pants. There's a pretty obvious concern about losing one and creating false positives under the snow. I wonder if resorts need to sweep for them in the summer to clean them up along with other lost items?

Quote:
Originally Posted by bunion View Post

They work. Not sure how many soft goods companies are still putting the reflectors in their clothing.

They generally are stored away and seldom get used enough that the operator is confident in the proper usage even though they are pretty simple.

Is that why they're falling out of favor?

10/11/14 at 5:24pm

marznc
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bode Klammer View Post

I put a pair of reflectors on my boots whenever I go anywhere near avalanche county. It makes The Woman of My Dreams fell like I'm safer, but Recco has been around for 30 years and their own website only mentions one actual save...

BK
Would not normally post in this forum, but I got curious . . . found this rebuttal article in response to a Gear Review. The original review comes across as more of a rant than a review.

The 2011 article by a Recco rep states: "The first life saved was in 1987, and just about every year the system saves several lives. Those persons and their families are more than happy to have been found by the RECCO System (and some of those folks didn’t even have RECCO reflectors). So far all live rescues have occurred in Europe where we have more detectors and more reflector-equipped skiers and riders, but we are increasing numbers of detectors and reflectors in North America."

http://unofficialnetworks.com/2011/12/re...l-networks

10/12/14 at 5:53am

bunion
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Falling out of favor? How so?

Most areas using Avalaunchers have to option of using the Recco to locate unexploded Avalauncher rounds (chip attached to charge).

They are another tool in the box. And like dogs, beacons and probe lines, they have their plus and minus.

10/12/14 at 10:38am

Bode Klammer
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marznc View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bode Klammer View Post

I put a pair of reflectors on my boots whenever I go anywhere near avalanche county. It makes The Woman of My Dreams fell like I'm safer, but Recco has been around for 30 years and their own website only mentions one actual save...

BK
Would not normally post in this forum, but I got curious . . . found this rebuttal article in response to a Gear Review. The original review comes across as more of a rant than a review.

The 2011 article by a Recco rep states: "The first life saved was in 1987, and just about every year the system saves several lives. Those persons and their families are more than happy to have been found by the RECCO System (and some of those folks didn’t even have RECCO reflectors). So far all live rescues have occurred in Europe where we have more detectors and more reflector-equipped skiers and riders, but we are increasing numbers of detectors and reflectors in North America."

http://unofficialnetworks.com/2011/12/re...l-networks
That's good to know. I would have thought they would have that upfront on the Recco website.

BK

10/16/14 at 10:22am

HarkinBanks
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Grand Targhee has one and trains with it.

One issue - all the patrol & cat guide uniforms had to have their RECCO chips cut out of them (both coat & pant) so that "false" signals didn't get picked up

10/16/14 at 12:24pm THREAD STARTER

Bob Lee
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HarkinBanks View Post

One issue - all the patrol & cat guide uniforms had to have their RECCO chips cut out of them (both coat & pant) so that "false" signals didn't get picked up.

Interesting. Not having worked with one, I would have thought they were more directional and that as long as it was pointed away from patrollers that wouldn't be a problem.

10/16/14 at 1:54pm

HarkinBanks
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Rather than leaving it up to the patrollers & guides to remember to not point the receiver towards any other patroller or guide and to not point it towards their lower leg while scanning, it was decided to "engineer out" the potential error instead of relying on human performance.

Thus the RECCO chips were taken out.

post #14 of 14 11/11/14 at 6:21pm

oldgoat
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HarkinBanks View Post

Rather than leaving it up to the patrollers & guides to remember to not point the receiver towards any other patroller or guide and to not point it towards their lower leg while scanning, it was decided to "engineer out" the potential error instead of relying on human performance.

Thus the RECCO chips were taken out.
Same thing at Squaw.

All post in this thread found here: http://www.epicski.com/t/129350/recco-experiences