RECCO reflectors are a common feature in ski gear. They give rescuers a way to find people buried in avalanches. And now FORLOH, a hunting brand launched in 2020, will add them for the first time.
Serious skiers and snowboarders are familiar with RECCO reflectors. The 2-inch tabs embedded into apparel (and even packs and helmets) reflect a specific type of radar beam used by professional ski patrollers or other first responders to find missing people who are wearing them. These RECCO search devices are common at ski resorts and can even be mounted on helicopters for a fast response.
Now, USA-made brand FORLOH wants to give hunters a similar type of security. Launched this week, FORLOH will add RECCO reflectors to all of its AllClima Rain and SoftShell Jackets.
Wintersports brands have used this rapid-response rescue technology for years. But FORLOH is the first hunting brand to adopt it. Of course, all this begs the question: Why?
RECCO Reflectors for Hunters?
At first glance, avalanche reflectors in hunting apparel seem somewhat pointless. But when you consider that hunting puts people in remote wilderness areas at an increased risk of getting injured or lost, it starts to make sense.
FORLOH said the integration of this search technology comes as RECCO is working with search-and-rescue teams in the U.S. to expand the use of its RECCO SAR helicopter detector. These helicopter-mounted detectors allow crews to rapidly search for people on the ground across vast areas. By pioneering this technology in the hunting industry, FORLOH aims to increase the margin of safety for consumers.
“The very nature of hunting means the hunter is attempting to go undetected to their prey, which means hunters are extremely difficult to find in the event of an emergency,” said Andy Techmanski, founder and CEO of FORLOH.
“Given RECCO’s push to expand this technology with search-and-rescue teams, we were amazed to learn that it hasn’t yet been integrated into hunting apparel. And we jumped at that chance. Being prepared is one of the basic requirements when planning any hunt. And the integration of RECCO reflectors into our gear gives our customers and their families back home an added margin of safety and additional peace of mind.”
You can learn more about the newly launched brand and its products here.
