Rescue Laser Flare (& related)

I know it's been covered to some degree, but I'm interested in any recent experience or update info on the Rescue Laser Flare, or any other specific laser/light/flare type products of this ilk. I've already read the material at equipped.com (the survival site) and visited the Rescue Flare website. What I've gleaned from this forum is the RLF seems like fairly minimal bang for the buck but would like to hear about any personal experiences, particularly relative to the green laser I've also read about.

Thanks!

Thanks d'mo but as I mentioned I already read the equipped.com review, and I was looking for more updated info from this group.

Check out...
http://www.equipped.com/rescuelaser.htm

Well, I thought I found something new, but I did a search and I see that there already is a post on this topic!

A co-worker and I start talking about flashlights, (before he knows my obsesion!), and low and behold, he starts talking to me about something that I have never heard of before!

He called them Iditarod lasers, but in doing research, Iditarod is a alaskan Sled Dog Race, and every team will have their own set of Rescue Laser Flares for the Iditarod sled dog racing team.

Anyway, check out these products, if you wanted a SERIOUS LASER!
www.greatlandlaser.com

It turns out that if you think a regular 3 mW or so laser is "serious", you may be impressed by this device. However, lately we're hearing about green laser devices with considerably more poop, and I'm hoping someone will create a laser flare in this color that matches the superior effectiveness described on the equipped.com site over the regular Rescue Laser Flare. For the current price of the RLF, I'll wait for the better bang. You may also be interested in the reference on equipped.com to a company's development of an emergency marine strobe with a built-in RLF type device. That's more along the lines of what I'm interested in. Make it green and I'm there with my plastic /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Hello sotto,

The green Rescue Laser Flare looks interesting.

I bought the red one (2AA) about 6 months ago for night kayak trips in protected waters. It works great for picking out reflective markers. I have never had to use it for rescue. I read about the high failure rate of hand held flares and decided this was the best way to go for me.

As stated in their material, to be effective you need to learn how to aim it. I practice on stop signs, street signs, and license plates. It's kind of like aiming a pistol without sights.

It is not as bright as the dot from my pointer, but it is easy to find when viewing from a mile away. It really catches your eye.

Tom

Silverfox:

I do quite a bit of canyon hiking, and if I get stranded down in the bottom of one of those things with the rattlesnakes and cougars roaming around at night, I want a nice bright green beam shooting up out of there so someone can come find me. That's my reason for not getting the red Rescue Laser Flare. It's interesting to hear about your experiences with one, but the drawback for my purposes is the aiming part.

Sotto

Hello Sotto,

I hear you...

The aiming is an interesting problem. The picture that comes to mind is being in high seas, in an overturned kayak, holding on for dear life, near exhaustion, hearing a search plane, then grabbing the laser flare and aiming it properly. I have extra lines attached to the kayak so I can float free of the boat for signaling if that is more stable, then pull myself back to the boat. I plan on never having to use this for rescue. I pay attention to the weather and practice in various conditions, but you never know what the next trip will have in store.

With all of that said, it is quite noticeable both day and night (obviously more so at night) IF you aim it properly, and IF someone is looking for you.

Tom

Silverfox:

I'm with you. My experience has been that, regardless how tranquil things appear, things can go to hell in a flash (so to speak). Careful aiming of an emergency rescue device, particularly if my state of consciousness is compromised, isn't consistent with the KISS principle.

sotto