Beacon in my bib pocket?

[DaHeel]

What type/brand of transceiver do you have???

Tracker 1 1st gen

[Hacksaw]

Tracker 1 1st gen

Yeah, those had really bad holster/harnesses....

[DaHeel]

Yeah, those had really bad holster/harnesses....

Bingo!!!

[davieboot]

I've started putting my beacon in my pants pocket for the reason that I usually end up in a t shirt while skinning and don't trust an exposed harness to keep my beacon on me. Just a thought...

I've thought the same thing, and though I have continued with the harness, I've certainly considered changing because I find myself hiking in base layers plenty.

[davieboot]

Also since I am usually the one carrying the other beacon for our group, having it in a pocket makes it easy access to get out and give to the person who is going to search for the person who got buried.

I laughed.

[Trace Hardslab]

Avalanches can be brutal and cruel. Some years back I lost a partner in a slide. He was wearing his transceiver properly, buckled in with the provided harness under 2 layers of clothing. The transceiver was ripped from his body, carried 600 feet downslope from where he came to rest, and broken. So, sometimes it just doesn't matter.

Bib pocket? Yeah, I've done it, mostly for the reasons mentioned in previous posts. Namely being a sweathog who sheds layers on the uphill. I've ripped pants and coat skiing trees more than once. Hell, I've ripped my pants getting on the bus. Haven't ripped the belly pocket on bibs yet. So, outside pocket probably not the best idea.

In any case, you'd hate to have your partners searching for your beacon which is not buried where you are.

[Jhaus]

Today I put my Tracker 2 in the pocket of my MH pants with the lanyard on the D-ring inside the pocket. So much better than the harness. Will be doing this from now on unless someone convinces me that beacons in pockets are torn free more often than beacons in harnesses and that I can survive a slide violent enough to remove clothing.

[iscariot]

I always keep bacon in my bib pocket.

[SDW]

I thought this thread was about bacon in your bib pocket (to aid in searches for dogs who love.... BAAAACON!)

I always keep bacon in my bib pocket.

Is tele tips still down?

[MakersTeleMark]

DaHeel, seriously, time for a fucking upgrade. I don't care where you put it.

[icelanticskier]

I've ripped pants and coat skiing trees more than once. Hell, I've ripped my pants getting on the bus.

aware of your surroundings much?

rog

[Hacksaw]

Is tele tips still down?

We can only hope.....(_!_)

[whyturn]

I think the leash is important for keeping beacon in my hands since a slide will happen in deep pow and don't want to drop it. But it's just my opinion. I think it' depends on pocket strength

[hutash]

Pieps says to carry your beacon in the harness or pants pocket (attached of course).

I tend to follow the manufacturers recs.

[TheDon]

I know Cody Barnhill wears his in his bibs. In the end he's just another man, so whatever.

[DaHeel]

Is tele tips still down?

Oh, you'll care!

[Ted Striker]

I just skimmed the replies, but if it wasn't mentioned, keep it close to the center of mass, i.e. bib chest pocket is better than leg "cargo" pocket. Biggest probe target (that's what she said).

As for harness vs. pocket, I vote for pocket if you're down to your base layer on a warm day, and '6 of one, half dozen of the other' if under your jacket.

[Art Shirk]

Keister it like Rontele.

[Trace Hardslab]

aware of your surroundings much?

rog

Yeah, I actually am aware of my surroundings. I just bump into them a lot. I am a clumsy oaf. This is one of a few reasons you will find my shovel handle INSIDE my pack.

[Scotsman50]

I've worn my beacon in its chest harness for years with no problems and then last year for some reason I decided to wear it in my hip pocket. I glanced a tree and damaged the beacon screen....result ......I had to buy a new beacon.

Now I wear mine either in it's harness or in an inner zippered CHEST pocket.
Just too susceptible to damage in a hip or thigh pocket IMO and too much to risk for any convenience gained.
Zippered, not velcroed, chest pocket on bibs sounds OK to me but you want to attach leash so it doesn't slide off if you drop it on a slope while searching.

YMMV

[Clownshoe]

I have had my beacon in my pants pocket for 10+ years. It's clipped to my zipper so I can't lose it, and it keeps it far away from my other electronics (GPS, radio, RECCO, cell phone) while I'm patrolling. I love it there, it's quick to get at, and easy to pull out to check my partner's signal when we go on a route.

I wear the same pants all the time, so having it there keeps me from forgetting it on days off.

Never had a problem with it.

As previously mentioned, if an avalanche rips my pants off, I'm probably dead anyway.

If an avalanche rips my pants off but I survive, and I die because my beacon wasn't strapped to me properly..... I guess that's my fault.

[Micol]

Been thinking about going to beacon in pocket. This morning I was practicing some blind thrown beacon searches. Went to receive mode, low and behold no beacon transmitting. I had thrown it in untracked snow so I was able to finally retrieve it. Turns out the landing strike on a buried rock had broken the beacon case and there was no battery cell contact.

Made me think about all the moving pieces in a slide and potential rock and tree trauma that could hit a beacon in a leg pocket. Leg pocket would be great and convenient for search, but not rescue. Not worth the convenience imho to risk the one thing that is going to help someone locate me. Someone could argue that a chest harness might yield the same results. I think arms and it being under layers would make a strike less probable. Still could happen.

[skiJ]

yeah its more like a mesh pocket in a pocket. feels pretty secure and locked in. For as much as I hate extra shit strapped to me, i am willing to take that risk

perfect :
in avalanche terrain, it is all about your personal Comfort --

You lose your becon > I am sure your companions will understand your inability to assist with becon searches .


our technology has surpassed our intelligence.

skiJ

[ghosthop]

it's quick to get at, and easy to pull out to check my partner's signal when we go on a route.

I wear the same pants all the time, so having it there keeps me from forgetting it on days off.

I keep my beacon in the hip pocket of my pants for the exact same reason. I usually ride in a hoody unless its super windy/cold and don't always have my fleece underneath or shell on top that both have inside chest pockets.

I remember reading this thread before and it got me thinking about placement but felt like a total n00b for having to ask. stupid. Seems like there is anecdotal evidence in this thread for issues with beacons both in the hip pocket and the harness, any evidence for a chest pocket being that much safer or just dumb luck on what can happen if caught in an avi?

[Hacksaw]

........ This morning I was practicing some blind thrown beacon searches. Went to receive mode, low and behold no beacon transmitting. I had thrown it in untracked snow so I was able to finally retrieve it. Turns out the landing strike on a buried rock had broken the beacon case and there was no battery cell contact. .

You need to use a NERF Football to pad your practice beacon.