RECCO BACKPACK RESCUE REFLECTOR (SAFETY DEVICE)

A good friend of mine from California messaged me “Julia, have you got a recco reflector for your PCT?”  I had no idea what one was so I set out to investigate.  It’s a rescue item that is worn on a helmet or a backpack that does not need any charging or batteries and lasts forever.  It was originally designed as an avalanche rescue device, but more and more people are using them for hiking as it is easier to find a person that is lost.  They do not need a subscription, and companies are now building these reflectors into clothing and gear such as backpacks.  It’s a genius idea and I believe every hiker who has the potential of becoming lost in the wilderness should have one of these attached to their backpack.

I still have a personal location beacon (RescueMe) as part of my kit, but the Recco is an additional extra to give myself a good chance of being found if I get lost.

At the time of writing, there are not many helicopter detectors in the UK, but there are many in many countries all over the world (including California, which is where I will be hiking for the PCT.

To explain in more detail, the video below may help.