On Thursday of this week, Ortovox – a company that manufacturers outdoor clothing and mountain safety gear – made what it describes as a “precautionary recall” of its S1+ Avalanche Transceiver. The company says that they have discovered a flaw in the device’s design that could cause it to stop transmitting, although they assure users that the possibility of that happening is quite rare.
The recall notice was posted on the company’s website and cites a faulty component as the cause of the problem. It doesn’t intidcate exactly which component is to blame, but S1+ owners will be required to send their transcievers to an authorized Ortovox service center in order to have them repaired. The notice goes on to say that retrofitting of the devices won’t take place unitl July due to the length of time needed to produce the replacement components.
That same website also has information on how to submit your S1+ for servicing. The procedure is a bit different depending on which country you are in, so be sure to pick your home territory carefully.
The S1+ is a popular avalanche transeiver carried by many backcountry skiers and mountaineers. The product is actually a two-in-one avalanche safety system that not only helps search and rescue teams locate the user if they are caugt in an avalanche, but also allows the S1+ owner to aid in search operations as well.
If you happen to own an S1+ Avalanche Transceiver it is imperative that you follow the instructions for the recall and get your device serviced as soon as possible. While the chances of failure may be slim, you certainly don’t want to push your luck in a dangerous situaiton.
