Safety Beacon in pocket

[Lauren]

You can have bacon in your pocket, just not the same pocket as your beacon.

Might help if there's an avalanche dog assisting in your rescue/recovery.

Jokes about bacon aside...

I wear bibs with giant pockets all over them now, and men's shells, since the pockets are far superior to women's. I still need better solutions.

This has been my solution as well. I have two pairs of bibs, one of them men's because re: pockets. The pair of women's bibs are pretty amazing though, all 6 pockets can be used as a beacon pocket due to the loops sewn into the inside of each one (leaving 5 pockets open for bacon). I use the same one for consistency of practicing with the same pocket every time, but it was nice to have the options when I was figuring out what's most comfortable. I found bibs and a harness together to be super awkward.

 

[Noodler]

I tried to find out the "why" behind not putting a beacon in a jacket pocket, but all I find is lots of DO NOT DO THIS advice. I assume it's because a jacket can easily be ripped off by the power of the avalanche, correct? What if the jacket can be secured to the pants? (I have some setups that do that)

 

[Pequenita]

I tried to find out the "why" behind not putting a beacon in a jacket pocket, but all I find is lots of DO NOT DO THIS advice. I assume it's because a jacket can easily be ripped off by the power of the avalanche, correct? What if the jacket can be secured to the pants? (I have some setups that do that)

I think unless the jacket is strapped on between the legs (like an airbag), it can still unsnap or whatever and get pulled off.

I think the crotch strap on the airbag serves a slightly different purpose, so that the bag doesn't choke the wearer, though? I'm not entirely sure as I don't own one. I do know that I read an incident report from this season and someone was wearing a bag but did not have the crotch strap on, and the medical team felt that not securing it contributed to the individual's death.

 

[Lauren]

I think unless the jacket is strapped on between the legs (like an airbag), it can still unsnap or whatever and get pulled off.

To add to this, your jacket is also the first layer to come off if you're getting warm. Lots of people hike with their shell in their backpack (or strapped to it) if it's not needed for wind or precipitation protection. The more you take it on/off, the more likely you are to forget to move your beacon to somewhere that's still on your body. Most people don't ever remove pants.

 

[Slim]

Untill now, I have worn mine in my pants pocket, in a regular, zipped, ‘handpocket’. Those are the only 2 pockets my normal winter ski pants have. My softshell pants have the same those too(as well as others). I then clipped the leash to the suspenders loop.
This keeps it nice and high and in front of me, where it is far less likely to be damaged in a normal fall. These pockets are sewn on the inside, so several layers of fabric over the beacon too.
Based on risk of something catching and pulling on the cord in a fall or avalanche, I was planning to make a small hole inside the pocket to route the leash internally. And add a thin D3O impact protection pad on top of the beacon.

My new lightweight shell pants however, do not have any pockets. That made me reconsider using the harness.

 

[Primoz]

@Noodler I think main reason why not jacket is, that jacket goes on and off, which means sooner or later transceiver will end up in backpack, which is place, where you definitely don't want it to be.

 

[tball]

I love the idea of ski pants with a beacon pocket. Pretty sure I'd wear my beacon inbounds most of the time rather than rarely.

The Black Diamond pants with a Pieps Pocket look nice but seem sold out everywhere. Any other suggestions?

 

[pais alto]

I love the idea of ski pants with a beacon pocket. Pretty sure I'd wear my beacon inbounds most of the time rather than rarely.

The Black Diamond pants with a Pieps Pocket look nice but seem sold out everywhere. Any other suggestions?

Mammut and Outdoor Research do for sure:

Haldigrat HS Pants Men | Mammut Online Shop

The Haldigrat HS Pants Men – super comfortable hardshell pants for free tourers, their cool fit is inspired by freeriding. Those who don't shy away from strenuous climbs benefit from the high breathability of the pants. The pants' design focuses on the most important features for freeriders...

www.mammut.com

Men's Hemispheres II GORE-TEX® Bibs

OR's Hemispheres styles are backcountry icons, and the Hemispheres II Bibs are better than ever. Proven 3L Gore-Tex® protection, unparalleled stretch and strategic updates make the Hemispheres II Bibs the ultimate solution for backcountry skiing and snowboarding. Nothing else delivers the same...

www.outdoorresearch.com

I think Arc’teryx does as well, but they didn’t state it explicitly as I scanned on the website. You might check Patagonia as well. Any mountaineering brand is worth checking out.

 

[Noodler]

Mammut and Outdoor Research do for sure:

Haldigrat HS Pants Men | Mammut Online Shop

The Haldigrat HS Pants Men – super comfortable hardshell pants for free tourers, their cool fit is inspired by freeriding. Those who don't shy away from strenuous climbs benefit from the high breathability of the pants. The pants' design focuses on the most important features for freeriders...

www.mammut.com

Men's Hemispheres II GORE-TEX® Bibs

OR's Hemispheres styles are backcountry icons, and the Hemispheres II Bibs are better than ever. Proven 3L Gore-Tex® protection, unparalleled stretch and strategic updates make the Hemispheres II Bibs the ultimate solution for backcountry skiing and snowboarding. Nothing else delivers the same...

www.outdoorresearch.com

I think Arc’teryx does as well, but they didn’t state it explicitly as I scanned on the website. You might check Patagonia as well. Any mountaineering brand is worth checking out.

I like the looks of the OR Skyward II Ascent pants, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

 

[pais alto]

I like the looks of the OR Skyward II Ascent pants, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

https://www.als.com/outres-pant-skyward-ii/p

 

[Philpug]

I hear the Georgia Satellites when I read the title of this thread.

 

[oldschoolskier]

Little off topic, every time I read the title, I see “Bacon In Pocket” and the first thought is don’t get eaten by the bears!

Now that this thought is in your mind, carry on .

 

[PowHog]

I tried to find out the "why" behind not putting a beacon in a jacket pocket, but all I find is lots of DO NOT DO THIS advice. I assume it's because a jacket can easily be ripped off by the power of the avalanche, correct?

Yes this. That said in an avalanche that powerful the beacon can get stripped from the body almost anywhere.

 

[ZionPow]

I always carry my transceiver in an inside pants pocket with the bungee cord connected. Pants are very unlikely to be ripped off a person in an accident vs coats. Most of the time when I am in Avy terrain, I am wearing an Avy air bag backpack. It would take too much time to deploy the transceiver if it were under clothing in the harness. The pants pocket keeps the transceiver away from other electronic devices that may interfere that are carried on upper body such as cell phone and radio. The AAI Avy Pro 1 certification class requires finding and digging up 2 buried beacons in a 50 meter grid in less than 7 minutes. Everyone that I have seen pass the test starts with transceiver in pants pocket.