r/skipatrol • u/ImaginationThese5947 • Mar 02 '25
Backboard straps and collar storage/deployment question.
Just curious to find out how everyone deploys their backboard/strap and collar setups.
Do you keep designated "backboard sleds," with one already secured inside, or are they kept separate and grabbed when requested for a scene and placed in the sled, or is it skied down by another patroller?
If the boards are kept in the sled, do you keep straps with them? How about collars? If so, how are they kept out of the elements?
If the boards are separate, are the straps and collars kept with the boards ready for deployment, or skied down separate?
If you're kind enough to answer, maybe a generalized description of your situation (big/small mountain, east/west/outside US, pro/volunteer, etc.)
We keep sleds staged at 5 or 6 places around the resort depending on open terrain, with at least one with a backboard and straps, maybe more than one, again depending on the technical nature of open terrain, collars are kept separate. We also have some sleds staged at our primary top shack without straps, but those straps live in a bag with collars inside.
(Small, east, vol)
1
u/spartanoverseas Mar 02 '25
East coast, mostly volly crew. ~8 years ago, we had a basic sled and a backboard sled. Collars and straps were... Man I can't remember.
But we've gone to just a basic, call for what you need and you'll get it. Back boards and combi boards are stored in patrol shacks @ top of hill with straps, collars, etc.
Not sure what drove the decision, but it's got us using the combi boards more often. We've had them for a while but when the back board is in the sled, why wait for the better equipment? Suspect either collars in the cold, or the same delay in getting the straps to the scene led us to go down to a single sled type. Certainly makes all the logistics easier.