Ortovox S1+ avalanche transceiver beacon.
This voluntary recall is somewhat surprising, not only because Ortovox is known for their solid products, but also since the recall goes back over the lifespan of the S1+ since July 2011 — seems like the issue would have become obvious much earlier. But kudos to Ortovox for jumping on this in a big way, and working with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (and we assume other entities worldwide). Ski touring is mainstream, and defective products should be treated this way, not swept under the office rug or even ignored as has happened in the past with everything from ski bindings to shovels.
LONGMONT, CO (For Immediate Release) – ORTOVOX is announcing an immediate product recall of the S1+ model avalanche transceiver due to a repairable hardware issue.
THE ACTION AFFECTS ALL S1+ MODELS distributed in the U.S. market since July, 2011. The previous design, known as the ORTOVOX S1, IS NOT AFFECTED.
The S1+ hardware deficiency may occur during transmission mode, limiting the ability to transmit a discoverable signal even as the unit appears to be powered on and functioning properly.
“ORTOVOX Germany discovered a potential transmission disruption through internal testing,” said Bill Hartrampf, President of Deuter U.S.A., distributor of Ortovox. “Because of our commitment to safety and quality, we are moving immediately to repair all units.”
This recall is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Owners of the S1+ transceivers should stop using their beacons immediately and return the unit(s) to ORTOVOX c/o Deuter USA in Longmont, Colorado for repair. For complete instructions go to http://www.ortovox.com/4875–handling_recall.html.
Ortovox may also be contacted via: 877 384 9252, Monday through Friday 8:00 to 5:00 MST (email address redacted so as not to call the harvester bots)
While most of the WildSnow backcountry skiing blog posts are best attributed to a single author, some work well as done by the group.
