Glow Sticks PSA
Printed From: ProfessorPaddle.com
Category: General
Forum Name: Whitewater Forum
Forum Discription: Open Discussion Forum. Whitewater related subjects only
URL: http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14409
Printed Date: 03 May 2025 at 3:11pm
Topic: Glow Sticks PSA
Posted By: doggievacation
Subject: Glow Sticks PSA
Date Posted: 03 Nov 2014 at 1:07pm
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Glow sticks (aka Lightsticks or Cyalume SnapLights) should be part of your winter emergency kit. It gets dark awfully early around here in the winter, and if your group becomes enmeshed in a sh*tshow and daylight starts to run out, finishing up and getting off the water safely can become a challenge. I've never had to use it, but I carry a Glow Stick in my 1st Aid Kit for this kind of situation. If I'm the only one with a Glow Stick, I'd have the best/lead kayaker wear it on the back of his PFD so everyone can follow his line. If there is only one injured or weak paddler in the group, I'd put the glow stick on the back of his PFD so the group can keep an eye on him and rescue him quickly if he swims. But ideally, everyone in the group should have a glow stick on their PFD so it's easy to keep track of the group in the dark. Glow sticks are waterproof, super cheap, and weigh almost nothing. Put one in your emergency kit already! ------------- Don't waste water! |
Replies:
Posted By: megspk
Date Posted: 03 Nov 2014 at 2:51pm
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Great idea! I paddle with multiple glow sticks tucked all over in my gear! You could also use them to mark an area if there is an emergency. ------------- “A strong person and a waterfall always channel their own path.” -Unknown |
Posted By: swimswim
Date Posted: 03 Nov 2014 at 3:20pm
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I'd advocate a small vial of acid for every kayaker's kit, as well. It works really well in tandem with the glow sticks, and if you get stuck out overnight, it should keep you entertained until daylight.
Also useful for those times when everything is going just so right. I keep one in my pfd, as well as my med kit, camera case and throw bag. |
Posted By: imageAK
Date Posted: 03 Nov 2014 at 4:12pm
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I concede that both in the right hands can be uber useful in river situations. chem lights provide great light also no batteries necessary! ------------- aint nobody got time for that! |
Posted By: jP
Date Posted: 03 Nov 2014 at 4:21pm
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Good suggestion.
The glow sticks are a good idea too, I guess 
Im just teasin- glow sticks are cool. Acid...welllll... 
I guided in Montana w/ a Utah boy who used to swear by having a tab of 'cid in his first aid "in case I gotta bust a move out of the Wasatch". I guess its instant chemically induced "beast mode" with some extra special effects thrown in. Really though, here's what I really think: Yeah, I could need that sh*t tomorrow. HOWEVER. In my 30 yrs of legit avid experience I never needed that sh*t. People are way to accepting of the "sh*t Happens" axiom. But its more accurate to say "people allow sh*t to Happen" or "people set themselves up for sh*t to Happen to them". More emphasis should be put on sealing up the leaks so sh*t can't Happen. Know your own abilities before you plunge into those kind of adventure. Know your limitations. Don't be fooled by the river's all inclusive tendency to flush your junkshow to the bottom of the rapid, don't be fooled by the 40 years of boat design that trick you into believing you got more skill than you do. The boat is deserves more credit than you think. Be punctual at the park and ride. Have your sh*t together. Don't follow the unqualified fool. Poratage that rapid, Gumby, because its gonna burn up less time than picking up the pieces once that yardsale unfolds and The Fellowship of The Ring is torn asunder, spread hither and thither upstream and down. Get an early start. Its winter. And for god's sake go into the wilderness with your food, water, FIREWOOD and whatever else you need, boyscouts. There ain't no stores out here. Some kids I know need to get some merit badges revoked. Ahhh...that lil tirade felt good. Havent had one of those in awhile. Yeah glowsticks are cool. Then if there happens to be a rave at Split Rock you are prepared!
Oh yeah let me ammend the comment with the inclusion of A REAL MAP. Babes in Da Woods need to understand that there aint no cel service where ever your likely to get stuck in a dark canyon, usually. Theres a correlation. Get a Wa state Gazeteer, (Topo maps ussually if you are hiking) and dont blindly ASSUME you know where access points are. Follow the Leader, or accept the consequences. Stay out of trouble, and put some planning into things. Its way easier. ------------- 🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋 |
Posted By: doggievacation
Date Posted: 03 Nov 2014 at 4:44pm
I always enjoy your input, JP. Serious and irreverent in equal doses.  I totally agree that sh*tshows and clusterfu*ks can often be avoided, but not always. I have never been in a life or death rescue situation and hope I never am, but almost every single injury and/or complicated/time-consuming rescue I've been involved with was caused by either a) coming down the river in my group and becoming involved with another group's ongoing rescue situation, or b) joining a publicly posted trip (like on PP) where someone I don't know shows up who is in over their skill level and either doesn't know it or doesn't care. So even if you've done everything you can to avoid a sh*tshow, you still have to be prepared for one. There have been many good discussions on this forum about building a 1st Aid Kit or Emergency Kit but I never saw anyone mention glow sticks. I got the idea from sea kayakers, who use them to keep track of the group during long night crossings. ------------- Don't waste water! |
Posted By: Travisimo
Date Posted: 03 Nov 2014 at 10:13pm
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I carry a flashlight, a small led one... Change batteries every year. Have used it once... That's a long story... ------------- H2O please |
Posted By: megspk
Date Posted: 05 Nov 2014 at 12:26pm
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Or if you are feeling really creative....
http://www.kayaksession.com/fuse-entry-30-short-film-of-the-year-awards-2014/ ------------- “A strong person and a waterfall always channel their own path.” -Unknown |
Posted By: FLUID
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2014 at 12:32am
| This one time, I had a glowstick. I actually wished I had a flash light instead....... |
Posted By: doggievacation
Date Posted: 07 Nov 2014 at 1:17pm
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No doubt a flashlight or headlamp is more beneficial if you have to hike out in the dark. In previous threads on emergency kits, many boaters mentioned that they carry one in their emergency kit, especially in the winter. I have tried to keep one in my kit, but I have to admit it often gets "borrowed" for backpacking trips and not returned. A glow stick is so damned lightweight and cheap, it's just easy to put one in your emergency kit and leave it. Plus, you don't have to worry about dead batteries. As for function, I think glow sticks have two main uses: 1) keeping track of other people in the dark, whether you're paddling in the dark or hiking out in the dark and, 2) use as an emergency signal. I can't remember where I heard it, but I was told that if you put a glow stick on a string and twirl it around, it's highly visible to SAR aircraft, yet won't blind a pilot wearing night vision goggles. (And, if you do as swimswim suggested and drop acid before twirling your glow stick, you probably won't even mind if no one is looking for you.) ------------- Don't waste water! |