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About Raven Packs "I'm excited to get a pack I can shove everything into. You were the only company to make a pack actually versatile enough for anything rope related. Thanks again for your help. I will definitely be sending you a few customers.” -- Paul Fransen Your Gear, Your Life, Our Packs: Raven Technical Systems Search & Rescue Packs, EMS-EMT backpacks, with back pack benefits unique to the search and rescue emergency professional. See the research and why our packs are unique below. Give us your pack frustrations...ask us to solve your challenge...put us to work on identifying Raven pack benefit-features that match your unique mix of tasks...click here. Your Gear, Your Life, Our Packs: With a number of mediocre packs for technical rescue, rope access and general climbing on the market and few really new or innovative, Raven Technical Systems was born. Raven is all about passion for innovative, highly advanced, functional and bomber designs. Raven is set to excite an already demanding customer base with a quiver of packs and systems that incorporate a sleek look, patent pending suspension systems, practical and organized gear management and an incredibly long pack life. Raven is dedicated to designing and selling the best backpack systems and accessories for technical rescue, rope access and long haul hiking in the world. The days of funky fitting and heavy packs are gone. Raven’s ergonomic designs add comfort and functionality not seen anywhere else. For years, most of us have slogged through hostile environments or showed up on scene only to find our packs either trashed or gear severely missed placed. Not any more! Try Raven Packs… They are simply the most unique out there, the innovation standard for rescue and access personnel. WHAT MAKES FOR THE "RIGHT" TECHNICAL RESCUE AND RIGGING PACK FOR YOU? Raven innovates, designs and produces entirely unique packs for technical rescue and rigging. With years of on-the-job experience behind us, we conducted a year-long investigation of what makes an outstanding technical rescue and rigging pack. We found both some typical answers—and some that were surprising and enlightening. As expected, organization, efficient use of space, the ratio of weight to cubic-inch capacity, comfort, and cost were major considerations. However, we dug deeper and asked: Who needs something specifically designed for technical rescue and rigging—something more than just a recreational pack doing double duty? As research continued, specific requirements were found (which fueled designs) related to the most demanding users, and the conditions they faced. First on the list were Wildland Fire Fighters. Of prime importance was their need for a lightweight, rugged pack for personal gear, shelter, fire lines, food, and equipment specifically designed for clearing. Give us your pack frustrations...ask us to solve your challenge...put us to work on identifying Raven pack benefit-features that match your unique mix of tasks...click here. Back to Top Second, we heard from EMS Personnel working as first responders in both rural and urban environments. Generally, they wanted ideal storage for medical gear and personal essentials. They also needed packs that are light, while offering plenty of room for equipment Third, the Mountain Rescue and SAR Members (search and rescue volunteers) often find themselves in the most extreme mountainous, desert, wetland, river, and even urban environments. They said that packs are their bread and butter—their lifeline to the gear that will keep them alive, and hopefully those they’re rescuing, as well. Comfort, weight, and capacity were their primary concerns. After this, they listed efficiency-of-use. Top loading systems were predominant in the industry’s offering to this market, and proved popular. They were, however, split on the use of recreational packs (mountain and day), believing that while these packs had their place, they were not ideal for professional use (hence the unique back-load/lay-out options for instance). Last, but certainly not least, are the Industrial and Access Professionals who need their packs to carry everything from personal safety equipment, to general and specific rigging pieces, as well as instrumentation. Again, the demands and resulting design, of their packs is very similar to that of the mountain rescue and SAR members. The differences between the two revolve around organization and the need to protect instrumentation. Many times, in lieu of harnesses and carabiners, these Working-at-Height Professionals need to pack in non-destructive monitoring and testing equipment that needs more protection and shock-proofing than general riggers’ gear Give us your pack frustrations...ask us to solve your challenge...put us to work on identifying Raven pack benefit-features that match your unique mix of tasks...click here. Back to Top Materials are also an important consideration in the choice of packs, and should be matched to users’ needs. In general, rescue pack material is nylon Cordura (or a generic equivalent) or other nylon fabrics like ballistic nylon, pack-cloth, or rip stop. Other materials might include hypalon, PVC or even canvas. However, even hi-tech backpacks made with expensive materials are not always ideal choices. For instance, an adventure racing pack made with advanced lighter materials would not be the best choice for mountain rescue or a SAR member needing to porter a large amount of rigging gear. In this case, the lightweight advantage of the adventure racing pack fails to provide the abrasion resistance and strength needed when the packs are exposed to environments were only the toughest materials perform well. That is not say that weight isn't a factor, but it is only one consideration. Size is another. Normally, packs are available as small to mid-size; (2200 cubic inches and under) or large to extra-large (over 2200 cubic inches). Options start with fanny/lumbar packs and move through all the various ranges of a full size pack. The pack’s intended purpose and the environmental conditions it will encounter typically dictate the ideal size and construction materials. As one can see, a general description of a good pack is determined by the purpose of the pack and the needs of the user. Consider a Ski Patroller pack for a lift operation. It could range from a small to a mid-size fanny pack that would include essentials for first-on-scene response, all the way to a more BLS style fanny/lumbar pack for patrollers that might cover larger areas, such as those with backcountry access. Shovels, harnesses, shelter, extra clothing, medical aid ECT… are all considerations for these users. What about the Nordic Patroller? What is the terrain and distance covered? Generally snowmobiles are used for ALS, transporting the patient, and carrying the larger packs, so small to mid-size packs are better suited for the Nordic Patroller. Give us your pack frustrations...ask us to solve your challenge...put us to work on identifying Raven pack benefit-features that match your unique mix of tasks...click here. Back to Top SAR Members need packs that contain essentials for a minimum of 48 hours, and the fire service needs packs that are pulled from the rigging and dropped—always ready to deploy at a short distance from the staging area. Mountain rescue personnel likely want a pack that top loads, but also offers multiple access points for essentials. Their needs are similar to those of SAR, but certainly nothing like that of the fire service. Even so, durable material, ergonomic fit, carrying capacity, amenities, accessories, and function are all issues that are major considerations for these users. Furthermore, the Wilderness Environment Workers & Rescuers is something that most pack manufactures have a tough time figuring out—just look at all the "options" available. The tendency to produce a pack for all purposes will eventually yield products that are well-suited for none. Users always tend to fill a pack to capacity, and many times the load is more than is required for the job at hand. The results of this "kitchen sink" method are usually a sore back, sore knees, slow progress, and a less than timely response. It is easy to understand what drives manufacturers to produce the all-in-one model. No one can afford to have dozens of packs, so having a pack that has multiple purposes and functions is high priority; but is it optimal? This question can only be answered by the needs of the user Consider hydration. It is always an issue for rescue personnel. And keep in mind the seasonal issues that impact a users choice of rescue response gear. Do you need more water in the summer than winter? Not always. Hydration bladders are great, but they certainly take up a lot of room at the beginning. But if water is close by during a summer response, then a filtration system that saves space is a better option than hauling a lot of water. The choice between water bottles and bladders is often times a personal preference, and one that will influence a user’s consideration of the ideal pack. Give us your pack frustrations...ask us to solve your challenge...put us to work on identifying Raven pack benefit-features that match your unique mix of tasks...click here. Back to Top What about the need for hardware? Many times the injured, lost, or stranded need attention that requires pulleys, carabiners, harnesses, helmets, rope, webbing, and a lot of other essential rigging material. Do you divide this gear amongst the other member (and thus run the risk of not having what you need what you need it) or do one or two team members carry the essential rigging gear, while someone else carries their personal equipment (not a very smart move to be without your own essentials). Choices like these pose quite a problem—one that needs to be addressed in the choice of packs, and well before leaving the staging area. Trauma and Rescue Packs are the workhorses for the Fire Service, as well as Industrial, EMS, military, and Tactical/Law Enforcement Personnel. These packs can, and do, carry the gamut of gear and equipment required by these users. Whether the needs are medical, technical rigging, or anything in between, these packs need to be rugged, use space efficiently, and must accommodate multiple functions. One time a pack might be used in a confined space evacuation during an USAR operation—flown in by helicopterand lowered down to an awaiting LZ. Or the same pack might be carried by a strong-legged SAR member, or dropped off by a snowmobile. As a user’s needs change, the pack must accommodate these changes. Wildland Packsare an interesting bunch too. Many cover the multiple disciplines; wildland fire line crews, initial attack crews, and rescue operations by the same personnel or by search and rescue members of another unit. Designs that meet the unique needs of these personnel differ quite a bit from those produced by most pack manufacturers. For example, the support, compression, and harness system should keep the load more on the lumbar region than higher up (as seen by most other packs). This offers advantages and disadvantages, but many USAR, Wildland and some SAR Members prefer to keep the "ride" lower since it is easier on the body and minimizes the chance of getting things caught on low lying obstacles. As the reader can see, Our research has shown that what determines the ideal technical rescue and rigging pack is defined by the demands of the user; the specific equipment they need; and the nature of the environment in which they need to excel. While most users do not want to maintain multiple packs, they need to seriously consider the trade-offs between a multi-use pack and one designed for a more narrow purpose. In the end, the user will be the best judge of the ideal pack for their needs, but only if they take into consideration all the issues raised in this white paper. Give us your pack frustrations...ask us to solve your challenge...put us to work on identifying Raven pack benefit-features that match your unique mix of tasks...click here. Back to Top |
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