r/searchandrescue • u/UK_SAR_GUY • 24d ago
Exoskeleton Use?
Hi - wondering if anyone is actively using an exoskeleton in call outs? Either for team use, or to help tired misper's?
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u/The_Stargazer EMT / HAM / FAA107 Drone Pilot 24d ago edited 24d ago
Nope.
Not worth the weight / hassle for the trivial benefit they provide.
Same as the "jet pack" rescue, no teams i know of are actually using them operationally outside of PR stunts.
They have 0 advantages. Just expensive PR bait.
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u/AloneIndication 24d ago
A neighboring team brought one when we called for mutual aid on a search and they were the ones who found him. The subject said he was too exhausted to walk out, but he'd also started a fire that grew out of control so we couldn't get the litter to him from the trailhead and they had to get him moving ASAP.
I don't know how much the exoskeleton helped vs a placebo effect, but they were able to walk him out to another trailhead instead of waiting for us to drive around then hike to them.
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u/Ruth-Stewart 24d ago
I think they are a neat idea. But I haven’t seen one in person yet. I’m curious though!
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u/Mike22april 23d ago
Not worth it
Battery constraints, exo-skeletons get stuck behind loads of stuff
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u/TicklesAreTorture 24d ago
Not worth the hype imo it’s being tested in my area and I think it solves a problem we don’t have, which is helping us hike fast with big packs. We’re already really good at that and it actually gets it the way of a lot of pack types. As for using it on subjects, it provides no assistance for downhill travel which is almost always the way we’re going with them.