QuikSAR
Get Found Fast.
I have spent 10 years on Search & Rescue teams looking for lost people. I know what gets them found — and what does not. QuikSAR is a catalogue of survival protocols and reviewed products built from the rescuer's side of the search.
"I have been on the other end of the search. I know what SAR looks for. These are the tools and protocols that get you found."
— Gerald Shaffer, SAR Member · Bear Aware Coordinator · Founder, Wildlife Wise Canada
Know This Before You Go
These protocols are free. Share them. Print them. They are built from 10 years of real SAR experience — not from a textbook.
BearBrella
The World's First Purpose-Built Wildlife Safety Umbrella
The BearBrella was designed from the ground up as a field safety tool — not a fashion accessory. Every specification was chosen for a reason: the wide 120cm canopy breaks an animal's eyeline completely; the silver interior reflects body heat in a bivouac; the carbon fibre shaft is rigid enough to use as a deterrent stick without adding weight; and the hardened steel tip means business if it comes to that.
The bear graphic is not decoration. It is a reminder of what this umbrella is for — and a signal to anyone who sees it that you know what you are doing in the backcountry.
"I have carried an umbrella in the backcountry for over 25 years. I designed the BearBrella because I got tired of recommending umbrellas that were not built for this. This one is."
Pre-orders handled directly by Gerald. You will receive a confirmation email within 24 hours.
Get Found Fast — The Product List
Every item reviewed by a working SAR member. Light, simple, powerless or long-life. Filter by your scenario.
Greatland Rescue Laser Flare
A Class IIIA green laser visible to aircraft up to 20 miles in daylight, 30+ miles at night. The cloud bounce technique makes this effective even when you cannot see the aircraft.
"This is the one item I wish every person heading into the backcountry carried. It weighs less than a granola bar and it can be seen from a search aircraft kilometres away. Use the cloud bounce — never point it at the plane."
Coghlan's Signal Mirror
A glass signal mirror with sighting hole. Visible to aircraft up to 100km in clear conditions. Works in daylight only but requires zero battery and never fails.
"Old technology. Still works. On a clear day this is more visible than almost any electronic device. Every pack should have one."
ACR FireFly Plus Water-Activated Strobe
Activates automatically on contact with water. Designed for marine use but equally effective for river crossings, flood rescues, and anyone near water. Flashes for 8+ hours.
"This one works when you cannot. If you go into a river or get caught in a flood, it turns on by itself. Clip it to your shoulder strap and forget it's there — until you need it."
Nite Ize SlapLit LED Slap Wrap
A flexible LED strip that wraps around your wrist, arm, or pack. Passive visibility for night searches — SAR teams sweeping with lights will spot it even if you are not moving.
"Night searches are hard. Searchers are looking for any light source. This gives them something to find even if you are unconscious. Wear it on your wrist."
3M Scotchlite Retro-Reflective Tape
Applied to pack, jacket, or helmet. Reflects helicopter searchlights and FLIR thermal imaging equipment. Invisible in daylight, brilliant at night.
"Put this on everything. Your pack, your jacket shoulders, your helmet. It costs almost nothing and it makes you visible to a helicopter searchlight from hundreds of metres away."
Fox 40 Classic Pealess Whistle
Pealess design works in cold, wet, and freezing conditions. Audible over 1km. Three blasts is the universal distress signal. Louder and less exhausting than shouting.
"Three blasts. Wait. Three blasts. Every SAR team member knows that signal. Your voice gives out in 20 minutes. This does not."
USAF Ground-to-Air Signal Panel
Bright international orange signal panel, 3×5 feet. Lay flat in a clearing, on snow, or on rock. Visible to aircraft from thousands of feet. Standard SAR recognition colour.
"If you are in open terrain — a clearing, a ridge, a frozen lake — this is your best tool. Lay it flat, get away from it, and wave. The orange is visible from a very long way up."
ACR ResQLink 400 Personal Locator Beacon
406 MHz PLB registered with NOAA/JRCC. One button triggers a coordinated SAR response with your GPS coordinates. No subscription. Waterproof to 15m. Works anywhere on Earth.
"This is the nuclear option — and sometimes the nuclear option is what you need. One button and every SAR resource in the region knows exactly where you are. No subscription, no monthly fee. Register it once and carry it forever."
Gear sales fund the mission
Wildlife Wise Canada's education programs, species guides, and speaker network are free to access. QuikSAR is how we keep them that way. Every product sale contributes directly to the programs that keep Canadians safe in wildlife country.
No item is listed here because a manufacturer paid for placement. Every item is here because Gerald has used it, evaluated it, or seen it work in the field.
The QuikSAR Standard
- Reviewed by a working SAR member — not a gear blogger
- Under 200g — light enough that you will actually carry it
- Powerless, solar, or long-life lithium — works when your phone does not
- One action to activate — simple enough to use under stress
- Tested in Canadian conditions — not just reviewed from a box
Know the wildlife. Know the protocols. Get found fast.
Use the Wildlife Wise Canada species guides to understand what you might encounter — then use QuikSAR to make sure you are prepared to be found.
Wildlife GuideFree Resources