Mountain or ski guides are your best friends if you are ever in danger out on the slopes. Guides are the ones who save lives on the mountains. They use their rigorous training and a variety of specialized equipment to do their job. One of the most important pieces of equipment that they use is the rescue sled, which is used to bring injured people back to safety. Brooks-Range sleds are top of the line rescue sleds that guides around the world trust. Designed by William Mathews Brooks, they come in four different designs in order to satisfy all mountaineering and skiing needs.
The Backcountry Sled Developed By William Mathews Brooks
This is the original rescue sled designed by William Mathews Brooks and is a benchmark in quality and durability. The sled comes with a set of advanced, patented stretcher bars that are designed to fit nearly any ski from 135cm to 205cm in length and is tested against the new designs that come out every year. The package comes with five 24 inch backcountry straps for securing persons safely to the sled. This whole set up weighs only 36 ounces, which is less than half the weight of the old traditional sleds that Matt Brooks improved upon in his designs. The Backcountry Sled is very durable and holds up to repeated uses, which is why it is widely used in guide schools and rental shops.
The WM Brooks, Brooks-Range Pro Sled
The Pro Sled engineered by W. Mathews Brooks is an improvement over the Backcountry Sled and is designed for the serious climber and guide. The stretcher bars incorporate a unique design that cuts the stowed size of the sled in half. The stretcher bars are collapsible and will nest within each other when stowed away. Every inch of space in your pack is vital on the mountains, and the Pro Sled is paramount in keeping your pack manageable without sacrificing any necessary gear. Matt Brooks goal was to create a compact design — the total size of the stowed stretcher bars is just 1 inch by 1 inch by 9 inches.
The Matt Brooks Ultralite Pro Sled and All-In-One Ultralite
In order to cut down on total weight and size of a rescue sled, William Mathews Brooks created the Ultralite Sled. This rescue sled weighs only 25 ounces! The Ultralite also comes with the Pro stretcher bars, which means when the sled and bars are stowed, they can fit in the palm of your hand in a 4 inch by 11 inch by 2 inch package. This compact sled doesn’t sacrifice its overall integrity to fit so easily in your pack. The All-in-one Ultralite comes with a combination Sled/Tarp that integrates the Ultralite Solo Tarp with the Ultralite Sled, making your equipment even more compact.
Overall, Mathews Brooks has provided all climbers and skiers a great line of rescue sleds that combines a small profile without having to sacrifice safety and rescue ability with the customization needed to fit each climber’s needs.