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Required Kit! SAR Eclipse

MARSEC4 Team | June 13, 2011 | 0 Comments

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If you enter open water without a means of signaling you’re as good as dead even with flotation. Those searching the vast expanses of the world’s oceans for a bobbing head are not often successful. Most boarding parties prepare for open water survival and lost comms by carrying day/night signaling kits on their person. These are normally contained in a pouch or a vest and include the basics of a mirror, knife, whistle, strobe, and maybe pyro. Trouble is that these items add to the weight and bulk of a kit, some require batteries, and since they don’t get much use outside of an emergency, may be left at the dock or taken off prior to embarking a suspect boat. Enter the SAR Eclipse Signaling System (SESS) with the most compact and innovative day/night signalling and survival system to date. It may not replace everything you normally carry, but the best gear is what’s available and the SESS is versatile enough to always stay on your person, with attachment options for key rings, lanyards, boot laces, plate carriers, pockets, etc. It’s one of those products we picked up through a trade, immediately found useful, and felt like we had a responsibility to get the word out.

Made of two to four MILSPEC stainless steel identification tags depending on the model, the SESS weighs less than a lighter at 1.4 oz and, unlike traditional 3×5″ signal mirrors, measures just 1″x2″x0.13″. They’re not dog tags, but very similar in size and weight.

The front face of the tool has a non-reflective brush finish with a 3/4″ round section of SOLAS tape for nighttime signaling. Made by 3M, the tape is the same used on USCG approved lifejackets and is reflective at all angles. In testing the signal was visible at ranges of 250 yards using a Surefire flashlight.

Second face is a polished fully mirrored tag for use as a daytime signal mirror. Tested to 10 miles in optimal conditions, the mirror has been successful at signaling ground-to-ground and ground-to-air.

The rear tag is made in the style of a money clip so the system can be used to carry around your cash or secured on a pocket, PALS, etc.

SESS’ newest model includes a third face. This one is made of titanium with a tungsten carbide reinforced blade that extends the length of its long edge and along most of its upper edge. Below the blade is a small indentation allowing it to be gripped for better control and force.

If you’re a night time operator and frequently use NODS there is also a MIL/LE version with infrared glint tape on the front face and the SOLAS tape on the back clip. The IR tape can be veiwed from extremely long distances when viewed through NVG’s and when illuminated by a laser source.

All tags are connected by an eyelet at the center of their upper edge which gives endless options for carry, like attaching a paracord lanyard, lacing it through boots, wearing it around your neck, etc.

There are four models of the SESS now available – the Boot Tag (SESS-b), Money Clip (SESS-c), IR (SESS-ir) and the Blade (SESS-k). With a price tag of $15.00 for the Boot Tag and only $40 for the Blade, the SESS is a must have. We tested it at MS4 and can honestly say it’s required kit. At sea, as the ship moves toward the horizon and you’re floating with no hope of swimming to rescue, you’ll be kicking yourself for not taking this opportunity to buy some life insurance. It’s a conversation piece with real world applications that could mean the difference between rescue and death in a bad situation. Spencer, the man behind the SESS and whose initials are actually SAR, is offering an easy method to get your hands on these through our online store.