The
test mirrors, from left to right: The Mark III glass mirror
with aimer, the Star Flash plastic mirror with aimer, a
simple metal signal mirror with center hole, the plastic
Rescue Reflector with aimer. The top half of each mirror
is reflecting a wire grid placed about 18 inches from the
mirrors. The glass mirror (left), and the Rescue Reflector
show the grid clearly and undistorted. The reflection in
the Star Flash mirror is somewhat distorted. The reflection
in the metal mirror is only slightly distorted, but very
indistinct. Photo
by Sea Kayaker Magazine
Reviews
of Four Signal Mirrors
We evaluated the performance of several signal mirrors for
reflectivity, durability, compactness, ease of use, and price.
Metal
mirror
Metal mirrors without aimers are offered by several manufacturers,
and are produced in a variety of sizes. In our study, we
used a 3 x 4 chrome-plated stainless steel model. It reflected
light was significantly less than that of any of the other
products evaluated, and the reflection was very diffused.
In terms of durability, this mirror resisted scratches and
was virtually unbreakable. Stainless steel mirrors can resist
corrosion far more effectively than carbon-steel models,
which can begin to rust within a few days in a marine environment.
This mirror did not come with protective packaging, however,
lending itself to the possibility of scratching and collection
of marine grime on the deck or in the cockpit of a kayak,
further reducing its reflective properties. It came with
a nylon lanyard, its only safeguard against sinking. In
terms of compactness, this mirror is thin but heavy relative
to other mirrors.
This
mirror does not have a refraction aimer, so it requires
the use of two hands to aim it at a target. The instructions
are on waterproof paper glued to the back of the mirror.
You aim this mirror by holding it with one hand at eye-level,
and facing it to a point halfway between the sun and the
rescuer. You hold your other hand 6-8 inches behind the
mirror's center hole and orient the mirror to reflect the
spot of sunlight on your and. You then look through the
center hole toward your target and angling the mirror until
the reflection of the spot of light on your hand creates
bright ring around the sighting hole. In practice, the bright
round ring is not a ring around the center hole. Rather,
it is the brightest spot anywhere on the side of the center
ring. Since the bright spot is not visually superimposed
on top of the target, you'll won't be certain that the signal
is hitting your target. The complexity of aiming this mirror
makes it impractical if you are on a moving platform such
as a kayak.
Star
Flash Signal Mirror (Plastic)
Offered by Survival, Inc, this mirror is standard issue
for the U.S. Air Force. This mirror may also be sold under
the 'Ultimate Survival' or (formerly) the 'Gerber' brands.
It offers many advantages over other mirrors because it
is lightweight, very compact, and inexpensive. However,
the reflective power of the 2 x 3 model was only marginally
better than that of the metal mirror. A permanently sealed
plastic cover protects the mirror from the elements, but
is itself very susceptible to scratching (more so than the
other plastic mirror). Remember to store this device with
its protective plastic adhesive sheet covering the mirror
face. On the other hand, this mirror is very resistant to
breakage. The mirror floats and has a hole for a lanyard.
This product was submerged in salt water with no ill effects.
The
aiming device is adequate, and works by refracting incoming
light through retroreflective bead fabric; a bright spot
forms in the center of the aimer when the signal reflection
is on target. The aimer is not as effective as the other
plastic and glass mirrors, however, because the bright aiming
spot is more diffused and the bead fabric is thick, so I
had difficulty looking past the bright spot to visually
confirm that the mirror's reflection is on target. The instructions
are clear and concise, and are on the back of the mirror.
The Star Flash mirror comes in a 2 x 3 model (0.7 oz, $8)
and the 3 x 5 version (1.8 oz, $9)
Coghlan's
Survival Signal Mirror (Glass)
Imported from Japan by Vector 1, Inc, or sold under
Coghlan's brand name, these mirrors can be found in many
sports retail outlets. They are constructed of two pieces
of glass, one mirrored, glued together, with the aimer sandwiched
in the center. In reflection tests, the 2 x 3 model was
much brighter than the larger metal reflectors. It survived
saltwater immersion, although there was evidence of some
minor seepage around the lanyard grommet. The glass is more
scratch resistant than the plastic products and metal products,
but may break into sharp pieces when dropped, creating a
potential safety hazard.
Coughlan's
mirror comes in a reusable foam pouch that provides some
protection, but cannot be sealed from the elements. The
pouch is too slight to prevent mirror breakage from a significant
external shock. It is possible for the mirror to fall out
of its pouch, and marine grime is not prevented from entering
the pouch. A grommet is provided on the mirror as a lanyard
hole. The mirror is very compact, but is much heavier than
the Star Flash plastic model above.
The
aimer is more effective than the Star Flash, however. Like
the Star Flash, a bright spot forms through the center hole
when aimed on the target. However, I could look past the
reflected ' fireball 'of light to get my bearings on the
target. Also, the fireball seems less diffused than with
the Star Flash, making aiming more accurate. Instructions
are printed on the back of the mirror, but are in such small
print on the 2 x 3 model and are written in red on a black
background, making them hard to read. These mirrors are
offered in the 2 x 3 model (1.5 oz, $9), the 3 x 5 model
(3.6 oz, $11), and the 4 x 5 version (4.8 oz, $12).
Rescue
Reflector Model 2 (Plastic)
Offered by Rescue Reflectors, Inc, the 3 x 5 model
is our choice for the best signal mirror for sea kayakers.
Its reflection was brighter than that of the glass mirror,
although this may be an unfair comparison, due to its larger
size. Part of the key to its reflective ability, however,
may lie in the quality of its mirror - the reflected spot
size from 85 feet was significantly smaller than that of
any other mirror in our survey. As a result, more light
was focused directly toward the target. Distortion and warpage
of the mirror is minimized through aluminum reinforcement
that is laminated between two layers of plastic. Each mirror
is handmade, and is adjusted before final assembly to provide
optimal performance.
A
lanyard is permanently attached by epoxy. The back of the
mirror has a red retroreflective back, to reflect a red
signal under a searchlight at night. The mirror survived
saltwater immersion; the device is sealed with synthetic
rubber to prevent corrosion. Protective coatings applied
to the plastic surface make the mirror fairly scratch resistant
from (though less so than glass), and is unlikely to break
if dropped because of the synthetic rubber coating on the
edges and the foam added to its back. This foam also gives
the mirror enough buoyancy to float. If the added bulk from
the foam is a problem, Rescue Reflectors offers both plastic
and glass models that do not float, but we recommend the
floating plastic version.
A
clear, resealable vinyl envelope protects the mirror from
scratches and debris. The envelope contains an external
eyelet that can be used to attach the mirror to a kayak
deck or bag. The packaging includes two packages of antistatic
cleaner, to clean the mirror in the field for improved reflectivity.
The mirror is more bulky than the other mirrors tested,
and it is also heavier than the Star Flash and the glass
mirror. The aimer is very effective, making it easy to sight
the target through the center of the mirror and direct the
spot of light over the target. The instructions are concisely
printed on the back of the mirror in white print that is
easy to read on the red reflective background. More detailed
instructions are added separately, on water-resistant paper.
Pricing for the buoyant plastic models is higher than the
other models tested for the 2 x 3 product (2 oz, $14), the
3 x 5 model (4.5 oz, $19), and the 4 x 5 version (6.8 oz,
$25). The 4 x 5 model is U.S. Coast Guard approved.
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