Slix stretchers

[Jopo]

After some 35+ years we are ceasing the manufacture of the Slix stretchers. Post Covid orders have dipped and the cost of the straps and bags for the range has become far too expensive.
I never registered the design or trademarked the React Slix range of stretchers relying instead upon improving our designs to keep ahead.
I passed on the manufacturing to my son when 40 years of smoking caught up with me but he has decided his future lies elsewhere. I hope someone experienced in cave rescue or confined space rescue sees there may be a opportunity and, if so, we will help in any way we can.
We understand someone has registered Slix as a trade mark and may be continuing marketing as Slix stretchers but they are not the original.

We would like thank all of the cave rescuers in the UK (especially the SMWCRT and MCRO) who have contributed to keeping our Slix stretchers abreast of current practices.

Jopo

 

[Pete K]

Oh no! I was just about to order some replacement straps for one of the DCRO stretchers. Got any spares still?
Best of luck it the future and thanks for producing an excellent tool for cave rescue.

 

[Jopo]

Thanks Pete.
Sorry we don't have any spares. You could try Abtech Safety Ltd with whom we had a informal arrangement to make the straps and bags.

Contact Us - Abtech

www.abtechsafety.com

Jopo

 

[Pete K]

Thank you.

 

[Inglesport]

Just so folk know, the full range of Slix stretchers and spares continue to be available from Inglesport. 👍

 

[aricooperdavis]

Is that because you have lots in stock or because you source them from a different supplier (and they are therefore not the originals)?

 

[Inglesport]

Is that because you have lots in stock or because you source them from a different supplier (and they are therefore not the originals)?

They're new production but we're happy to confirm compatibility of spares or replacements with what you already have, just have a chat with us. 👍

 

[Pete K]

Just to update this thread for the future (and not to try and take any business from Inglesport!).
Abtech said they could do spares via one of their suppliers. It is the plastic stretcher body that Jopo made for cave rescue and that differs from the Abtech offering (and many other rebranded but identical ones). The CR one has an integral metal plate for vertical hauling on the SLIX100 and there was a much better CR spine board with head blocks. The straps are standard to all the SLIX variants so I understand, all are made by Abtech. DCRO has both versions but would like to source a spare of the CR variant, so we'd be interested to know if that is something your having made Inglesport!
Anyway, I'm informed that BCRC are on the case and looking to hopefully find someone to make the CR variant SLIX 100 and spine boards. I'm going to hold off any more badgering of manufactures for now and see what BCRC come up for all of us. If anyone has anything to add to this or has been speaking to manufacturers, I suggest informing BCRC so we can centralise the efforts and save duplicated work.

 

[Inglesport]

Just to update this thread for the future (and not to try and take any business from Inglesport!).
Abtech said they could do spares via one of their suppliers. It is the plastic stretcher body that Jopo made for cave rescue and that differs from the Abtech offering (and many other rebranded but identical ones). The CR one has an integral metal plate for vertical hauling on the SLIX100 and there was a much better CR spine board with head blocks. The straps are standard to all the SLIX variants so I understand, all are made by Abtech. DCRO has both versions but would like to source a spare of the CR variant, so we'd be interested to know if that is something your having made Inglesport!
Anyway, I'm informed that BCRC are on the case and looking to hopefully find someone to make the CR variant SLIX 100 and spine boards. I'm going to hold off any more badgering of manufactures for now and see what BCRC come up for all of us. If anyone has anything to add to this or has been speaking to manufacturers, I suggest informing BCRC so we can centralise the efforts and save duplicated work.

Thanks Pete, it’s the standard Abtech version (and spares) that we offer, we’re not getting anything made.

 

[Jopo]

Hywel Jopling, who has produced all of the stretchers and spinal splints since 2016, has retained the patterns and a number of ldpe sheets to be able to produce eyeleted skins should cave rescue teams require replacement.
As those teams who required the cave rescue version had them recently we don't really expect there to be a large demand.
However we never produced the bags and straps so they would need to be sourced. The drop off of orders, for whatever reason, and the rising cost of straps and bags was quite a large part of the reason to close down.

Jopo