Photo: DICK'S
Dangerous 'Search and Rescue' Jacket Being Sold at DICK'S Sporting Goods
As I was walking through a DICK'S Sporting Goods in Wilmington, Delaware in late-November of 2024, a bright orange jacket stopped me in my tracks.
No, it wasn't the loud color that caused concern, but rather, the 'Rocky Mountain Search & Rescue Team' and 'Mountain Rescue' patches sewn into the upper sleeves. Including these misleading patches was most likely done to entice city-dwellers who want to feel like they live in the mountains, but the consequences of selling such merchandise were clearly ignored.
Selling faux 'Mountain Rescue' or 'Ski Patrol' gear not only disrespects those who have gone through extensive training and sacrifices to earn their important positions, but it places others at risk. Similar to impersonating a Police Officer, a Doctor, or an Emergency Medical Service first responder, pretending to be a vital member of a Search and Rescue team is irresponsible.
The jacket, which is called the Men's 1962 Sport Jacket by DICK'S brand 'Alpine Design', sells for $128 at full price. The photos below show the fake Search & Rescue patches that could mislead others in need.
(Left): The left shoulder features a 'Rocky Mountain Search & Rescue Team' patch. (Right): The right shoulder includes a patch with 'Mountain Rescue' and a Cross.
Photo: DICK'S Sporting Goods
If the dangers of selling garments with these patches to the public isn't clear quite yet, imagine the following scenario...
You and your family are out on a hike on a well-known trail system. It's a quiet day, and you haven't seen another group for hours. Then, one of the members of your group gets seriously injured. You don't have cell service, so you start backtracking to find help. One of the people you eventually come across is wearing the Alpine Design Men's 1962 Sport Jacket. A moment of relief washes over as you believe that you've encountered a trained member of a Search & Rescue team. Then, the person tells you, "I just bought this from DICK'S. I'm sorry, but I don't know how to help."
Joshua Jenkins, POWDER reader and a former Ski Patroller, describes how the situation above could be detrimental. "Imagine approaching someone with a 'Patrol' or 'Mountain Rescue' jacket on during an emergency only to find out they can do nothing to help," he says. "Precious minutes can be lost in a situation like this which could possibly end up being fatal."
Jenkins also shudders at the idea of somebody intentionally purchasing this gear to impersonate a Search and Rescue team member or ski patroller. "I don't want to even think about the risks involved in this situation," he says.
A crude photo I shot with my iPhone of the jacket being sold at a DICK'S in Wilmington, Delaware.
Photo: Matt Lorelli
Jenkins clarifies that he approves of T-shirts and other merchandise sold by Search & Rescue and Ski Patrol organizations that directly benefits their cause. These pieces of merchandise, however, do not attempt to replicate the actual gear and uniforms worn by the trained members of their respective teams.
What's also concerning, according to Jenkins, is that a large corporation like DICK'S Sporting Goods is attempting to profit from this gear, without paying much concern to the risks, or providing any benefits to actual Search & Rescue teams.
"On a side note, I find it really crappy that corporations (especially large ones like DICK's) will sell gear that tries to replicate actual responder groups, and they won't donate any of the proceeds to those organizations," writes Jenkins. "Members of these groups spend countless hours training, working in adverse conditions (sometimes for little or no compensation), and risking their lives on a regular basis and profiting off of that is just plain BS."
On that note, the 'Mountain Rescue' patch used on the right sleeve of the jacket is eerily similar to a design used by Boulder, Colorado-based Rocky Mountain Rescue Group (RMRG). Alpine Design, the DICK'S subsidiary brand that is selling the jacket, claims to be based in Boulder as well.
POWDER has reached out to both DICK'S and RMRG to confirm if the logo is the same, but has yet to receive a response at this time.
(Left) DICK'S/Alpine Design's Men's 1962 Sport Jacket. (Right) 'Mountain Rescue' patch used by Rock Mountain Rescue Group.
Photo: DICK'S/Rocky Mountain Rescue Group
I have requested that DICK'S stop selling the Men's 1962 Sport Jacket with 'Mountain Rescue' and 'Search & Rescue' logos via email. In the same message, I asked DICK'S for comment on the product, but have not received a response at the time of publishing this article.
Please join me in urging DICK's to remove this product from shelves. If successful, it will hopefully deter other companies from selling imitation Ski Patrol and Search & Rescue gear in the future.
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