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Been thinking about these for a while. Allows you to send out an emergency distress signal via satellite from wherever you are - even without mobile coverage.
Any other options?
Double the price of spot tracker though and appears to work via SMS so no signal, no help.
Have used Spot extensively and killed a few units. Yellowbrick are better and last longer in my experience. In SAR we moved to YB from Spot.
Way more expensive though.
Happy SPOT Gen3 owner here.
Indeed the YB is more expensive but I've had spot units that have variously stopped tracking, randomly stopped sending messages and thus made me v nervous about using them in anger, talking multiple units some quite new. Like the tech and reasonably cost effective but worries me. Haven't used latest one though. YB lets you send custom messages
Spot owner here. Gen1, always been reliable.
Delores InReach is also like the YB. Not used either though.
I have a Spot and have never had to use it in a real emergency and it's always worked for the odd message. The problem with it is that you don't really know for sure that the message has got through. There have been a few examples in Canada where while the message has got though some of the details were garbled. As such when I'm using the Spot I always make sure to update the additional info on the website with number of people; location and activity before I set out.
The one real emergency I've been present for we had a Sat phone which was fantastic (but probably excessive for the UK in almost all cases).
I use my fingers, the one on the end of my nose just burst on the screen..
If you're interested 😉
How much does the personal basic tracking unit cost in the UK as I see it only mentions subscription service needs to be signed up to with the basic unit? MrsS is a natural born worrier when I go off exploring by myself even on local rides if you have a decent accident and end up hidden from view it could be a long time until you are found....it crossed my mind when hike a biking in the middle of nowhere.....
Exactly what do you need this for?
Are you using it in case you crash? or get lost?
Curious and actually serious (for once)
Crash, injury, serious mechanical or even just "I've changed my plans, so don't worry". In addition to the 999 function there are additional, user-programmed messages available. These are sent to whoever you've configured them to.
Mine go;
everything's fine, here's where I am.
Change of plan but everything is OK.
Had a bit of a mishap, you might get a call/message from me.
Call the emergency services (this is handled by the subscription service.
It also tracks my progress so that, in the event I go missing, folk will know roughly where to look for me.
I used mine a lot when training off the beaten track for similar reasons
I have a Gen 1 device and a new Spot Trace hidden in the motorbike. Very time I move the bike, it sends me a text message telling me it has moved and starts tracking, which can be posted online automatically.
The Spot Trace has no buttons so can't say "help" but it's telly good as both a theft recovery measure and to give me a little assurance I would be found if in difficulty outside phone coverage.
It is amazingly reliable and batteries seem to happily last a couple on months.
Rachel
Ohh never knew something like this existed.
I'm interested now, I train a lot on my own in some out of the way places too.
TVM
That inreach looks like a good bit of kit. I have a gen 1 spot I bought when I did a solo Munro round a few years ago. It's fine but as said, sending is no proof of receipt... It's ~€100 p/a for the basic service.
I bought a map of where I am working in Sweden and found lots of tempting trails to run or maybe bike.later in the year but I realised that if anything happened I'd be properly screwed. For that matter I wouldn't be that well off in my local woods.
The Spot does flash on message until it gets the final message handshake allegedly. My unit would track a bit , then not, then slowly gave up altogether. It was assessed as not well but they refused to replace and said it had been mistreated, it had been used twice and was unmarked.
Been looking into this recently as the Mrs has started getting pissed off with my erratic night riding (I'm never back at the same time), tried using the Garmin tracking thing but it's temperamental even with full mobile signal. Watching with interest.
I was wondering about a simple sms based gps doohdah like the ones the use for elderly people. They seem cheap ~£30. You can call it (has a payg sim) and it'll text location. Also have an emergency button.
OK, so needs phone signal, but good for most people surely?
The whole point of the SPOT and other similar units is they transmit their message via Globalstar data, which in turn sends a SMS from a remote server. It's not using or relying on a mobile phone signal.
Even milspec tracking beacons using a combination of carriers for data, sometimes have problems transmitting messages reliably in certain locations/environments, so considering the low cost, the SPOT units are excellent value.
OK, so needs phone signal, but good for most people surely?
Not for me. Half of Cwmcarn has no mobile signal, likewise half my local woods a few miles from a big city. Very easy to not have mobile signal.
If anyone buys a Spot, they do a 20% off next year's subscription deal for you and the person who encouraged you to do it - [b]me[/b] 😉
I can recommend a decent supplier for the device too.
It's not in the same league, but endomondo can do the live tracking thing. Although that assumes that you have signal on your ride.
It doesn't do emergency texting, but the Mrs sends me a message if I've been still in am odd place for too long.
boxelder - more details please? Email in profile if you need to.
Just ordered a Delorme InReach SE. I'll be travelling in the Higlands, Alps and some other places this summer, on my own. The other contender was the SPOT Gen 3
Looks like the Gen3 is the best option for me. I want it cheap, but the Spot Connect only works with a smart phone for user input and I don't fancy relying on that.
Did you end up purchasing Molgrips?
Yep, £110 ish from somewhere or other, I forget.
Seems to work, although I forgot to turn on tracking on my first wilderness trip 🙂