The Spot or In Reach

[rosscrazyelk]

Does anyone have one of these? I have been looking for ways to give the wife peace of mind. I am trying to determine which one is better?

[ADAHY]

Have had the spot 2 for a few years now and it works great if you carefully read and understand the directions, most don't and get frustrated. Wife feels much better since I'm usually out alone. If you get it don't bother with the tracking feature it only works about have the time if under any kind of canopy, it's an additional $50.00 per year. I like that I can send a preprogrammed message to just the wife and a totally different one to everybody else.

[Jburke]

I got a spot this year and the mrs is happy that I did.  Piece of mind for the most part but if the need to be rescued ever appears then it's there if I need it

[300rum]

FYI, you can rent them also (PLB).  That way you don't have to buy the subscriptions and you get the latest models/technology.  The SPOT's reputation seems, well, spoty. 

I haven't rented one (yet) as I kind of like having to rely on myself but have looked into it. 

[marmotsafari]

The biggest thing with Spot 2 is to make sure you leave it on for the 30 minutes or so the instructions tell you to when you are sending a message or checking in. You can't just turn it on, hit a button and turn it off. Just because the little "message sent" light lights up, doesn't mean its fully sent off yet.

Me in my genuis thought I'd save batteries the first year using it, and turned it off too quick. This resulted in conversations between my wife and SAR- and I had no idea she was worried- just happened to get up on a ridge where I had cell service and thought I'd give her a call.. wow she was soooo pissed and worried all at the same time! 

If you go this route, set your man card down for a minute and read the instructions before you leave, and bring the little instruction book with you. Pack up an extra set up lithium AAA's in your first aid kit or something too.. mine went dead on me this year and I was glad to have the back ups ready.

Not sold on the tracking either, it sucks the batteries out pretty quick and is an extra expense.

[Bmcox86]

I had a first gen spot that I was given by spot rep when I was working in the fishing industry. I used it on a week long kayaking trip in the ten thousand island area of Florida and it worked good then. Took a while to send messages on open water so woods would take a while also. For what you want it for it will work fine. If you just wanted something for emergencys a acr or mcmurdo plb would be the ticket. No monetly fees just send into have battery's replaced every 5 years.

I could see how the spot and other messengers could take a while to send a message though. In the US the plbs and eripbs have 100% satelite coverage atleast every 90-100 minutes. That's with dedicated satelite coverage, I don't imagine that privately funded spot satellites would do better.

All that being said i was involved in a search and rescue of a boat off of the Dominican Republic that used a first gen Spot to send off its distress signal. The coast guard made contact by helo in short order.