NEW GEAR
PORTABLE SATELLITE MESSENGERS
IF YOU’RE AFTER A PORTABLE, ECONOMIC SATELLITE DEVICE FOR EMERGENCIES OR OCCASIONAL COMMUNICATION, THERE’S A RANGE OF OPTIONS. FOX MORGAN DETAILS THE LATEST AND BEST
GARMIN INREACH MINI 2
Garmin’s latest iteration of its InReach is the smallest tracker currently available, a 100g wearable device that you can clip onto a bag or belt loop and virtually forget it’s there. You can hook up to it via the Garmin App and send and receive texts using bluetooth connectivity with a smartphone. If your phone battery dies, you can still send pre-set messages directly from Key features include an electronic compass and an SOS function which alerts a 24/7 emergency response centre. It will store 1,000 waypoints or favourite locations and has an average battery life of 14 days (pretty impressive considering how small that battery is!) – so you could also take this miniscule tracker with you mountain biking, fell running, hiking, skiing and so on.
Pros Tiny device fits easily in any compact gear set up
Cons Some may find the interface fiddly
Price £349.99, garmin.com
Typical subscription costs Activation fee £25.00, monthly fee: £32.00
BEST FOR compact size the unit.
ACR BIVY STICK
The Bivy Stick satellite messenger and Bivy App from ACR transforms your smartphone into a satellite communicator. A contract is required but there are no activation fees; simply connect your phone to the Bivy Stick via Bluetooth to access the Iridium satellite network.
On activation you are assigned a dedicated phone number and email address allowing you to maintain the same contact details throughout, unlike retaining some other systems that assign a new same phone number with each message making it number impossible for any external contacts to initiate calls or messages.
Features include two-way SMS messaging, SOS calls, location sharing, and in-depth weather reports sent to your smartphone. The Bivy App gives stats including current pace, mileage, altitude, as well as offline maps.
Pros Easy app interface, roll-over credits, you keep the same number
Cons Not ruggedised, no built-in screen
Price $249.95, acrartex.com
Typical subscription cost Cost per month £24.99
BEST FOR retaining same phone number
GARMIN INREACH MESSENGER
The Garmin inReach Messenger switches automatically between standard mobile land signals and satellite signals when out of land network signal range. Through the Messenger App, you can communicate with other people who have the same app and it includes Garmin’s SOS button functionality. It features an extended battery life of up to 200 hours, plus reverse charging from another device, which means you can stay connected for longer.
Pros A low cost way to stay in touch via satellite; easy to use Garmin ap
