SPOT GPS Messenger

Next week I’ll be heading to Yosemite and the White Mountains on a private photo tour. While this is a guided trip, I am usually alone when photographing in the mountains, and so I now always carry the SPOT GPS Messenger. The new model has several new functions, including an "OK", Custom and tracking button. But the reason I carry it is just in case I break a leg or similar: for the SOS feature, uploaded via GPS satellites.

The SPOT combines a margin of safety with fun stuff, like tracking and "OK" messages, and so for casual adventurers, it’s perfect. It also weights only 117 grams, far lighter than most PLB units, which range from 450 700 grams or so—heavy. The SPOT is light enough to be strapped onto one’s arm with the supplied strap.

A personal locator beacon (PLB) is a time-proven way to go, with a powerful transmitter, and should probably be the choice for those heading to seriously risky areas.

See my review of the SPOT GPS Messenger.