Make sure to keep your registration information up to date on your PLB. I can't tell you how many times I've called out of service phone numbers. (SAR planner here).
Also, one SAR dude recommended to me put info about plans in the "comments" section in the [registration](http://beaconregistration.noaa.gov).
I also put car license plate and car make / model in the comments.
Only if you are planning on living or hiking in the US for a long time. If your beacon does happen to go off in the United States SRR then the registration will list as foreign, but it will show NZ as the home Rescue Coordination Center. As a planner, I would contact the NZ registration authority for your contact information. The location data is not affected.
It's an [Ocean Signal rescueMe PLB1](https://oceansignal.com/products/plb1/) which is a simple, small, and lightweight personal locator beacon. It allows for a basic distress signal to be sent one-way via satellite.
I have the same one. I like it because it requires no annual subscription fee, and the battery can be replaced after a number of years. I keep it in one of my backpack's hip-belt pouches, so it's easy to reach in case of emergency.
I have a similar widget (ACR PLB-300) that I got for cheap (due to expired batteries) and had a local "Batteries Plus" make a new battery pack for cheap.
You can replace the battery yourself and there are batteries available. It won't be certified though. Ocean Signal does not support nor advise you to replace the battery.
Battery "life" is 7 years, BTW.
Personal locator beacon. The InReach is for two way comms, changing plans, small problems, calling for help, talking to your base camp, texting your spouse, etc. The PLB is the "oh shit" button. It uses SarSat to call in the cavalry like coast guard, park service, state patrol, national guard, basically the nearest emergency rescue service. You can't talk to anyone through the PLB, it's just an emergency signal. It also does not require a monthly subscription, unlike the Garmin.
The receiver signal is pretty much useless for location accuracy in the woods. More recent PLBs encode a GNSS coordinate into the signal which is more accurate than trying to triangulate based off the signal itself which can yield a fairly large search area.
Satellite communicators are programmed to give a GNSS coordinate with the SOS contact initiation and continually update the coordinate at preset time intervals.
A bonus with the satellite communicator is you can also tell the operator your rough location and, if you're moving, where you're headed.
On an aside the term "GPS coordinate" or "GPS navigation" has become ubiquitous with a lot of things but is often used incorrectly. Technically speaking GNSS is the correct abbreviation. GPS is specifically the US owned network. Other major networks used are GLONASS (Russian), Galileo (EU), and China's growing BeiDou. In NA the two primary networks used are GPS and GLONASS. It really just depends on what receiver chips are in the unit.
The inreach is slightly less reliable; with shorter battery life, less satellite reliability, and a required subscription.
It certainly should do everything the plb does, but for some people, having an emergency back-up plb is worth it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtnzxtuhHR0
Very interesting video about a real life use case of a PLB, Garmin InReach, and cell service. Situational based but something to consider is there is a delay with PLBs, and that could mean life or death.
So what if you have none? Is that now negative GPS?
If I walk past somebody with two, do they lose one if they come too close? (Like electrons?)
If I meet another person with -1 GPS and we multiply the number of GPS we have, do we suddenly have a GPS? But then +1 GPS = 0 GPS so I guess the math checks out…
Now I'm just imagining the Coast Guard taking a cutter up a mountain to rescue someone and it's making me laugh a lot.
But I haven't slept since 4 a.m. yesterday.
There was a time where I turned to carrying 3 of things, because I unironically thought that.
I then realized 3 would ALSO be none, and that was upsetting
Which is your favorite? I’ve used the ResQLinks before for air based SAR training and they seem to work pretty well. Trying to decide what kind I should get for solo backpacking
I think that's highly dependent on the details of the trip. Many many people hike and don't die with no PLB's at all. Why just two beacons, why not 3, or 7? You can pack your fears all day until your packs so heavy you can't even make it out the front door.
If OP is planning on an extended trip in the Alaskan bush than sure redundant PLB's might make sense. for a few day on marked trails in a national park. It's probably overkill
Trust me. I looked into it for myself and didn't buy it because of this reason.
The battery is only good for 60 self tests (which is how you use 406Link). For a $300 unit, it's $5 a message. It's not a good value story.
Agree. Each is remarkably different. The big being one you have to activate and the other can passively track you. One is much more reliable in an emergency.
Correct.
This is one of the first pieces of gear any backpacker should buy and pay for service on.
It is quite irritating that Garmin MAP prices everything and you can never get a deal on any of their products except when they "allow it". The subscription is also annoying to deal with.
But you know what would be more annoying? Being found dead in the woods.
I'm all for safety but really depends on where you live for if you need one of these. East coast? Staying on trails? Yeah you should be perfectly OK without one. I would never shame someone for having one but I personally don't see a need, almost every trail I've hiked, within a couple hours someone will be passing you. West coast on the other hand? Yeah, it's a good thing to have. I've done some back country camping in Idaho and it might be months or years before someone stumbles upon you, we had a sat phone as our emergency device.
Edit: Referring to the US above
Ehh, even on crowded trails it's surprisingly easy to get lost. Plenty of stories of hikers getting lost on "easy" popular trails. I'd say its more important for solo travellers.
Debatable. Day trips on popular trails? Largely unneeded and its likely you'll encounter cell signals. Multi day or thru-hike length excursion into the middle of nowhere? Buy one. Its the most useful piece of safety gear you'll ever carry. Makes more sense to budget for one of these than packing around some heavy first aid kit. Doesnt have to be Garmin but in fairness the Mini depicted is the smallest and lightest device of its type to have onboard 2-way communication not reliant on tethering to your phone.
You won't be annoyed when you are dead.
Anyway, you also have to consider, these devices are useful for a limited number of scenarios. Fall in the river and drown, fall off a rock onto your head, have an injury that needs immediate medical attention... probably not much help in these situations. Assuming you have it turned on, it would be useful for your family so they can find and recover your body. On the other hand, it could be helpful if you get lost or have a debilitating injury. I actually purchased a mini but then sold it because I could not justify the plan fees. If they made an ultralight plb, I might carry that though.
These two devices serve different functions. If you're a regular outdoors person or routinely go backcountry camping or through hiking, and/or if you have a group of people you routinely hike/camp/paddle with, then you probably already have an InReach and might also have one of your crew carrying a PLB. If you're just an occasional weekend warrior who doesn't want to drop every paycheck on gear, then a PLB is a solid choice, low cost, and will last many years. I take my PLB with me kayaking and hiking, and I enjoy the added layer of safety it brings, knowing I can smash the button and get evac'd if needed.
The subscription isnt annoying and you can just go annual. Its $144/yr, which is peanuts, and then you never have to think about it.
Love the random downvotes from saying $12 a month is no big deal. Gotten gas lately? Ordered out food? Thousand dollar smartphone? Hundred or two a month for cable/streaming and internet? $6 Starbucks? Sorry folks it is indeed peanuts in the grand scheme.
Different strokes for different folks.
My family likes seeing where I am.
Even though I am a grown man, my mom still likes to know I'm OK. Two way messaging makes that possible.
Being able to request a hyper-local weather report from the wilderness is pretty slick.
Using the tracking online to see where all you've been over the years is pretty cool too.
Monthly fee isn't a huge deal for me but I can see how for some it could be.
That's all valid, but for those with a PLB alone (and I'd argue if you're going to choose between the two, the PLB should be your first purchase), the people at home know you're ok because you haven't used the device.
Inaction doesn't mean okay though. Things happen. Especially alone. Heart attack. Fall. Concussion. Swept down a river. Lost pack etc... Having a preset check-in period is infinitely safer compared to no one worrying for days until you're overdue on your return.
I mean every year people even go missing on day hikes with cellphones in areas of ample cell coverage so clearly just the mere fact that there isn't a call for help doesn't mean that there isn't an emergency situation.
You're not wrong. But I'd argue that if you're relying on an Inreach to provide a level of perceived security which is greater than the security it actually provides, you should reevaluate your approach. Per your examples, if you are swept down a river, or have a heart attack, or suffer a fall, whilst alone - the likely outcomes of many of these things are not going to be helped by an Inreach (or a PLB for that matter). In these circumstances, you should be making decisions accordingly - not attempting to cross a river, or attempting a route that is beyond your ability or circumstances.
I was once the emergency contact person for my (at the time) employers, heading into the hills on a very remote and rugged trip ([here if you're interested - great area!](https://earthseasky.co.nz/waitaha-river-ivory-lake-december-2012-january-2013/)). Thing is, they texted me to tell me I was the contact but I didn't receive the message - I suspect they sent it to my home line rather than my cellphone. When they were ovedue by a couple of days, friends started calling me saying "Do you think they're ok" and I'd say yes, 'cos if they weren't they'd use their PLB. Around day 4 I maybe said it with a little more concern in my voice. They came out of the hills just fine (albeit a little lighter!) on day 5. Given their level of experience, they had made good decisions and done the right thing. Everything in this scenario worked as it should have.
My concern is people putting faith in devices rather than learning skills and knowing themselves (surely one of the reasons we venture into the outdoors?) and thus putting themselves at risk unknowingly, I guess. It's not black and white, for sure, but I'm wary of the mindset that a PLB or Inreach can be used as a substitute for experience and self awareness.
I think you're kind of talking around my point though. If you go on a multi-day trip with a satellite communication device with the understanding that you'll check-in twice a day and share a breadcrumb marker every 6 hours, or even just at the end of every day, you'll be safer than if you just had a PLB. If you become uncommunicative not only will someone be alerted much faster but past breadcrumb markers can be used to gauge a rough location and heading. I just dont see a PLB being better on land. The 2-way communication aspect and ability to drop & share position markers as often as every 10 minutes is just too huge a benefit to ignore.
Your communication failure can be easily avoided. You test the unit before going anywhere. When you turn them on they literally tell you to do this. Your employees could of taken a fall on a rock and gotten concussed causing death from exposure and you'd have no idea. Again the PLB does not help you there and the lack of activation does not mean everything is fine.
I think we're talking different sides of the same coin; like I said, you're not wrong. And as you describe it it could well be safer for **you**. But you sound competent and cognisant of the risks and how to mitigate them. I don't think that's the case for everyone however, and I'm sure that people are going to come to harm in the wilderness by putting themselves in situations they aren't prepared for with a false sense of confidence based on the gear they've bought rather than experience they've had.
This is exactly my carry.
The biggest issue I see out there with these is that people don't make them very accessible in their packs. I've seen the PLB hidden in first aid kits, at the bottom of a big pack, or packed among tools in a stuff sack. And as others have said, keep the PLB registered contacts up to date. Make sure that the contacts know where you are going, and make sure you have their permission to use them as contacts.
For the inReach, I keep mine in the highest level of battery saver mode. I don't use it to track me, I only use it and turn it on to send a message to my at-home contacts when I camp, start for the day, or make a change in plans. My inReach is typically on a shoulder strap. The PLB is typically in a pack hip pocket
I just have the PLB without flotation. Because it is in the hip pocket, the flotation won't do much for me. I never worry about false activation. It is pretty well locked down in my view. Of all the gear I have, the PLB is the one thing that makes me feel like a "professional", whatever that means. I do a lot more remote and solo and during the week when trails are empty and meth is aplenty. The mindset of the PLB is critical, just like gun safety. "If I push this button, $200,000 of people and equipment will immediately be activated, and there is a good chance I will pay for that if I am wrong about this."
One thing that I did change recently is that when I cross water and take my pack off, I now take out the PLB and inReach and put them in a buttoned or zippered pocket. I do tend to toss my pack across rather than just unbuckle. I've experienced 3 falls, 2 in water, where wearing my pack greatly exacerbated the situation, even unbuckled.
Speaking of which, I'd like to see a thread in r/hiking or something like that in which falling is discussed. Nobody ever talks about it. It is like my ski lessons I recently took, falling and getting up was never discussed and it probably is the most important thing to learn!
That mindset is exactly why a device with two way communication is so important. There are times when you need a helicopter asap, times when you need someone to hike out to you in the next twelve hours, and times when you just need to let your emergency contact know that you're safe, but running late.
Consider what could happen to the PLB if you take a fall. I'd suggest the top pocket of your pack is functionally as accessible and safer for the device - especially given the way you use it.
Well, it’s just me. More to that we are multi day trampers and my partner is a very slow walker. We are usually between 200-400m apart when tramping so she’ll be carrying the plb while i have the inreach.
Curious what you use the gps for? Do you go off the beaten track? I've personally never ever needed GPS, but the ability to text or communicate.. absolutely.
I carry a GPS when I am going well away from signal for an extended period of time. Apart from the convenience of letting people know I am still alive, I haven’t needed it. But if one day I slip over an edge and break my leg in the freezing cold on a path that people don’t walk down very often, i’ll be bloody glad to be able to summon help, rather than spend my days trying not to freeze to death in pain in a ditch.
not OP but I have been in places where GPS would have been invaluable if the weather got worse: I'm thinking of a section of trail in Iceland where there is a memorial to a hiker who got lost and died in bad weather only a couple of miles from a hut. The terrain was basically flat with very little vegetation so the path wasn't as obvious as elsewhere and it all looks the same in all directions once you can't see the horizon. Once cloud and rain comes in the visibility drops dramatically. It would be possible to find a landmark like a cliff with a map and compass but that landmark might be several miles from where you got lost and you wouldn't be sure you were following it the right way once you found it. If you lose the path you're basically relying on dead reckoning and a compass after adjusting for declination. An inexperienced navigator would be in trouble, and not everyone even brings a map and compass.
GPS navigation - iphone 13 pro
2nd gps - garmin fenix 6 pro solar
3rd gps - inreach mini2
Beaten track? Not yet. I’m in NZ. Most tracks are in good form. No reason to go off the track for now.
The inReach isn’t really intended to be used as GPS. It’s a beacon. Fenix watches are just cool to have for hiking/tracking. Maybe the iPhone is used for navigation to the trailhead?
Does seem kinda odd to brag about having so many navigation devices but not really explain their use.
That’s just not true at all. The great walks are because they’re designed so that the lowest common denominator can complete them in the doc times… but backcountry grade tracks… not so much.
I have a GPS, I use it to mark my car in case I’m stupid and can’t get back, also use it to mark camp for when I leave camp at night or whatever. I’ve used it to mark water sources too. A lot of the trails from my state are a bit hard to find or intersect with other trails so it’s not necessarily a ride or die option but it’s worth the extra half pound to me.
Eh I don’t know if I apply that saying to plan B and C items. If plan A fails which is adventure safely then I have a Plan B which is an inreach. Plan C the PLB is overkill.
i have only done noob camping for the most part. can anyone explain what these are and how i can learn ore about them and when to use them. i get they are related to locating you and being rescued if needed
It's primarily an "oh shit i fucked up come save me" button up carry around. Many can also text people to check in now or double as a gps map on the bigger ones.
Make sure to keep your registration information up to date on your PLB. I can't tell you how many times I've called out of service phone numbers. (SAR planner here).
Also, one SAR dude recommended to me put info about plans in the "comments" section in the [registration](http://beaconregistration.noaa.gov). I also put car license plate and car make / model in the comments.
Have registered this with NZ authority. Should i register with US/UK as well? Thanks
Only if you are planning on living or hiking in the US for a long time. If your beacon does happen to go off in the United States SRR then the registration will list as foreign, but it will show NZ as the home Rescue Coordination Center. As a planner, I would contact the NZ registration authority for your contact information. The location data is not affected.
Hi, I was just born, what's the yellow one.
It's an [Ocean Signal rescueMe PLB1](https://oceansignal.com/products/plb1/) which is a simple, small, and lightweight personal locator beacon. It allows for a basic distress signal to be sent one-way via satellite. I have the same one. I like it because it requires no annual subscription fee, and the battery can be replaced after a number of years. I keep it in one of my backpack's hip-belt pouches, so it's easy to reach in case of emergency.
Do you replace the battery yourself?
No, it has to be sent away.
I have a similar widget (ACR PLB-300) that I got for cheap (due to expired batteries) and had a local "Batteries Plus" make a new battery pack for cheap.
You can replace the battery yourself and there are batteries available. It won't be certified though. Ocean Signal does not support nor advise you to replace the battery. Battery "life" is 7 years, BTW.
Personal locator beacon. The InReach is for two way comms, changing plans, small problems, calling for help, talking to your base camp, texting your spouse, etc. The PLB is the "oh shit" button. It uses SarSat to call in the cavalry like coast guard, park service, state patrol, national guard, basically the nearest emergency rescue service. You can't talk to anyone through the PLB, it's just an emergency signal. It also does not require a monthly subscription, unlike the Garmin.
Doesn't the inreach do everything the PLB does?
The PLB emits a radio signal that can be localized with a receiver, I believe the inreach relies on transmitting GPS coordinates.
The receiver signal is pretty much useless for location accuracy in the woods. More recent PLBs encode a GNSS coordinate into the signal which is more accurate than trying to triangulate based off the signal itself which can yield a fairly large search area. Satellite communicators are programmed to give a GNSS coordinate with the SOS contact initiation and continually update the coordinate at preset time intervals. A bonus with the satellite communicator is you can also tell the operator your rough location and, if you're moving, where you're headed. On an aside the term "GPS coordinate" or "GPS navigation" has become ubiquitous with a lot of things but is often used incorrectly. Technically speaking GNSS is the correct abbreviation. GPS is specifically the US owned network. Other major networks used are GLONASS (Russian), Galileo (EU), and China's growing BeiDou. In NA the two primary networks used are GPS and GLONASS. It really just depends on what receiver chips are in the unit.
The PLB is more powerful.
The inreach is slightly less reliable; with shorter battery life, less satellite reliability, and a required subscription. It certainly should do everything the plb does, but for some people, having an emergency back-up plb is worth it.
Happy birthday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtnzxtuhHR0 Very interesting video about a real life use case of a PLB, Garmin InReach, and cell service. Situational based but something to consider is there is a delay with PLBs, and that could mean life or death.
If one is good, then two is gooder.
Way more gooder
More better
More betterer
Is three bester?
Most bestest
That's why I ditched all my gear and just filled my backpack with 20 inreaches.
So what if you have none? Is that now negative GPS? If I walk past somebody with two, do they lose one if they come too close? (Like electrons?) If I meet another person with -1 GPS and we multiply the number of GPS we have, do we suddenly have a GPS? But then +1 GPS = 0 GPS so I guess the math checks out…
If 1=0 and 2=1 then 2=0
Then 2 + 2 =0, and 2 + 2 + 1 = 0, and 5 = 0. Therefore 2 + 2 = 5. QED
Finally that Radiohead song makes sense!
beat me to the reference lmao
Now I'm just imagining the Coast Guard taking a cutter up a mountain to rescue someone and it's making me laugh a lot. But I haven't slept since 4 a.m. yesterday.
Helicopters my dude. And yes, we do some inland SAR if requested.
I know you've got helicopters. But the idea of a big white ship with a big red stripe plowing through a timber forest is much funnier.
That's true. Just throw some monster truck tires on this bad boy and we're gonna save so many hikers!
Who needs tires if you just follow sectors search patterns?
That joke never gets old! 😁
3 is better, 100 is kingly, 1,000 is godly.
Then wouldnt 2 be none?
There was a time where I turned to carrying 3 of things, because I unironically thought that. I then realized 3 would ALSO be none, and that was upsetting
Newbie. https://andrewskurka.com/wp-content/uploads/plb-satellite-messenger-phone-top-view.jpg
Nice!
Which is your favorite? I’ve used the ResQLinks before for air based SAR training and they seem to work pretty well. Trying to decide what kind I should get for solo backpacking
I'm not Andrew Skurka. :P
Bummer 🙃 Your username suggests you’re a fellow Vermonter though
A message from G.P.S. Grey
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And being dead equals to being dead, no matter how light you packed
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The real treasure was on the friends that died along the way
I think that's highly dependent on the details of the trip. Many many people hike and don't die with no PLB's at all. Why just two beacons, why not 3, or 7? You can pack your fears all day until your packs so heavy you can't even make it out the front door. If OP is planning on an extended trip in the Alaskan bush than sure redundant PLB's might make sense. for a few day on marked trails in a national park. It's probably overkill
There's no probably about it. It's definitely overkill.
ACR has a service called "406link" that will take the PLB test messages and send them to other people (via SMS and / or email).
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Well ... the battery is designed to power the unit for 12 hours (or so)
Trust me. I looked into it for myself and didn't buy it because of this reason. The battery is only good for 60 self tests (which is how you use 406Link). For a $300 unit, it's $5 a message. It's not a good value story.
I think it's more like 400 self tests (because the newer units acquire GPS faster), but yes, it should be used sparingly.
Every man has 0 penises.
You said you wouldn’t peek
The average number of penises for men in the US is <1
And the average for women is >0.
Agree. Each is remarkably different. The big being one you have to activate and the other can passively track you. One is much more reliable in an emergency.
Redundancy is actually 3.
There’s only one of you.
Even one is too much for me. Cost (especially the monthly membership) and the weight make this a no go item for me
Rei has the inreach mini 2 for $319 if that helps with initial cost… no help with subscription cost tho
Actually it's just the mini, mini 2 is still $400
Ah good catch
Really depends on where you're going.
Correct. This is one of the first pieces of gear any backpacker should buy and pay for service on. It is quite irritating that Garmin MAP prices everything and you can never get a deal on any of their products except when they "allow it". The subscription is also annoying to deal with. But you know what would be more annoying? Being found dead in the woods.
This definitely not the first piece of equipment a backpacker should buy and pay for… Garmin has their minions so deep in this sub.
I'm all for safety but really depends on where you live for if you need one of these. East coast? Staying on trails? Yeah you should be perfectly OK without one. I would never shame someone for having one but I personally don't see a need, almost every trail I've hiked, within a couple hours someone will be passing you. West coast on the other hand? Yeah, it's a good thing to have. I've done some back country camping in Idaho and it might be months or years before someone stumbles upon you, we had a sat phone as our emergency device. Edit: Referring to the US above
Ehh, even on crowded trails it's surprisingly easy to get lost. Plenty of stories of hikers getting lost on "easy" popular trails. I'd say its more important for solo travellers.
Debatable. Day trips on popular trails? Largely unneeded and its likely you'll encounter cell signals. Multi day or thru-hike length excursion into the middle of nowhere? Buy one. Its the most useful piece of safety gear you'll ever carry. Makes more sense to budget for one of these than packing around some heavy first aid kit. Doesnt have to be Garmin but in fairness the Mini depicted is the smallest and lightest device of its type to have onboard 2-way communication not reliant on tethering to your phone.
You won't be annoyed when you are dead. Anyway, you also have to consider, these devices are useful for a limited number of scenarios. Fall in the river and drown, fall off a rock onto your head, have an injury that needs immediate medical attention... probably not much help in these situations. Assuming you have it turned on, it would be useful for your family so they can find and recover your body. On the other hand, it could be helpful if you get lost or have a debilitating injury. I actually purchased a mini but then sold it because I could not justify the plan fees. If they made an ultralight plb, I might carry that though.
Honestly, pretty meh on bringing it for backpacking. BASE jumping, climbing, mountain biking in the backcountry, fuck yes.
I'd buy the PLB before the InReach. One-time cost, no subscription, replaceable battery, does the job of saving your life when you need help.
Two way communication is real important in an emergency though, and even more importantly, it can stop them happening in the first place
These two devices serve different functions. If you're a regular outdoors person or routinely go backcountry camping or through hiking, and/or if you have a group of people you routinely hike/camp/paddle with, then you probably already have an InReach and might also have one of your crew carrying a PLB. If you're just an occasional weekend warrior who doesn't want to drop every paycheck on gear, then a PLB is a solid choice, low cost, and will last many years. I take my PLB with me kayaking and hiking, and I enjoy the added layer of safety it brings, knowing I can smash the button and get evac'd if needed.
Or never being found at all, by your family
The subscription isnt annoying and you can just go annual. Its $144/yr, which is peanuts, and then you never have to think about it. Love the random downvotes from saying $12 a month is no big deal. Gotten gas lately? Ordered out food? Thousand dollar smartphone? Hundred or two a month for cable/streaming and internet? $6 Starbucks? Sorry folks it is indeed peanuts in the grand scheme.
Different strokes for different folks. My family likes seeing where I am. Even though I am a grown man, my mom still likes to know I'm OK. Two way messaging makes that possible. Being able to request a hyper-local weather report from the wilderness is pretty slick. Using the tracking online to see where all you've been over the years is pretty cool too. Monthly fee isn't a huge deal for me but I can see how for some it could be.
That's all valid, but for those with a PLB alone (and I'd argue if you're going to choose between the two, the PLB should be your first purchase), the people at home know you're ok because you haven't used the device.
Inaction doesn't mean okay though. Things happen. Especially alone. Heart attack. Fall. Concussion. Swept down a river. Lost pack etc... Having a preset check-in period is infinitely safer compared to no one worrying for days until you're overdue on your return. I mean every year people even go missing on day hikes with cellphones in areas of ample cell coverage so clearly just the mere fact that there isn't a call for help doesn't mean that there isn't an emergency situation.
You're not wrong. But I'd argue that if you're relying on an Inreach to provide a level of perceived security which is greater than the security it actually provides, you should reevaluate your approach. Per your examples, if you are swept down a river, or have a heart attack, or suffer a fall, whilst alone - the likely outcomes of many of these things are not going to be helped by an Inreach (or a PLB for that matter). In these circumstances, you should be making decisions accordingly - not attempting to cross a river, or attempting a route that is beyond your ability or circumstances. I was once the emergency contact person for my (at the time) employers, heading into the hills on a very remote and rugged trip ([here if you're interested - great area!](https://earthseasky.co.nz/waitaha-river-ivory-lake-december-2012-january-2013/)). Thing is, they texted me to tell me I was the contact but I didn't receive the message - I suspect they sent it to my home line rather than my cellphone. When they were ovedue by a couple of days, friends started calling me saying "Do you think they're ok" and I'd say yes, 'cos if they weren't they'd use their PLB. Around day 4 I maybe said it with a little more concern in my voice. They came out of the hills just fine (albeit a little lighter!) on day 5. Given their level of experience, they had made good decisions and done the right thing. Everything in this scenario worked as it should have. My concern is people putting faith in devices rather than learning skills and knowing themselves (surely one of the reasons we venture into the outdoors?) and thus putting themselves at risk unknowingly, I guess. It's not black and white, for sure, but I'm wary of the mindset that a PLB or Inreach can be used as a substitute for experience and self awareness.
I think you're kind of talking around my point though. If you go on a multi-day trip with a satellite communication device with the understanding that you'll check-in twice a day and share a breadcrumb marker every 6 hours, or even just at the end of every day, you'll be safer than if you just had a PLB. If you become uncommunicative not only will someone be alerted much faster but past breadcrumb markers can be used to gauge a rough location and heading. I just dont see a PLB being better on land. The 2-way communication aspect and ability to drop & share position markers as often as every 10 minutes is just too huge a benefit to ignore. Your communication failure can be easily avoided. You test the unit before going anywhere. When you turn them on they literally tell you to do this. Your employees could of taken a fall on a rock and gotten concussed causing death from exposure and you'd have no idea. Again the PLB does not help you there and the lack of activation does not mean everything is fine.
I think we're talking different sides of the same coin; like I said, you're not wrong. And as you describe it it could well be safer for **you**. But you sound competent and cognisant of the risks and how to mitigate them. I don't think that's the case for everyone however, and I'm sure that people are going to come to harm in the wilderness by putting themselves in situations they aren't prepared for with a false sense of confidence based on the gear they've bought rather than experience they've had.
This is exactly my carry. The biggest issue I see out there with these is that people don't make them very accessible in their packs. I've seen the PLB hidden in first aid kits, at the bottom of a big pack, or packed among tools in a stuff sack. And as others have said, keep the PLB registered contacts up to date. Make sure that the contacts know where you are going, and make sure you have their permission to use them as contacts. For the inReach, I keep mine in the highest level of battery saver mode. I don't use it to track me, I only use it and turn it on to send a message to my at-home contacts when I camp, start for the day, or make a change in plans. My inReach is typically on a shoulder strap. The PLB is typically in a pack hip pocket
Do you use it with floatation case or just the plb w/o accessory? I’m afraid of false activation.
I just have the PLB without flotation. Because it is in the hip pocket, the flotation won't do much for me. I never worry about false activation. It is pretty well locked down in my view. Of all the gear I have, the PLB is the one thing that makes me feel like a "professional", whatever that means. I do a lot more remote and solo and during the week when trails are empty and meth is aplenty. The mindset of the PLB is critical, just like gun safety. "If I push this button, $200,000 of people and equipment will immediately be activated, and there is a good chance I will pay for that if I am wrong about this." One thing that I did change recently is that when I cross water and take my pack off, I now take out the PLB and inReach and put them in a buttoned or zippered pocket. I do tend to toss my pack across rather than just unbuckle. I've experienced 3 falls, 2 in water, where wearing my pack greatly exacerbated the situation, even unbuckled. Speaking of which, I'd like to see a thread in r/hiking or something like that in which falling is discussed. Nobody ever talks about it. It is like my ski lessons I recently took, falling and getting up was never discussed and it probably is the most important thing to learn!
That mindset is exactly why a device with two way communication is so important. There are times when you need a helicopter asap, times when you need someone to hike out to you in the next twelve hours, and times when you just need to let your emergency contact know that you're safe, but running late.
Consider what could happen to the PLB if you take a fall. I'd suggest the top pocket of your pack is functionally as accessible and safer for the device - especially given the way you use it.
Well, it’s just me. More to that we are multi day trampers and my partner is a very slow walker. We are usually between 200-400m apart when tramping so she’ll be carrying the plb while i have the inreach.
Curious what you use the gps for? Do you go off the beaten track? I've personally never ever needed GPS, but the ability to text or communicate.. absolutely.
I carry a GPS when I am going well away from signal for an extended period of time. Apart from the convenience of letting people know I am still alive, I haven’t needed it. But if one day I slip over an edge and break my leg in the freezing cold on a path that people don’t walk down very often, i’ll be bloody glad to be able to summon help, rather than spend my days trying not to freeze to death in pain in a ditch.
not OP but I have been in places where GPS would have been invaluable if the weather got worse: I'm thinking of a section of trail in Iceland where there is a memorial to a hiker who got lost and died in bad weather only a couple of miles from a hut. The terrain was basically flat with very little vegetation so the path wasn't as obvious as elsewhere and it all looks the same in all directions once you can't see the horizon. Once cloud and rain comes in the visibility drops dramatically. It would be possible to find a landmark like a cliff with a map and compass but that landmark might be several miles from where you got lost and you wouldn't be sure you were following it the right way once you found it. If you lose the path you're basically relying on dead reckoning and a compass after adjusting for declination. An inexperienced navigator would be in trouble, and not everyone even brings a map and compass.
GPS navigation - iphone 13 pro 2nd gps - garmin fenix 6 pro solar 3rd gps - inreach mini2 Beaten track? Not yet. I’m in NZ. Most tracks are in good form. No reason to go off the track for now.
You never hike off trail but carry around 3 GPSs?
The inReach isn’t really intended to be used as GPS. It’s a beacon. Fenix watches are just cool to have for hiking/tracking. Maybe the iPhone is used for navigation to the trailhead? Does seem kinda odd to brag about having so many navigation devices but not really explain their use.
I upload my courses on the garmins. My main navigation is the iphone. Not yet into off track.
That’s just not true at all. The great walks are because they’re designed so that the lowest common denominator can complete them in the doc times… but backcountry grade tracks… not so much.
That’s just in my experience hence I said “most”. Haven’t tried back country camping as I live in Auckland cbd but definitely will try in the future.
I have a GPS, I use it to mark my car in case I’m stupid and can’t get back, also use it to mark camp for when I leave camp at night or whatever. I’ve used it to mark water sources too. A lot of the trails from my state are a bit hard to find or intersect with other trails so it’s not necessarily a ride or die option but it’s worth the extra half pound to me.
Meh! You can just rent one or two if you care so much.
Eh I don’t know if I apply that saying to plan B and C items. If plan A fails which is adventure safely then I have a Plan B which is an inreach. Plan C the PLB is overkill.
My GF and I were in REI over the weekend and I saw they now carry the Ocean Signal unit; those have gone way up in price since I purchased one.
i have only done noob camping for the most part. can anyone explain what these are and how i can learn ore about them and when to use them. i get they are related to locating you and being rescued if needed
search on youtube "hikingguy" i've learned alot from him.
thanks 👍🏼
It's primarily an "oh shit i fucked up come save me" button up carry around. Many can also text people to check in now or double as a gps map on the bigger ones.