Location/Emergency Beacon Advice Needed

[fly2cast]

I'll be doing some solo hunting, camping and sea kayaking in remote areas this upcoming year and I was really thinking I should be buying an emergency beacon in case I get in trouble. I'm deciding between the kind where you can text and the kind that just sends an emergency signal. Does anyone have any advice on which ones to get?

 

[ndbwhunter]

I would look into the Garmin InReach. I use it for elk hunting in remote areas and you can send texts or use the SOS feature in an emergency. It also pairs to your smart phone using bluetooth to easily share waypoints, send messages, etc.

 

[ktm450]

x2 with the garmin inreach. We use it for when we head out to the mountains snowmobiling, or solo ice fishing adventures. Have not had to use it yet, but its worth every penny as we have tested the communication with it and it works good. Also its nice the others can track you and your progress through out the day if you choose to have them do that.

 

[Whisky]

x3 InReach.... Text, emergency beacon, and backup GPS all in one. Like mentioned, get the app that pairs it with your phone.

 

[Kurtr]

x4 in reach its all been covered

 

[Callem'In]

x5 In Reach. Mine is on season 4 with no problems.....

 

[BrokenBackJack]

x6 InReach.
Have friends who have them and said they are the cat's meow!
Definitely want to get one that you can text with so they said the InReach fit their needs perfectly.

 

[Twitch]

x7 InReach. My brother in law had his on our elk hunt last fall way back in the sticks and it kept all 3 of us in contact with our spouses by text without walking out to phone service. Great tool

 

[CatDaddy]

Has anyone had to USE the In Reach for remote rescue? First-hand accounts?

Just an impartial reader who wonders how good it actually is. Sound like texts to Twitch's wife worked, so probably good?

 

[wjschmaltz]

Has anyone had to USE the In Reach for remote rescue? First-hand accounts?

One of my friends came across a guy this fall caribou hunting that shot himself in the stomach with his Glock 10mm. They were extremely remote on ATVs. His wife happened to be at our house (who works dispatch for the troopers) and with me texting my buddy for info and her on two phones, we were able to get a helicopter out there. The dude would have no doubt died if my buddy didn't hear the shot and drive up the valley. Inreach saved his life.

I have another friend that had to hit the SOS to fly his dad out of a sheep hunt. Got dehydrated beyond repair and then hypothermic. They had a seamless CG rescue and the Inreach saved his life. I can think of dozens others that I've heard about locally.

It brings up a good point. It's great to have the SOS, but look into what happens when you hit it. Call the troopers where you will be prior to your trip. They are who will likely take the call (or can tell you who will) and who they would dispatch for the rescue in the given area. It may be CG or other military which would be no charge, but it could also be some sort of life flight in combination. If that's the case it could literally bankrupt a guy (typically normal health insurance will not cover extraction). Once you decide on which insurance to get, put the name of your extraction insurance both in your profile info and trip info on your Garmin account page.