I’ve only recently come across these and will probably be getting one for use on the boat.
What I didn’t know is that PLBs now also work on land as well as at sea so would be very suitable for walkers, bikers, climbers, etc.

A one off cost of £180 seems pretty good value considering it could easily save a life.

How many on here already have one?

I do, had it for 3 years now. Small n light but great peace of mind when in the middle of nowhere especially on solo rides. One tip is to make sure it is on your person, not buried in your bag or somewhere that it can’t be reached if the PLB is needed.

What I didn’t know is that PLBs now also work on land as well as at sea

Read a news story this weekend where they launched the lifeboat after a PLB was activated. They then found the beacon (and boat) on its trailer in someones driveway 🙂

Interesting, do they use GPS?

Strange they’d launch a lifeboat or a land incident?

Never mind, just read about them, I guess they had one of the older non GPS ones.

Surely someone on here has the premium version.
Breitling

I have a DeLorme inReach. Really very useful to know I can call for help if I mess up outside of mobile phone range.

Also, it can send regular tracking points to people I know.

Rachel

Trusted contacts on my phone does the same

For free

I have a Spot Gen3 – sat trackers are sometimes essential equipment for many unsupported events. They’re good in that they allow others to follow your progress as well as the check-in function. They work where there’s no mobile phone reception and the battery lasts for days. Sometimes atmospherics can distort the satellite signal and give a false location – on day 5 of unsupported winter event, mine gave a spurious reading which suggested I was at a wrong location going the wrong way – about an hour later and race organiser rocks-up on his snowmobile looking for me. Nice to know that someone’s keeping an eye on you.

kimbers – Member
Trusted contacts on my phone does the same

For free

Even out of phone signal? Epic…

Spot tracker here. In addition to emergency SOS it also does non-emergency “I need help” or “I’m ok” messages to a contact of your choice, and a tracker page so that your chosen people can see (roughly) where you are. Rather useful – but a monthly fee involved.

Trusted contacts on my phone does the same

For free

When you have no mobile signal?

They use Spots(which I think pedants would not classify as a PLB in the strictest sense for reasons I forget) for DofE at work. Shoved in the emergency bag of each group. It makes following groups a synch (almost – a pain in the arse when you are trying to track them in an area with no 3G to load the website on a laptop/smartphone). Also makes groups of teenagers born into a mobile phone world less freaked out when told they won’t be taking them on the trip.

Contemplating one – I do a bit of multiday solo sea kayak stuff and provided you can get you hands on it in time of need it could be a lifesaver.

Trusted contacts on my phone does the same

For free

How does this work if there’s no signal?

I’ve a SPOT which I use when doing ITTs, for things like the HT550 they are required, but I also use it when doing long routes solo – it gives my wife a bit of peace of mind.