Reliable device for any emergency
★★★★★
ipartner48· Review provided by
mec.ca ·
September 3, 2023I am compelled to write this review as I see a fair amount of negative reviews about it and since I've owned my unit for over 2 years now, I feel I am qualified to report my findings.
- the keyboard is like the old Blackberries. Easy enough to use. I do not bother with bluetooth as it's a battery drainer
- two way messaging is preferred. I can text my daughter in the morning to get the weather report of the day
- the only errors I have encountered have been a result of user input. This unit has not failed me and every message has been sent and received.
- this device uses the lower orbiting Globalstar satellite network so messages sent and received can take upwards of 2 to 5 minutes vs the Garmin which is a lot quicker. However, this is NOT a chatting device or a phone replacement.
- their annual subscription plan is the best of all other units. Compare all other 2 way messaging plans and you will find the Spot unit is the least expensive with tons more communication perks.
- I have never had an issue with customer service. Someone always answers and my questions/issues get resolved.
- I use my cell phone as a gps tracker and I find it more user friendly then any Garmin unit. Larger screen, more detail and terrain layers, distances and elevation are easily found. And much faster learning curve then a Garmin.
And that's all I have to say about that :)
Don't get it wet!
★★★★★
steakbone3k· Review provided by
mec.ca ·
February 25, 2022First, the good:
1. It's way cheaper than a Garmin InReach. That's probably why you're looking at this product, right?
2. It does what it says on the tin. You can send texts, receive texts, I assume that the S.O.S. service works (thankfully, I've never had to use it). You can look at a map of your route when you get home.
3. Decent battery life.
Now, the bad:
1. Don't let it get wet! This seems like a strange thing to say about a device that's ostensibly built and marketed to wilderness adventurers, but I had an "incident" (read: dropped it in about six inches of water when transferring my portage bag into a canoe at a put-in) and it immediately became a useless brick.
2. The keyboard is awful. If you liked typing on your Nokia cell phone in the late '90s and want to relive that experience, this will be a treat. Otherwise, it's not great.
3. The Globalstar satellite network is not as extensive as the Iridium network, which is what is used by Spot's primary competitors.
4. The software that you can use to track your trips after the fact is not exactly user-friendly. It seems like it would be useful if you were in charge of a group of workers out in the bush and had to keep track of them, but it does not seem like it's designed for the average backcountry trekker.
5. Customer support - forget about it. You're on your own.
If this were an otherwise excellent product, I'd probably go out and buy another one and just put it in a waterproof case. It's not an otherwise excellent product though, it's not even a particularly good one. From everything I've read, I would have been much better off with a Zoleo or Garmin device. I'd recommend going with either of those two alternate options even without having yet used them.
A month into the PCT and I couldn't be more pleased with the unit.
★★★★★
FrankP· Review provided by
mec.ca ·
May 11, 2022I was a bit worried given some reviews but this was significantly more affordable than a Garmin unit/plan. It is the current blue tooth version which has been working fine. So far I've been in canyons, forest areas and everything in between. My tracking is good and my family are happy about that. My daily predefined message have all gone through. Bouncing it off a satellite is not going to be as fast as typical data or wifi but it does go through. I learned that depending on where you carry it during the day it is good practise to lock the key pad which is a dead simple procedure. Not that it send out errant messages if you don't but you can trigger a fault if a bunch of keys are being pressed by your too tight pouch. In any event I'm happy and confident with this investment in my safety.
Update of original Review
★★★★★
Jake· Review provided by
mec.ca ·
December 23, 2021I have used this device for more than a year now. I am selling it. There seems to be something wrong with the algorithym SPOT uses. It loses the GPS signal frequently, (even at 7000') and as soon as it does it it stopped. (I used it in track mode most often) Then, when reset it would average locations but sometimes the resultant tracks were recorded 50 miles off my actual location during that time. All this confused my people at home. AND added to this, SPOT's map page is complex and confusing. Data cant be erased. My peoiple never knew where I was until I returned and went through the tracks with them. Messaging worked OK, so long as there was no urgency. Customer service was miles ahead of Garmin, but there is nothing they can do, this seems technical.
Come on Elon Musk ..... the new satellite system will change the whole game maybe.
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