Do you spend time offshore, or venture off the grid to exotic fishing destinations? That feeling of being truly on your own often sets in as the bars on your cell phone vanish. Cell service fades quickly—less than 15 miles from shore in most cases—and in remote places, like on my recent trip to a secluded stretch of southeast Alaska, a signal is non-existent. The question is: do you have a backup means of communication if something goes wrong, or even just to check in with family so they know you’re safe? Even if it’s just for one trip, you need a reliable lifeline. That’s where the SPOT X satellite messenger comes in. Small, rugged, and easy to carry, it provides peace of mind knowing you can communicate from virtually anywhere.
I had the opportunity to take a SPOT X with me to Alaska. Thankfully, I didn’t need it for an emergency, but I did use it to check in and share my location with a friend. At about the size of a cell phone and weighing just seven ounces with lithium batteries, it’s well-built, IP67-rated for dust, rain, and water resistance, and submersible up to one meter for 30 minutes. I kept mine tethered to my backpack, so it was always with me.
The SPOT
X offers two-way satellite messaging through the Globalstar network and packs in a surprising amount of functionality. You can send and receive texts or emails from virtually anywhere in the world. One of the things I like most about it is the full keyboard with a backlit LED screen—think of the old BlackBerry devices we all used to carry. Unlike units with only pre-programmed messages or touchscreen keyboards, SPOT X allows you to type and send custom messages, which I found far more practical. It’s a great way to let loved ones know where you are and what your plans are. The unit also includes a compass, which I compared to the one on our boat and found very accurate. Tracking is another useful feature—you can set it to drop breadcrumbs every 2.5, 5, 10, 30, or 60 minutes. These points can later be viewed and saved in the app once you’re back in cell range, creating a full record of your travels.
Of course, the most important feature is the dedicated SOS button. The button sits under a protective cover to prevent accidental activation. When pressed, it immediately transmits your GPS coordinates to Focus Point which then initiates a rescue. Having your personal information preloaded in your SPOT account allows responders to act quickly, and once the SOS is triggered you can communicate further details of your situation. Depending on your location, messages may take just a few minutes to transmit, or up to 20 in mountainous terrain. In dire circumstances, that lifeline could be the difference between life and death.
The SPOT X requires a $29.95 activation fee, plus a monthly service plan ranging from $11.95 to $29.95 depending on your chosen messaging allowance and tracking intervals. A nice bonus is the ability to connect Spot X to your smartphone via Bluetooth, which allows you to access your phone’s contacts through the SPOT X app.
Spot claims the technology has already played a role in over 10,000 rescues—and counting. Going forward, my SPOT X will be with me on every offshore trip and certainly on any remote adventure like Alaska, where connection to the outside world can literally be your lifeline. At $249.99, the cost of the unit is a small price to pay for that kind of peace of mind.
