UKC

Does any one have any experience of using one of these?

If so would you buy it again or think of getting the Delorme Inreach?

In reply to rogerwebb:

Also interested in this! The yearly sub is pretty pricey though!!

In reply to rogerwebb: Roger - I've used one for several years, mainly whilst paragliding, but sometimes when alone in the hills for other stuff. If you're over at Dundonnell on Sunday, remind me and we can chat about it, but in short - I've found the SPOT reliable. It's lighter, more compact & cheaper than a delorme, but the delorme does have more functionality and, crucially, offers two way messaging.

Good write up of pros & cons here: http://www.cloudbasemayhem.com/delorme-vs-spot-when-your-life-depends-on-it...

I've not long upgraded from the original SPOT to v3 and I'll be sticking with SPOT for what I want at the moment.

In reply to rogerwebb:

Might be a non-issue for most, but if you might ever use it in NZ, get the Inreach, the Spot is only marginally useful here due to poor cover, and it's said that it shouldn't be considered an emergency device here because of that. You won't need it hasn't got through as it just tries 3 times to send then stops.

In reply to markk:

Ask the world and the answer is in the team!
I will be over on Sunday.
See you then.

In reply to rogerwebb:

I have a DeLorme inReach SE, I got it earlier this year for a solo trip to Sarek in Northern Sweden. I've used it for a couple of weekend trips to Cairngorm before I went and the two weeks in Sweden. It plots my position on my webpage which my family have access to. I sent texts form Sarek to the UK and received text from them, so everything worked as it should. I didn't feel the need to press the red panic button so I can't say how that function worked. I'm on the lowest tariff so don't get weather forecasts and haven't downloaded any maps so also can't comment on those. It's $11 a mouth but I can suspend that on a month by month basis if I wish.
I used a small Choetech solar panel to charge it up every three or four day once it had gone down to 75% of fully charged, this took about an hour. Having fallen over crossing a river I can confirm it is waterproof. Friends can only text you via your webpage which you have to give them access to before you go off into the wilderness. Clip it to your rucksack and go, so far very pleased with it.

In reply to rogerwebb:

Should add to that, writing messages on the thing itself is quite long winded but you can link it via Bluetooth to you smart phone which makes the whole process really easy and quick - just like a normal text. There are some pre-loaded messages on the set which are free to send. Anything you write yourself comes of your monthly allowance which depends on whichever tariff your on, on the lower tariff it's ten messages a month.

In reply to OwenM:

Thanks for that (all replies). I think the problems for me with the delorme leaving aside cost is that a) I am technologically incompetent and b) size.
I want to like the spot as it seems simpler and smaller and lighter.
As far as the delorme is concerned I can confirm that it's emergency function is very efficient and impressive.
I take the point about New Zealand too and that is a factor to consider as I am planning to go there.