The Best Satellite Messengers, Based on Field Testing

Satellite tv for pc messengers can save your life. You desire a unit with the perfect probability doable of contacting SOS providers within the occasion of an emergency. However satellite tv for pc messengers are additionally probably the most costly objects in a backcountry package, with complicated subscription constructions and further charges. Over the course of some years proudly owning a satellite tv for pc messenger, you’ll doubtless pay $1,000 or extra in upfront and subscription charges. That will help you select the perfect satellite tv for pc messenger in your wants, I area examined six completely different fashions and put collectively a side-by-side comparability of their price constructions.

To begin, satellite tv for pc messengers had been put via a head-to-head take a look at throughout Out of doors Life’s annual backpacking gear testing journey. This included testing the reliability of satellite tv for pc messengers in sending messages, and taking note of variations between the Globalstar and Iridium networks. You’ll be able to learn a full breakdown of our area testing protocol here. Subsequent, I seemed on the inner battery and weight of every unit. I thought-about each testers’ expertise with the satellite tv for pc messengers and examined specs in home. Lastly, I ran a price comparison throughout each a single yr and 5 years of seasonal use for the perfect satellite tv for pc messengers. 

Greatest Satellite tv for pc Messengers: Critiques & Suggestions

Greatest General: Garmin inReach Messenger

Key Options

• Able to sending SOS, monitoring, check-in messages, and customized messages
• Satellite tv for pc Community: Iridium 
• Weight: 4 ounces
• Month-to-month plans vary from $8 (SOS solely) to $50 (limitless customized messaging)
• Worth: $300

Execs

• Makes use of Iridium community
• Pretty light-weight
• Glorious battery life
• Capable of message with out a paired telephone

Cons

• Solely is available in black
• No devoted telephone quantity

After going via all the information I had on worth, reliability, and performance, it’s clear that the Garmin Messenger is the best choice for the overwhelming majority of individuals. Like all Garmin merchandise, it really works off of the Iridium community, which testing confirmed outperforms the Globalstar community in reliably sending messages. Whereas it’s center of the street for pricing throughout all metrics, I appreciated that it had a decrease month-to-month price than the Zoleo and ACR satellite tv for pc messengers, which helps once you inevitably notice that you simply forgot to deactivate. I particularly admire their latest determination to permit for an SOS-only subscription, known as Enabled, with the choice to ship customized messages or check-ins that you simply pay for on a per foundation. This prices $8 a month, whereas their lowest priced plan that features 50 customized messages prices solely $15. 

The Garmin Messenger has probably the most spectacular battery of any satellite tv for pc messenger we examined, and it wasn’t even shut. Whereas different testers had been checking and re-upping their satellite tv for pc messenger batteries throughout our testing journey, I left my testing unit on with out upping the battery as soon as. By the top of 4 days within the backcountry, the battery was at 86 p.c. That interprets to roughly 3.5 p.c battery use per day which is on observe for the Messenger to hit the claimed 28-day lifespan. And that’s with sending a number of messages over the course of a testing journey. (I didn’t, nevertheless, have location tracing enabled.)

The Garmin inReach Mini 2 has lengthy been a favourite amongst backpackers for the flexibility to message immediately from the gadget. Nevertheless, this includes some severe henpecking to truly do. In observe, folks use the app. However, the flexibility to ship a message immediately from the satellite tv for pc messenger may be instrumental within the occasion that your telephone is disabled and also you want emergency help.

In my expertise, the henpecking required to ship a message via the noticeably smaller display screen of the Messenger is barely extra annoying than with the Mini 2, however not sufficient so to override its predominant profit in comparison with that costlier unit. 

A few minor dings. There isn’t any choice to droop service with Garmin, solely transfer it to the bottom tiered pricing construction. Should you solely plan to make use of your satellite tv for pc messenger one week a yr, this is probably not the best choice. That being mentioned, having a satellite tv for pc messenger out there to you at any time when you might be off grid, together with on distant roads or on one-off day hikes, is rarely a nasty concept. I additionally don’t love the colour: black. As a result of satellite tv for pc messengers work finest beneath clear skies, there’ll inevitably be occasions that you simply put the unit barely away from the place you’re establishing your tent. A brighter coloration (scorching pink, anybody?) would assist stop backpackers and others from leaving it behind once they arrange camp. 

Greatest for Quick-Time period Use: Zoleo

Key Options

• Able to sending SOS, monitoring, check-in messages, and customized messages
• Satellite tv for pc Community: Iridium
• Weight: 5.3 ounces
• Month-to-month plans vary from $20 (25 customized messages) to $50 (limitless customized messaging)
• Worth: $200

Execs

• Low upfront price
• Makes use of the Iridium community
• Devoted telephone quantity

Cons

• Barely heavier than different satellite tv for pc messengers
• Can’t ship customized messages with out a smartphone
• Much less strong battery

Zoleo’s decrease upfront price has made it a well-liked selection with backpackers and, given the snowballing advances occurring within the smartphone-satellite house, which will make it a wise selection for somebody who expects to make use of their smartphone as an all-in-one possibility within the not-to-distant future. Affiliate editor Ashley Thess sung the reward of her Zoleo, saying that she had used hers to “ask a buddy scare off a rattlesnake, get quarterly updates on a soccer recreation, checked in together with her emergency contact on journey delays, and ship a contented birthday message.” 

There’s a draw back to the price of the Zoleo on the again finish, the place it has a better month-to-month subscription price, $20 for 25 satellite tv for pc messengers in comparison with the Garmin inReach’s $15 for 50 messages. And when you can hit the SOS button immediately on the gadget itself, there is no such thing as a technique to sort a message out with out a smartphone bluetooth connection. Thess was additionally stunned that her Zoleo’s battery didn’t final all through the journey, needing to be recharged after a single day of being left on. (You’ll be able to delay the battery life by turning it off when not in use or altering the interval of how usually it checks for messages.) Lastly, ultralight backpackers, take be aware: This one additionally weighs about an oz greater than our high choose and nearly two ounces greater than our greatest ultralight possibility.  

Greatest Ultralight: Garmin inReach Mini 2

Key Options

• Able to sending SOS, monitoring, check-in messages, and customized messages
• Satellite tv for pc Community: Iridium 
• Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Month-to-month plans vary from $8 (SOS solely) to $50 (limitless customized messaging)
• Worth: $400

Execs

• Half an oz lighter than my finest general choose
• Simpler to textual content immediately on the gadget

Cons

• Increased upfront price
• Smaller battery than the Messenger
• Barely slower messaging occasions than the Messenger
• No devoted telephone quantity

Regardless of having extra options and a bigger on-board display screen, the Garmin inReach Mini 2 clocks in at a half an oz lighter than the Messenger. However there’s a price to all that. A literal price: The inReach Mini 2 is $100 costlier. And likewise a performance price. Not solely is the battery on the Mini 2 about half that of the Messenger, it additionally has a much less strong antenna. Throughout testing, the Mini 2’s messages all the time took barely longer than the Messenger’s to ship, with the worst differential being quarter-hour. 

However if you happen to’re going out for lower than every week and plan to message in your satellite tv for pc messenger solely (slightly than pairing it through Bluetooth to an app in your telephone) then this will likely certainly be the best choice for you. The bigger display screen and autocomplete perform does make it simpler to message immediately from the Mini 2 than the Garmin inReach Messenger.  

Garmin inReach Messenger+

Key Options

• Able to sending SOS, monitoring, check-in messages, customized messages, voice memos, and pictures
• Satellite tv for pc Community: Iridium 
• Weight: 4.1 ounces
• Month-to-month plans vary from $8 (SOS solely) to $50 (limitless customized messaging, 50 pictures/voice memos)
• Worth: $500

Execs

• Can ship pictures
• Can ship voice memos
• Can ship longer textual content messages 

Cons

Whereas Out of doors Life wasn’t in a position to embrace Garmin’s new inReach Messenger+ on our testing journey, because it launched after we had returned to the frontcountry, affiliate editor Ashley Thess received out with the newest mannequin to see the way it in comparison with the competitors. What units this unit other than all different satellite tv for pc messengers is that it is ready to share pictures and voice memos whereas off grid. 

Thess got here away impressed with the convenience with which she was in a position to share pictures and ship voicemails through the Messenger+. Whereas testing can be ongoing to make sure it has the identical reliability that we’ve come to anticipate from different Garmin merchandise, if you happen to’re searching for extra strong communication with family members within the frontcountry, this can be a stable choose. Nevertheless, in case you are solely buying a satellite tv for pc messenger for the aim of SOS capabilities and having the ability to reassure family members within the frontcountry that you simply’re nonetheless alive, it’s not likely crucial. Word that whereas the upfront price is considerably greater than for the common Messenger mannequin, the subscription plans are priced the identical. 

Learn Subsequent: The New Garmin inReach Messenger Plus Sends Photos, Voice Memos, and Group Chats

ACR Bivy

Key Options

• Able to sending SOS, monitoring, check-in messages, and customized messages
• Satellite tv for pc Community: Iridium
• Weight: 3.5 ounces (examined at 3.8 ounces)
• Month-to-month plans vary from $20 (20 customized messages) to $60 (limitless customized messaging)
• Worth: $300

Execs

• Light-weight
• Rolling textual content message accrual
• Appropriate with GoPro mounts
• Devoted telephone quantity
• Straightforward arrange

Cons

• Much less strong battery
• Despatched our take a look at messages to a spam folder
• Costly in the long run

First, a disclaimer on this assessment. It took over a month for me to have a look at the outcomes of my satellite tv for pc messenger area take a look at — too busy wanting on the outcomes of our take a look at of the best backpacking tents, best backpacking backpacks, and others. Then, once I did, I had no messages in my inbox from the ACR Bivy we examined. Additional trial messages revealed why: They had been despatched to my spam folder, the place they had been then deleted after a month. Whereas this sadly makes it troublesome to match the velocity of the ACR Bivy’s antenna towards the likes of the Garmin Messenger, we will fortuitously nonetheless infer some info because it makes use of the Iridium community, which carried out higher than the Globalstar community throughout the board. 

Whereas utilizing the ACR Bivy signifies that you’ll need to guarantee your contacts are repeatedly checking their spam folders, this unit did have some benefits over the others. Should you’re sending textual content messages as an alternative of emails, the ACR Bivy has a devoted telephone quantity that your contacts can add to their telephone. It’s pretty light-weight, if not fairly as gentle as marketed (my unit clocks in at 3.8 ounces), and may be mounted utilizing the identical {hardware} as a GoPro, which may be very useful for these of us liable to misplacing smaller objects. I additionally appreciated that this one was comparatively quick to arrange.

Sadly, the minimal subscription price for this makes it a fairly dear unit to personal long-term. That being mentioned, unused textual content messages roll ahead, month to month, which can assist mitigate the prices for much less frequent, extra related customers. 

SPOT Gen4

Key Options

• Able to sending SOS and pre-set messages solely
• Satellite tv for pc Community: Globalstar
• Weight: 5 ounces
• Month-to-month plan is $15
• Worth: $150

Execs

Cons

• Missed a check-in
• Excessive per 30 days price for the service offered
• Heavier than different choices we checked out
• No two-way messaging (could also be thought-about a professional by some)

As satellite tv for pc messengers get higher and higher, the entire concept of being “off grid” appears to be in danger. Pictures? Voice memos? Group chats? What’s subsequent, Slack? For these of us that want our tech rather less superior, the SPOT Gen4 has precisely what you want and nothing extra. This one has an SOS button, a monitoring button, a check-in button, and a second message button you can customise upfront. That’s it. There isn’t any technique to sort out a personalized message within the area; no method for somebody to get involved with you. That is particularly good if in case you have somebody within the frontcountry who’s fearful about you however you don’t essentially need to be listening to from them on the common.

As a Luddite myself, I like the concept of the SPOT Gen4 (I even used an older model of this again in 2014 on my PCT hike). Sadly, I can’t give it a full-throated suggestion for a few causes. The primary is the associated fee. Whereas this has a low upfront price, the subscription price is on par with different satellite tv for pc messengers, even a bit greater in some instances. This simply doesn’t make sense given the lowered performance. However the larger subject is that in testing, each the SPOT Gen4 and the SPOT X missed the identical check-in.

Each customers acquired affirmation that their message had gone out on the SPOT gadgets they had been in control of, however once I checked the log again within the frontcountry, they had been lacking. I don’t love that the SPOT was unable to ship a message in any respect, however the larger subject right here is that it indicated it had despatched a message when it had not. It’s price noting that each the SPOT Gen4 and SPOT X use the Globalstar satellite tv for pc community, which can be the satellite tv for pc community enabling SOS performance on iPhone fashions 14 and better.

SPOT X

Key Options

• Able to sending SOS, monitoring, check-in messages, and customized messages
• Satellite tv for pc Community: Globalstar
• Weight: 7 ounces
• Month-to-month plans vary from $15 (15 customized messages) to $40 (limitless customized messaging)
• Worth: $250

Execs

• Low worth for the options
• Constructed-in keyboard

Cons

• Missed a check-in
• Heavier than different choices we checked out

The SPOT X is the one satellite tv for pc messenger we checked out with a built-in keyboard. That signifies that even when your telephone died on you within the area, you may nonetheless use the SPOT X to customise messages to family members or emergency personnel with out the henpecking required by the Garmin inReach choices. And it gives all of this on the similar pricing construction as for the SPOT Gen4. For my part, the SPOT Gen4’s subscription plan is overpriced, however the SPOT X’s is a significantly better deal. 

Sadly, as detailed above, lacking a check-in might be a giant subject for backcountry vacationers, and doesn’t encourage confidence within the SOS function. 

Satellite tv for pc Messengers vs Smartphones: Rising Off-Grid Communication Applied sciences

During the last two years, it’s grow to be clear that the SOS perform on Apple’s iPhone 14 and 15 is a gamechanger for the backcountry. People who beforehand may not have carried a devoted satellite tv for pc messenger at the moment are ready to make use of their iPhone to ping the orbiting Globalstar satellite tv for pc community for assist in the occasion they’re misplaced or injured out of service. Extra not too long ago, Apple has added two-way communication. So if in case you have an iPhone 14 or greater, do you even nonetheless want a devoted satellite tv for pc messenger?

There are a couple of causes that you must nonetheless carry a devoted satellite tv for pc messenger, at the very least for now. The largest one is that Apple’s iPhone is utilizing the Globalstar community, which our testing confirmed remains to be suffering from reliability points. And whereas iPhone is now able to sending each SOS indicators and texts through iMessage, there are some limitations. The primary is that this performance is just out there with iPhone 14 or newer fashions. The second is that, to textual content, each events will want the iPhone 14 or greater. With different satellite tv for pc messengers, your contact within the frontcountry can textual content you again or ship an electronic mail from any gadget, not only one outfitted with satellite tv for pc messaging. 

However, that Apple already has this performance up and operating is spectacular. And so they aren’t the one ones. Garmin introduced a cope with Google to offer SOS functionality on Pixel 9s. Lastly, Starlink in partnership with T-Mobile is launching satellites that can be utilized for texting and, sooner or later, mobile calls and information use. 

Whereas I don’t see any considered one of these updates as spelling the top of devoted satellite tv for pc messengers any time quickly, cumulatively these product upgrades are trending towards a future the place they could very properly grow to be out of date for a lot of. Out of doors Life will proceed to watch these developments, together with side-by-side testing of those options as they grow to be out there to raised perceive their performance and reliability. 

How We Examined the Greatest Satellite tv for pc Messengers

Satellite tv for pc messengers had been evaluated on a lot of metrics, together with performance, pricing fashions, in-house measurements, and area testing. 

Subject Testing Satellite tv for pc Messengers

Satellite tv for pc messengers had been included as a part of our testing protocol on the 2024 Out of doors Life backpacking gear take a look at alongside the Goat Rocks Wilderness part of the Pacific Crest Path. Members of the testing crew had been every assigned a satellite tv for pc messenger to check. Every day, on the similar time and in the identical place, all of us despatched a message to my electronic mail. Whereas utilizing the satellite tv for pc messengers, customers famous battery lifespan and performance points. 

Beneath I’ve laid out the times and occasions of our check-ins. Occasions mirror the timestamp in my inbox within the frontcountry, whereas parenthetical occasions mirror the time that the satellite tv for pc messengers indicated they had been despatched. The ACR Bivy check-in’s sadly had been despatched to my spam folder and subsequently deleted, so there is no such thing as a report for these messages right now. 

Editor-in-chief Alex Robinson and I had been additionally in a position to take a look at out Garmin’s gadget to gadget service. Slightly than be part of us at first of the backpacking trek, Robinson met us midway via, utilizing a aspect path to intersect our location on the Pacific Crest Path. I confirmed timing with him utilizing the Garmin inReach Mini 2 and Garmin inReach Messenger whereas we had been each off grid. Two members of our testing staff had been ready for him on the intersection minutes earlier than he hiked up the path. 

Messaging Capabilities

All satellite tv for pc messengers supply completely different messaging choices. Right here is an outline of what every affords so you’ll be able to guarantee you might be selecting the choice that meets your wants. 

Weight and Battery Lifespan

I weighed every satellite tv for pc messenger and famous how the claimed battery life carried out within the area, the place tree cowl and canyons can have a large influence on battery lifespan. Understand that the more durable it’s to hook up with a satellite tv for pc, and the extra messages you ship, the much less time your battery will final.  

Worth Comparability

With satellite tv for pc messengers, the upfront price is simply the beginning. Subsequent there’s the activation price. Then it’s a must to select between a month-to-month subscription or a yearly subscription plan — be careful for hidden charges like reactivation prices. It was such a multitude to type via that I ended up placing collectively an Excel spreadsheet full of formulation. 

The under desk breaks down the prices, and compares the value for a season’s price of service for one yr versus a season’s price of service for 5 years. I additionally included notes on one-time activation charges (paid once you begin up your subscription) and reactivation charges once you restart a subscription that was suspended

Issues to Think about Earlier than Buying a Satellite tv for pc Messenger

Satellite tv for pc Community

There are two personal satellite tv for pc networks that satellite tv for pc messengers use: Iridium and Globalstar. Backpackers and others have lengthy felt that the Iridium community was extra dependable, and that gadgets on the Globalstar community will point out that messages have been despatched which are then by no means acquired within the frontcountry. Our testing confirmed that that is nonetheless the case. 

The opposite two satellite tv for pc networks to concentrate on are Cospas-Sarsat and Starlink. The previous makes use of a set of satellites from varied authorities businesses world wide. Whereas this community has lengthy been heralded as probably the most correct, you’ll be able to solely use SOS on it. As such, most satellite tv for pc messengers have moved to Iridium or Globalstar. Extra not too long ago, Starlink has moved into this house. Whereas their satellites should date not been suitable with cell telephones or different satellite tv for pc messengers, they’re working to change that. 

Battery Life

A satellite tv for pc messenger with a useless battery isn’t going to save lots of anybody’s life. And whereas most backpackers now carry power banks, a dependable, long-lasting battery will at a minimal present you peace of thoughts within the backcountry, and will even save your life. One other consideration is that the batteries in satellite tv for pc messengers will slowly leak energy over time, even turned off in storage. Should you haven’t upped the cost in your satellite tv for pc messenger in a while, there’s a probability that the battery has utterly died. And if the battery is totally depleted for too lengthy, it should finally not have the ability to maintain a cost. 

Purchase What Your Mates Have

Sometimes I wouldn’t advocate for following the gang, however on this occasion, there’s a good purpose. That’s as a result of if in case you have a Garmin satellite tv for pc messenger and your folks have Garmin satellite tv for pc messengers, you should use them to speak with each other whereas within the backcountry. That’s big within the occasion you might be separated. Similar with SPOT. And Zoleo. And ACR. However, it’s a must to have the identical model of gadget for this to work. 

Messaging Capabilities

How a lot messaging functionality you want relies upon largely in your private circumstances and preferences. Some folks like to remain in shut contact with buddies and family members within the backcountry; others want the solitude. Should you plan to remain in common communication, search for a plan that has an important worth for limitless messages. You may additionally need to contemplate choosing a satellite tv for pc messenger that means that you can compose a textual content immediately on the gadget. 

FAQs

Last Ideas on the Greatest Satellite tv for pc Messengers

A satellite tv for pc messenger is a doubtlessly life-saving piece of drugs. Whichever one you select, be sure you have an lively subscription and absolutely charged battery earlier than heading into the backcountry.