GarmininReach Mini 2, Lightweight and Compact Satellite Communicator, Hiking Handheld, Orange - 010-02602-00

Took this to Isle Royale NP in the US and it worked perfectly! Easy to use, durable, lightweight, definitely something you'd rather have than not in a bind! Was able to contact family to let them know I was safe when cell signal was lost.

This device has all the features one could need and features are customizable. I spend a lot of time in the deep wilderness of Alaska and am able to send and received important messages to friends and family. The most valuable feature for me is setting it up to send a location ping to the server every few min (customizable) to give my most approximate location if something terrible would happen to me or my partner. This information is protected by a login that can be shared by whomever you have at home waiting for you to return. The weather updates are also accurate and easy to use. Finally, you can use this as a standalone device or pair it with your smartphone to make texting quicker and view your topo maps, waypoints, and travel data if desired.

Very user friendly and durable.

A perfect device made even better with USB-C

Likes:+ Strong satellite signal in remote terrain. I was able to send my loved ones brief texts and keep them posted on my location throughout my hikes in Zion National Park.+ Small and compact.+ Comfortable material.+ The product is robust and durable.+ Sleek color and design.+ Decent coordinates accuracy.. Considering it can save a life-or-death situation, many would say it's worth the value for the money.Non-likes:- Limited options to customize your messages.- Limited buttons and functions in general (considering modern smartphone standards).- If you don't traverse the wilderness often, you'd be hard-pressed to justify the overall expensive expenses, including the recurring service plan to keep this radio operational. Lately I hike alone only once or twice a year. Since I often go with friends these days, I use various other tools, such as Strava, CalTopo, and HikingGuy guides, to stay on track and keep my friends safe. Free options suffice. Save money on any excessive extortionate options.

If you find yourself outdoors without service often, this is a must have for you. While it is a bit annoying that it requires a service to be used for communication, you can text, navigate, sync it with your phone, and even contact SOS if need be.

I love camping. I wish I could have done more of it in the past, but trying to get friends or family together for one is a P.I.A. I never solo camped because the places I like are National Forests that will normally have no cell reception so being alone and running into an emergency isn't a great incentive to be adventurous.Pros:The unit is easy to set up. Fairly easy top register and get an account. The subscription can be suspended at any time without penalty and reinstated when needed. Great for us fair season campers that will have these tucked away in our camping bins for the winter. Insurance is affordable. BUY THE RESCUE INSURANCE IN CASE YOU EVER NEED TO BE RESCUED. Battery lasts the entire weekend for me. I can send receive messages and leave breadcrumbs for my family to track. The list goes on and on, but most of all, I have peace of mind to get out on adventures by myself and get to camp more.Cons:Monthly subscription can be a little pricy if you want to be able to send more messages and send location data of your trip in real-time. You will need separate usage plan and rescue insurance. You can forgo the insurance but I don't recommend it. All it takes is one incident and you'll wish you bought at least the basic insurance. You can't switch between cellular data and satellite in the app. It'll always use satellite even if you have cellular coverage.I highly recommend this IF you love exploring areas outside of cellular service areas. It's a great tool to let your family know you're safe and peace of mind if something catastrophic happens. I hope I never need the SOS function but I can feel better when I venture out solo.

We bought this for our remote hike in the Highlands of Scotland. Used it to communicate with our children who were staying back in the Isles. Worked exactly like we had hoped and it provided that extra security we felt we needed.