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STICK
03-23-2010, 19:52
So my wife tells me that I have to get a SPOT for my hike coming up in May. (I told her I would rather have a sleeping bag....but the SPOT will be neat too.) This will be my first solo trip.

I am probably going to get the Personal Tracker (Gen 1 SPOT) off of Amazon.com. They have one listed for $98 + free shipping. I will wait and activate it towards the end of next month though just so I don't waste a month.

I will be using it from Neels Gap to Fontana Dam. Has anyone used a SPOT between these points, and if so how well did it work for you? I am debating getting the tracking feature turned on, but it's an extra $50 and I don't want to turn it on if signal is crappy through there.

Also, does anyone get the extra SARS insurance? I know it's only $13 but by the time you add the cost of the SPOT, the annual membership, Possibly tracking feature, and then SARS insurance, well it adds up (and I still want the sleeping bag, and the tarptent, and the.........)

Thanks for any help.

Tuts
03-23-2010, 19:57
I carried that damn thing for 3 months before I gave up on it. It works really well. Every night I turned it on and pressed the "ok" button and it tracked my progress. It's sort of neat to see the old map and to have your family follow you, but the Gen 1 Spot is bulky and heavy. I'm not carrying a full pound of extra weight like that for 2000 miles. Not worth it to me, but still a cool little thing. It worked about 90% of the time also, no matter the weather or location.

Wise Old Owl
03-23-2010, 20:06
Tough call, you do not need it for the AT. Its more about reaching out each trail town and calling about your progress.

STICK
03-23-2010, 20:16
I understand that the Gen 2's have just recently been re-released, so I was not sure about those, plus it's about $70 more! I would rather save that and use it on something else.

kayak karl
03-23-2010, 20:20
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&gl=us&ie=UTF8&om=0&msa=0&msid=112746510977574609048.00045653637a1e7b4d0b5&z=5
this is my map of this section. i only carry my SPOT kayaking now. its a pain hiking with it since it must be mounted on top of pack to work. its just a very expensive toy.

10-K
03-23-2010, 20:25
Yes, but if mama ain't happy, nobody's happy.. :)

STICK
03-23-2010, 20:28
KK, that map is pretty neat though. Did you buy the tracking feature or did you just hit the OK button a whole lotta times?

Roland
03-23-2010, 20:29
STICK,

If your wife refuses to release your leash unless you buy a SPOT, I guess it's worth the 100 bucks. I'd try to get her to settle for an occasional phone call rather than SPOT. In my opinion, it's a gimmick.

Your money, your hike. Enjoy it.

STICK
03-23-2010, 20:30
10-K, I tell here some of the responses here such as Wise Old Owls (Just the "You don't need it for the AT" part) and she stars asking, "Do they have a wife?!"

I hear ya.....

Tuts
03-23-2010, 20:39
If she really won't let you off the hook, then get a gen 2. They're MUCH smaller and lighter than their counterpart.
Tuts

10-K
03-23-2010, 20:39
10-K, I tell here some of the responses here such as Wise Old Owls (Just the "You don't need it for the AT" part) and she stars asking, "Do they have a wife?!"

I hear ya.....


Yeah, If my wife wanted me to carry a SPOT I'd carry a SPOT - so what? It's not that big of a deal in the overall scheme of things.

just dad
03-23-2010, 20:43
I too was trying to keep mama happy. On one section hike I ended up rafting verses calling home. Big mistake. I investigated SPOT. Reports were that it did not work well under dense tree cover, which is most of the AT. A reliable alternative is a SARSAT locator beacon. These are more powerful and more reliable than the SPOT technology. At least one model is about the same size and weight as the SPOT. The SARSAT won't let you check in with the wife, but it will give you more reliable rescue help, which is what mama should really care about. There is no subscription for SARSAT, so the overall price is about the same. If I were hiking alone, I'd leave it home, but since I'm hiking with the kids, we carry the SARSAT so mom can sleep.

Hooch
03-23-2010, 20:45
Stick, you need to tell your woman to get in the kitchen and make you a sammich or some pie. Take charge and tell her you're going hiking your own way and if she don't like it, then she can hit the freakin' bricks. She'll like that, I bet it works real well for you. Or maybe not. :rolleyes::eek::D

Roland
03-23-2010, 20:47
Stick, you need to tell your woman to get in the kitchen and make you a sammich or some pie. Take charge and tell her you're going hiking your own way and if she don't like it, then she can hit the freakin' bricks. She'll like that, I bet it works real well for you. Or maybe not. :rolleyes::eek::D

So.....how many times have you been married?!! :D

Hooch
03-23-2010, 20:48
So.....how many times have you been married?!! :D
Twice. I know what you're gonna ask. Yup, divorced twice, too. :banana

Roland
03-23-2010, 20:52
Twice. I know what you're gonna ask. Yup, divorced twice, too. :banana

So now you gotta make your own sammich and pie.....

schnikel
03-23-2010, 20:54
My brother bought me one for Christmas a couple years back for a hike in RMNP.
Last year my friend thru hiked the AT and borrowed it so that his friends could track his progress. So he set it up of the website and ever night my wife and I got on line and followed him. It was fun because I had an old thru-hike manual so we knew exactly where he was and could guess where he might make it to the following night.
He would hit the "OK" button everynight where he was camping for 1 hr or so. Some nights there would be 10 hits in the same location, some only 2, but keep it in a clearing and eventually it will get through.
Not only will your wife be happy but your friends will be able to track you each night and that will also be fun.
Just use it for fun, not to save your a$$!!!
Schnikel

STICK
03-23-2010, 20:56
Haha, wow!

Truth be told, I wouldn't mind having one, it's just that there are so many other things.....I will get one, and it will make her happy, and I will get to go hiking and I will be happy.......

However, I think I am going to go the cheapest way out, which is looking like the old Gen 1.

Hooch, thanks for the tips, but as a "newly wed" still I had better not follow that to a tee (hey I said "AT") :)

Roland
03-23-2010, 20:59
~
Hooch, thanks for the tips, but as a "newly wed" still I had better not follow that to a tee (hey I said "AT") :)

Memorize these two little words: Yes Dear :D

All the best in your marriage and your hike!

10-K
03-23-2010, 21:01
Memorize these two little words: Yes Dear :D

All the best in your marriage and your hike!

And always choose your battles wisely. :)

Pootz
03-23-2010, 21:02
I just got a SPOT2 and have only had a chance to try it on one trip. I got it so friends could track me on trips. The EMS feature will also come in handy if needed.

It worked very well over the 2 days. I clipped it to the top of my shoulder strap, could not even tell it was there.

There was only a one mile section that it did not track me. Not sure why. I was hiking on a pretty remote area in PA near Kettle Creek State park. This area has steep climbs and close valleys, not sure if this may have caused the one problem. Other than that is sent out ok messages with no problems. Looking forward to using it on future trips.

STICK
03-23-2010, 21:04
So when I send an OK message do I have to hit it and let it set there for a while? I can't just hit it while I am walking?

I guess thats what the extra $50 for the "tracking feature" is huh?

LIhikers
03-23-2010, 22:25
Maybe a better alternative would be to get the wife to come backpacking with you. Then she'll know right where you are and if you're OK or not.

WILLIAM HAYES
03-23-2010, 22:30
get the sleeping bag you dont need a spot on the AT

Tuts
03-23-2010, 22:44
So when I send an OK message do I have to hit it and let it set there for a while? I can't just hit it while I am walking?

I guess thats what the extra $50 for the "tracking feature" is huh?
Correct. The tracking feature is you keeping it on pretty much all day and it follows you around ever so often. The normal function is to turn it on, press "ok", and let it sit until only one of the lights is blinking... 10 minutes perhaps. It works good but I still wouldn't get the gen 1 spot... go for the gen 2... it's lighter and smaller. If you're going to get one that is.
Tuts

STICK
03-23-2010, 23:37
She can't get off of work long enough for this trip, and I am kinda excited about me going solo this time. Will be my first one. She is carrying me to Neels Gap and then meeting me at NOC and then picking me up at Fontana. In October we are going back together and doing the Smokies.

shoe
03-24-2010, 00:20
I have the Gen 1 SPOT for the same reason as you Stick. Hubby won't let me out without it. I say don't buy the tracking feature. I rarely use it and when I do it doesn't work as well. Out of using it since April 2008 I have only had a couple of messages not go through. And most of my hiking is on the AT. At the end of the day I just find a clear spot and let it do it's thing. It may sit out there for an hour until I am ready to call it a day and climb in my tent.

If i had the money I would get the generation 2. I think the signal is maybe stronger.

I would get the SARS insurance. It's only 13 bucks and if something does happen you have it. My friend broke her ankle on the trail a couple of years ago and she had one. And it worked great. She didn't have to pay anything. She had the insurance.

Just my 2 cents.

ShakeyLeggs
03-24-2010, 00:21
Another way to go is with a Ham radio HT and APRS.

You would have to get a Amateur Radio License but that is easy as you nolonger need to know Morse Code.

Get a Yaesu VX-8R and the GPS for it. Then set up the APRS to report your position. Don't need to have sats to worry about. Also at 5 watts you can get a signal out pretty far. The radio can serve double duty as a way to talk to the outside world. With the proliferation of repeaters along the trail finding someone to talk to should not be a problem. The APRS system you can have a small text message go out as well so you can tell everyone that you are ok.

Just another option. YMMV

Graywolf
03-24-2010, 00:43
OK, I have to add a few lines here..Cant't help it..Heres an idea: Get the spot, turn it on..That will make her happy..But because its too heavy feed it to a bear with it on..That way she can follow the Spot and know "your ok", tell it dies and the SAR unit comes looking for you..:D That could easily fall into the "Prank" thread..

Ok, Now seriously..I didn't use my cell phone on my Springer to Neels section hike, My idea was to get AWAY from the house AND ties..But that said, I have heard you can get reception, so how about get a blackberry or something else you can connect to the internet with..Open up a "Trail Journals" and when you can, add an entrie..She will not only be able to follow you, but also read about your day..It will be worth it and if you already have cell phone service anyway, a cheaper alternative then the Spot..Just an idea, but could work...

I still like the bear idea though..What a rouse....

Graywolf

STICK
03-24-2010, 00:56
The bear idea would be funny, as long as I had the insurance on the SPOT! She would probably notice to when I came home and we both sat there tracking the SPOT's progress......

I actually have a BB Pearl. It's old and worn out and needs to be replaced, but I have never loved a phone like I do this one. How do you think I keep up with the forums during the day while I'm at work?!

On our last trip in September I actually got reception here and there, but it was a bit spotty too. I am not sure the battery would last that long either. (10 days) THat is a great idea though.

I thought you had to be preparing for a thru or something to set up a Trailjournals account....

tagg
03-24-2010, 11:42
STICK - you're a brave man asking about taking a spot on this forum. if you wanted to hear people criticize you, you should have just cut to the chase and asked about carrying a gun.
i may have mentioned it to you in an email, but i had a spot with me in september. much like you, my wife was not going to be ok without it. i resented the extra weight, but it did bring her a level of comfort. my signals went through with no problem from neel gap to deep gap, but i haven't gone farther than that yet. you definitely need to leave it stationary for about 20 minutes, though. the only time one didn't go through was because i moved it after i saw the "ok" light flash the first time. you need to let it run through the entire cycle, which i believe is three transmissions. otherwise your wife will panick when she doesn't get the ok (like mine did), and you will end up creating concern rather than relieving it. in addition to the weight penalty, i think the risk of false concern due to a failed signal is the main problem with them. in my experience, if i set it up under even a small clearing and left it alone for 20-30 minutes, it worked well.
if it were up to me, i would not carry a spot because i have been on the trail and i know i don't need it. however, what makes my wife happy is far more important to me that what makes some know-it-all whiteblazer with thousands of posts happy, so i'll just hike my own hike and ignore the snotty "i'm a much smarter hiker than you" posts. to actually answer your question (which was not "should i bring a spot?"), i'd say save your money and don't worry about the tracking feature because your wife just wants to know you're ok, she probably isn't as interested in your coordinates as you are. just leave it stationary for at least 20 minutes when sending an "ok". if the 2nd generation is lighter, go with that if you can afford it, otherwise the older model will work for you if you need it to. i did not pay for the insurance.

kayak karl
03-24-2010, 11:44
KK, that map is pretty neat though. Did you buy the tracking feature or did you just hit the OK button a whole lotta times?
tracking.................................

Panzer1
03-24-2010, 11:53
The idea of carrying one of those SPOT devices doesn't sit well with me. Its like your prepared to be rescued instead of being prepared to survive.

Panzer

10-K
03-24-2010, 11:56
The idea of carrying one of those SPOT devices doesn't sit well with me. Its like your prepared to be rescued instead of being prepared to survive.

Panzer

Panzer my man... it's not about that.

Wife + Happy = Happy wife (that's good)

Wife - Happy = Not happy wife (that sucks)

I mean, we're just talking about carrying a SPOT and if that's all it takes to go hiking without resentment, it's a great deal.

Ender
03-24-2010, 11:57
Panzer my man... it's not about that.

Wife + Happy = Happy wife (that's good)

Wife - Happy = Not happy wife (that sucks)

I love this. :sun

Panzer1
03-24-2010, 12:07
Panzer my man... it's not about that.

Wife + Happy = Happy wife (that's good)

Wife - Happy = Not happy wife (that sucks)

I mean, we're just talking about carrying a SPOT and if that's all it takes to go hiking without resentment, it's a great deal.

I don't think that "not happy" is the correct word here. I think it should be "anxiety". This anxiety comes from the unknown. That is the unknown of what it will be like on the trail.

Panzer

Panzer1
03-24-2010, 12:12
it kind of reminds me of the lifeline commercial where the elderly person falls down and says "help, I've fallen down and can't get up" and then activates their beacon that they are wearing around their neck to summon help.

hikers are not supposed to be helpless people, they should be prepared and self sufficient and confident in their ability to take care of themselves.

Panzer
disclaimer: no, I'm not trying to make fun of the elderly

The crock
03-24-2010, 12:23
Hi Stick I will be leaving May 5, My Wife told me I HAVE to get one, She even paid for it!

10-K
03-24-2010, 12:34
hikers are not supposed to be helpless people, they should be prepared and self sufficient and confident in their ability to take care of themselves.


I think everyone participating in this thread agrees with that.

tagg
03-24-2010, 12:56
hikers are not supposed to be helpless people, they should be prepared and self sufficient and confident in their ability to take care of themselves.

with all due respect, neither STICK nor anyone who has responded to this thread has said/suggested/implied that they carry a spot because they are helpless or are not confident in their ability to take care of themselves. it is simply a matter of helping someone you love feel at ease. if throwing an extra pound of gear in my pack accomplishes that, then it's a sacrifice i'm willing to make. 10-K is absolutely right. the only reason i have carried a spot is because i have respect for my wife's feelings. what's wrong with that?

sly dog
03-24-2010, 13:21
Wife talked to me about it before but after she hiked with me on the AT she see's there is no need for it here. I do go out solo or with my brother for weeks and never came close to needing it and I do carry a cell. Most cell phones will hold a charge for your 10 day section if you only turn them on to check in with a text or blog. They also sell a charger that will give your cell another little bit of power from a AA battery. This will save u money. Now in Aug I am heading to Alaska for 10 days and she IS making me rent one for that trip.:D

Panzer1
03-24-2010, 13:26
what's wrong with that?

If the problem is that the wife is upset about your leaving then maybe you could reassure her that you will be safe and that she should not worry.

Just use your cell phone to call home and let her know your ok.

Panzer

Panzer1
03-24-2010, 13:42
what's wrong with that?

when I go backpacking I worry more about leaving my wife home alone then I worry about myself. If I had a SPOT device I would leave it with my wife so I wouldn't worry about her.

Panzer

dzierzak
03-24-2010, 13:54
Cell phones don't work everywhere. I carry a PLB, not because I depend on it to save my a$$, but to keep the wife from being too concerned. "No news is good news." No tracking involved, or even "I'm OK" messages. It may as well be a brick, but it makes her happy.

10-K
03-24-2010, 14:11
when I go backpacking I worry more about leaving my wife home alone then I worry about myself. If I had a SPOT device I would leave it with my wife so I wouldn't worry about her.

Panzer


Cool, then do that.

As for me, I'm not carrying one or leaving one with my wife but if she asked me to I wouldn't have a problem with it.

I'm not trying to sound like "Husband of the year" because lord knows I'm far from perfect but one thing I know: If something means everything to her and nothing to me I don't even consider it a sacrifice to do it.

tagg
03-24-2010, 14:13
If the problem is that the wife is upset about your leaving then maybe you could reassure her that you will be safe and that she should not worry.

dude, if i knew how to do that, i would. if you have a secret formula for changing a woman's mind once she has it set on something, please let me know, because it would really help me out in some other areas of my life, too.

tagg
03-24-2010, 14:15
when I go backpacking I worry more about leaving my wife home alone then I worry about myself.

i agree with you about that.

weary
03-24-2010, 17:09
My wife has no idea what a SPOT is. Please don't tell her.

Roland
03-24-2010, 17:12
My wife has no idea what a SPOT is. Please don't tell her.

I'm going to tell her it's a device which enables men to perform like they were 30 years younger. :D

healthymom
03-24-2010, 17:48
I will be hiking alone. My husband is petrified. I've mentioned several times on this forum that he is NOT an outdoors person.
I will be carrying a SPOT and a cell phone and charger and extra batteries.
If that's what it takes to make my husband of 25 years happy so that I can fulfill a life dream, so be it.
I will also buy the tracking feature so that the many friends and family who are backing me in my hike can watch my progress.
I will also buy the insurance.
None of this is for me. It's all for my loved ones. Because I do love and care for them as much as they care for me.
So, it's not a gender issue. It's a caring about those you left behind (and hope to return to) issue. It's about the peace of mind of those who support you.
Just my 2 cents
Dee
healthymom

STICK
03-24-2010, 17:50
My wife has no idea what a SPOT is. Please don't tell her.

Haha.....

Spots really are an issue. I don't have any beef with them (ok other than the weight, but like tagg says "it is simply a matter of helping someone you love feel at ease"). I just have eyes for so many other pieces of gear right now, the spot wasn't high up on my list.

Anyway, now with whats come up, by the time I get one maybe the Gen 2's will be cheaper.....

WILLIAM HAYES
03-24-2010, 21:18
buy a dog and name him spot take him with you

STICK
03-25-2010, 00:54
He might be heavier than the gen 1 or 2.....

STICK
03-27-2010, 14:24
Oh, and just for the record, I used my SPOT money for the sewing machine.
Cheers!

jnetx
03-27-2010, 19:41
I actually have a BB Pearl. It's old and worn out and needs to be replaced, but I have never loved a phone like I do this one.

I thought you had to be preparing for a thru or something to set up a Trailjournals account....

If you have a BB Pearl, pay the extra $ for data with your cell phone co. Open the browser and go to google maps and download the mobile version. Open that, allow it to interact with you phone's built in GPS, and sign up for Google Latitude. Add your wife's email to the list of people you want to be able to see your whereabouts. With the Latitude it will track you to within about 3' if you have a data signal. On the top 500miles of the AT and AT&T provider in 2008 I had enough signal to update the Latitude from almost every mountaintop I tried. If your wife uses a gmail account she'll get a nice little app on the google page that shows last location and time, and you can put a little text status message in. Might not work where you stop every night, but at least enough for a every couple days check in. If she has a Pearl too you can do the same for her phone so you can see where she is too!

Main thing to remember is to exit out of the Google Maps Latitude when you know it has updated, leaving it on wears the battery down real quick, but a couple times a day won't drain much. I also updated my TJ from my Pearl, but only when I got in to town. With a spare battery I was able to type the TJ entry in a notepad file each night, then copy an paste to the TJ site when I had a good signal and fresh charge.

Panzer1
03-27-2010, 20:47
A few months ago most hikers did not have these things. Now it sounds like it the new "gotta have" thing. scheese :rolleyes:

Panzer

STICK
03-27-2010, 22:37
jnetx, that sounds pretty cool. I'll have to loo into that....

STICK
03-27-2010, 23:51
The Goggle Latitude is very cool. I have downloaded it to my phone and I can see myself on goggle maps at an iGoggle homepage or at the map at Goggle Latitude (when I'm signed in.)
This could knock SPOT over a little, IMO.

Panzer1
03-28-2010, 04:10
Now they have portable electric bear fences. If your wife's find out about this you'll have to carry one of these things too. :D:D:D

Don't worry; only 3 pounds - batteries last for 5 weeks.

http://www.udap.com/bearshock.htm

Panzer

jnetx
03-28-2010, 09:54
The Goggle Latitude is very cool. I have downloaded it to my phone and I can see myself on goggle maps at an iGoggle homepage or at the map at Goggle Latitude (when I'm signed in.)
This could knock SPOT over a little, IMO.

It's a neat little application. I certainly wouldn't want the entire world tracking me, but my Mum, sister and my little neice get a kick out of being able to see where I am, and the search feature for businesses has been useful when I'm in an unknown town looking for something.

double d
03-28-2010, 10:19
So my wife tells me that I have to get a SPOT for my hike coming up in May. (I told her I would rather have a sleeping bag....but the SPOT will be neat too.) This will be my first solo trip.

I am probably going to get the Personal Tracker (Gen 1 SPOT) off of Amazon.com. They have one listed for $98 + free shipping. I will wait and activate it towards the end of next month though just so I don't waste a month.

I will be using it from Neels Gap to Fontana Dam. Has anyone used a SPOT between these points, and if so how well did it work for you? I am debating getting the tracking feature turned on, but it's an extra $50 and I don't want to turn it on if signal is crappy through there.

Also, does anyone get the extra SARS insurance? I know it's only $13 but by the time you add the cost of the SPOT, the annual membership, Possibly tracking feature, and then SARS insurance, well it adds up (and I still want the sleeping bag, and the tarptent, and the.........)

Thanks for any help.

No offense, but try and live alittle and go without the spot, after all, the AT is about self reliance and not about relying on crap technology. Just bring a map or two, a guidebook, a good old fashion compass and off you go on your AT hike. Maybe you'll come back a changed man feeling better abour yourself if you didn't bring the Spot with you (and along with the $13 SARS insurance, the annual membership and added and unneeded weight of carrying the damn thing). Just my opinion.

Wise Old Owl
03-28-2010, 10:40
Stick, you need to tell your woman to get in the kitchen and make you a sammich or some pie. Take charge and tell her you're going hiking your own way and if she don't like it, then she can hit the freakin' bricks. She'll like that, I bet it works real well for you. Or maybe not. :rolleyes::eek::D

ohh boy so old school, The females here are going to get uppity over this post (Women belong in the Kitchen)

What you meant to say is save the price of the spot, tell her if its that important she can come along for the first 50 miles....:-?

Fine Print.....
Woo - is not a Internet psychologist

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Rick500
03-28-2010, 12:33
If you need something like a SPOT -- and I don't know how well this will work out due to possibly spotty cell phone reception and/or lack of opportunity to recharge the battery -- but if you have an iPhone, there is a free app called InstaMapper that will send your current location at whatever time interval you choose. It probably wouldn't be practical to leave it on throughout your hike due to battery life, but you could turn it on a couple times a day and send a ping.

STICK
03-28-2010, 14:27
So how does it differ then from sending a text? Could I not do the same?

J5man
03-28-2010, 14:54
You cannot free text from the SPOT, you program a short message from your account and from your Spot, you hit the "OK" button at any given time and it sends out the programmed you entered from your computer.

STICK
03-28-2010, 17:17
No not the SPOT, I understand that. I was comparing sending a text message to using the Goggle Latitude or the iPhones Instamapper. If I was going to let my cell phone connect to send my current location to it's appropriate program, why wouldn't I just send a text? Will the "GPS" in my phone use a different signal or satellite than when I use it for talking or texting?

Shooting Star
03-28-2010, 20:54
I got the 1st gen SPOT 2 years ago to lug about on trips
and have a love/hate relationship with it. People harp on
the weight (8 oz) and it's a bit bulky but I keep lugging it
along. The big gotcha with it is that it does not have enough
transmit power to punch through a heavy leaf cover. Works
pretty well when the trees don't have much leaf cover. I
carry mine antenna side up in the top "quick access" portion
of my Osprey pack.

The tracking feature is a fun playtoy and you can map your trips
on the SPOT adventure site. The OK button is good enough for
someone back home to follow you. Since you need to be in an
area without heavy tree canopy, my protocol is to do the OK
check while I'm breaking camp, around mid-day during a break,
and when I stop to camp at the end of the day. Shelters and
"take a break" spots often have a bit of a clearing so this works.

On of this thread's responses mentioned that his SPOT caused
more worry back home due to missed OK checks. I had the same
experience. My first trips were early spring with little tree canopy
and my OK checks got through. For my first late spring trip, few
of the OK checks got through and the folks back home were
getting a little worried. If you buy this beast just make sure that
anyone back home knows that some OK checks won't punch
through the trees and not to worry about some drop outs.

You asked about the SARS feature - at $13 a year, that's pretty
cheap helicopter rescue coverage. I think it's worth it.

A number of comments to this thread are in the vein of not
needing one because the AT is about self-reliance. If you're
thru-hiking, you'll run across people most every day and don't
have a big need for something like this. It's more about back
home contact and comfort. If you're section hiking off season,
you don't see many people on the trail and a SPOT can be a
big help in a tough situation.

At 8 oz, if this were just a "make me more comfortable" item,
I wouldn't carry it. I like the peace of mind it brings though,
so I'll lug it about again this year.

Good luck...

Panzer1
03-29-2010, 03:52
I think a G3 cell phone would be much more useful than a spot.

Panzer

Pony
03-29-2010, 15:02
I knew someone who carried a spot and everytime he forgot to hit the button his mom was a nervous wreck thinking he had fallen off a cliff or been eaten by bears.

Seems like this device causes a lot of unneccesary worries.

Panzer1
03-29-2010, 16:20
what if you had a SPOT and came across an injured person on the trail. If you activated your SPOT could you be charged for the rescue of the injured person?

Panzer

HDMama
03-29-2010, 19:41
I'm using a gen 1 SPOT on the AT; started 23 March. My hubby loves the fact that he can see where I am and is comforted by the fact that if something really bad happens I can call for help. I mount it to the top of my pack and I don't even notice the weight; maybe 8 oz. definatly not a pound. Here's the link to my trail journal if you want to check it out:
www.trailjournals.com/DanaPhillips (http://www.trailjournals.com/DanaPhillips)

Wise Old Owl
03-29-2010, 19:52
The idea of carrying one of those SPOT devices doesn't sit well with me. Its like your prepared to be rescued instead of being prepared to survive.

Panzer

WOW I could not have said that better myself GREAT post Panzer!

flemdawg1
03-30-2010, 09:50
Stick, do whatever you need to do to make your hike happen. If it lets you get out, its all worth it.