One of the only drawbacks of traveling to exotic and remote locations is being out of touch with the rest of the world. Sometimes, it’s nice to be disconnected; at the same time, it can be dangerous. It’s natural for friends and family back home to worry about your safety and well-being. Happily, modern technology is making it easier than ever to stay connected to your loved ones as you travel the globe. Today, the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger is becoming the mobile device of choice for adventure seekers.

In this review, we’ll highlight what SPOT does - and what it can do to make hiking, boating, and backcountry skiing safer.

Photo Credit: SonnyandSandy

Notify Emergency Responders of Trouble with the SOS button

Nothing is more frightening than being in a remote, difficult-to-reach places when danger strikes. If a life-threatening emergency develops and you’re nowhere near help - and you’re far out of range of useful cell phone coverage, the ability to summon SOS can mean the difference between life and death. The SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger includes a SOS button that can be pressed in the event of an emergency. This emits an emergency message to an International Emergency Response Coordination Center; it also gives them your location.

Send Custom Messages to Friends and Family

A button with a conversation bubble icon on it denotes the “Custom Message” button on the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger. This button allows you to send an additional message to a predetermined group of contacts. It also sends them your current location, allowing them to keep track of your whereabouts. Use this function to send friendly hellos to people back home and to let them know that everything is going well. It is not designed to be used in emergencies, however; it is strictly designed to keep people from worrying about you during your adventures.

Get Help in Non-Emergency Situations

When you need help but aren’t in a life-threatening situation, the SPOT’s “Help” button is sure to come in handy. The button is emblazoned with the image of one outstretched hand reaching for another. This button should be pressed when you require assistance but aren’t in truly dire straits. It can also be activated with SPOT Assist, which notifies 3rd party service providers of a breakdown that you have. For example, subscribe to SPOT Assist Roadside or link your BoatUS membership to BoatUS towing services.

Track Your Progress

Have you ever been out in a remote area and wished you could view your precise path later on? By activating SPOT’s “track progress” feature, you can do exactly that. Once you activate the feature, it begins sending your coordinates once every ten minutes. It keeps doing so until you tell it to stop, or after 24 hours. It’s a great way to chronicle your adventure, and it makes for a delightful add-on to this topnotch messenger. Set up a Shared Page and share your waypoints with friends and family on Google Maps™. More importantly, it demonstrates that SPOT isn’t just about keeping you safe and connected - it’s about having fun, too.

Check In with Your Friends and Family

The SPOT also includes a button that says “OK” with a check-mark next to it. Check-in/OK lets your contacts know where you are and that you’re OK. It’s a quick and easy way to keep everyone’s minds at ease while you’re away. Since it only involves pressing a single button, there’s no reason not to reassure your family and friends on a consistent basis - it certainly won’t get in the way of your travel experiences.

The bottom line on the SPOT Messenger is that it is a must-have device for any serious adventurer. Finally, you can go out and see the world without leaving friends and family in the dark. This device also allows you to connect with other adventurers on a specialized website, SPOTAdventures.com, where a bustling community of travelers share their adventures with one another. From the standpoints of safety and entertainment, then, this Satellite GPS Messenger can’t be beat. If you like getting off the beaten path on a regular basis, this is the device for you; if you have an adventurer in your life, this would be a Christmas or birthday present that they’re sure to love.