SPOT Gen3 GPS Messenger Review

The main reason for owning a SPOT, in my opinion, is for when the feces hits the oscillator and you need help ASAP. The SPOT Gen 3 also has a whole plethora of other features that make it an even more useful tool in the backcountry. Weighing in at under 125 grams and about half the size of an iPhone, you can throw it in your pack just in case, and not think twice about it.

Most adventurers these days carry a cell phone with them, which is a great first line of communication. The obvious problems are that they a) inevitably run out of juice and b) get spotty service. I usually carry a backup iPhone charger, like a Mophie, and have had to hike out of canyons and up peaks just to get cell service so that I can check in and not have folks worrying about me. The new SPOT pretty much eliminates all that.

SPOT Backstory

People have been using Satellite phones for decades but they are costly and bulkier than a SPOT. Globalstar, the satellite phone company that owns spot, saw a need for a more economical rescue device and launched the first SPOT in 2007. At $150 Spot Gen3 service plans are under $10 a month, its an affordable piece of mind.

Globalstar CEO Jay Monroe, notes that 75% of the planet’s land surface is out of cellular service. He says, “The capability of the unit is such that it really takes the search out of search and rescue. You know exactly where the person is and all you have to do is go get ‘em.”

There are all sorts of success stories of hikers, climbers, mountain bikers, and hunters—you name it—who have been rescued with response times under 30 minutes in even the most remote locations by using personal locator beacons. When you are operating deep in predator country or traversing high-altitude avalanche terrain, packing an absolute zero-fail satellite emergency signal is just as crucial as carrying the right thermal layers or wilderness survival tools. It is exactly this type of mandatory, life-saving rescue tech that we prioritize alongside premium optics and rugged apparel in our master directory of the best hunting gear for unpredictable mountain conditions. Since it’s winter, I thought I’d put some links to a couple of recent ones from Alaskan snowmobile accidents and avalanches to show just how critical these little units are when everything goes sideways.

How it works

There are five buttons on the SPOT Gen3 with symbols to depict their functions: SOS, SPOT Assist, Tracking, Check-in, and Custom Message. The SOS and SPOT Assist are for emergencies, while the rest are for checking in with friends and family and tracking your trip via GPS/Google Earth.

SPOT SOS Messages

The SOS button sends a signal to GEOS International Emergency Response Coordination Center (http://www.geosalliance.com/) who then will contact local search and rescue services. The button has to be held down for a couple of seconds until the LED blinks green. It has a rubber flap that keeps it from accidentally being pushed in your pack. If for any reason you do press it and decide you don’t need it, you can hold it down for two seconds until the LED light blinks red and the rescue is canceled.

In non-life-threatening emergencies where you still need help, you can press the SPOT Assist button and a message with your GPS coordinates will be sent to your contacts. This is a nice feature because you might not always need search and rescue and a helicopter. It saves a lot of money and resources, especially if you just have a sprained ankle and need someone to help carry your camping gear out of the backcountry, or your truck is out of gas on a forest service road somewhere in the mountains.

Check In Button

Check In Button

You can hit the Check In button and your coordinates will be sent to your contacts along with a pre-programmed message letting them know you are safe and your trip is going according to plan. This is easily the most frequently used button on the device; it completely eliminates off-grid anxiety for family back home. When you hit it, the unit drops a waypoint pin on a private Google Maps link for your predefined contacts, letting them track your route in real time.

The Custom Message button works similarly, allowing you to send a secondary, non-emergency message that you script ahead of time on your online profile (e.g., “Delayed but safe, camping here tonight”). Just remember that because this is a one-way satellite messenger, your contacts cannot reply to your messages—it is purely a beacon to broadcast your coordinates and status outward to the civilized world.

SPOT Gen 3 Pros & Cons

Overall Impression

When you are operating out of cellular range, the SPOT Gen 3 is the ultimate insurance policy for when things go sideways. It strips away the unnecessary bulk and heavy subscription costs of a traditional satellite phone, focusing purely on zero-fail emergency broadcasting and streamlined check-ins. If you value your safety and want to keep your family from worrying while you are off-grid, throwing this little unit into your pack is a complete no-brainer.

Even with newer models out, the Gen3 remains a budget favorite in our Best Personal Locator Beacon roundup.

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