[BriGuy]

My son and his girlfriend hike into some very remote high country places around Washington and Oregon. They are good about telling us where they are hiking and letting us know when they are out of the hills and woods, but my wife and I still worry they'll get lost or injured and may need assistance.

So, we're thinking of getting them a reliable and simple GPS emergency beacon or communicator where they can signal for help. There seems to be a ton of options, so any recommendations from those of you with experience would really be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[BriGuy]

You're right, but it's hard to land the parental helicopter sometimes.

 

[BriGuy]

Thanks, everyone, for all of the great information. Much appreciated! I have a few things to look into. And, a possible self-serving Christmas gift.

My son and his girlfriend are smart (both engineering students) and don't take very many risks. But, they travel very lightly, cover a lot of ground, and rely a lot on their iPhones. They do load topo maps on them and would probably rely on the phones as their compasses, too.

Thanks for the reminders of a having a good old-fashioned compass. Sounds like a good stocking stuffer.

 

[BriGuy]

Just wrapping this thread up.

We wound up getting them an ACR locator beacon. It is very simple -- just activate it to summon help. Another factor was that the ACR does not require a GPS subscription. My son also likes it.

Thanks all for your input and PMs. Happy New Year and stay safe.