It's a toy not a life safety device

By uogecko Ranked #384 - Trail Running Accessories July 22, 2009

The marketing for this device is excellent however the research and development that went into it is really lacking. It's not reliable at all and should be used for fun only, not when life safety is a factor.

I purchased the SPOT for emergency use during a sailing trip across Lake Michigan. Because we were out of cell phone and radio range, we needed a device to let family know we were okay and notify the Coast Guard in the event of an emergency. The SPOT stopped transmitting our signal after 90 minutes and family members became so worried that they called the Coast Guard.

SPOT is difficult and confusing to use. It's impossible to tell if it's actually working so we had no idea that it had stopped sending our location to family members.

The device requires a "clear view of the sky" which is a major understatement. The middle of Lake Michigan on a clear day was not adequate for the device apparently.

I would never recommend this device to anyone and am grateful for return policies!

View Details: SPOT Satellite Messenger

Helpful Votes: 1 Yes | 0 No