24 July 2008
Personal Locator Beacon – Good Buy?
Posted by admin under: Equipment .
Hiker Hell brings us another exciting chapter in somebody getting lost – maybe.
Search teams are trying to locate a man who activated his emergency beacon on Glacier Peak in Washington. The beacon was set off at about 7,000 feet on the 10,500-foot peak.
Authorities don’t know if the beacon was activated on purpose or accident, but they are treating it like a real emergency. A U.S. Navy helicopter was dispatched along with foot crews, some in four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Personal Locator Beacon
His emergency beacon? I thought that was planes and boats. A little digging around reveals that there are plenty of these things and they are less than a pound. CanoeKayak.com has the complete low-down on these devices.
The personal locator beacon, or PLB, is a pocket-sized emergency beacon designed specifically for paddlers, hikers, climbers, and other outdoor enthusiasts who might find themselves far from help when a life-or-death emergency occurs.
So, does that mean Scouts should bring these things along when they’re doing that 50 mile backpacking trip or rafting down the Colorado River or rock climbing? Probably not since most activities are done relative close to civilization and help can be accessed, but the biggest reason is the price tag. These things run from $500 to $3,500 if you don’t want a less expensive one that requires an annual subscription. However, they are rentable with a company named PLB, Rentals. They’ll mail you a PLB to use, generally for a week for $65 to $75.
2 Comments so far...
Dave Says:
3 September 2008 at 10:15 am.
I just got one of these PLBs. It was less than $500 and I have actually seen them for as low as $399, pretty affordable for what it does. I take mine with me everywhere, even when I am only a mile or two away from civilization because if my cell phone battery dies and I break a leg, then how do I get help? With my PLB thats how.
I bought an ACR because I did a lot of consumer research (its a life saving product, why wouldn’t I do a lot of research) and they had the best reputation by far, plus the price was pretty reasonable.
Good luck.
admin Says:
4 September 2008 at 1:03 pm.
Thanks, Dave. It’s always nice to hear real-life experience that isn’t on one of the websites selling these things. I appreciate you sharing your perspective!
