The first week of February was tragic. Fourteen people鈥攖en听backcountry skiers, one snowmobiler, and three climbers鈥攚ere killed in avalanches across the country, for the most avalanche deaths in one week. In at least two of the incidents, the skiers鈥� beacons malfunctioned鈥攐ne was , and another had a . Both conditions inhibited the devices鈥� ability to accurately send or receive a signal.

These malfunctions were not responsible for the victims鈥� deaths, but this sudden spotlight reinforces the importance of carrying a functional, efficient transceiver. Beacons are inherently simple devices, and while the technology has improved over the past ten听years, major innovations in the field are rare. That鈥檚 why a new offering from Ortovox, the ($380), which launches in September, is听exciting.

The Diract Voice is the first beacon to use verbal directions. When you switch the device from 鈥渟end鈥� to 鈥渟earch鈥� mode, it shouts out audible听commands to help guide听your beacon search鈥攕imilar to GPS directions on a smartphone.听(There will also be a听version without voice commands, for $320.)

I tested the Diract Voice in January and found its directions to be straightforward. Before I acquired the signal of the transceiver I was looking for, the device told me to 鈥渞un in 50-meter search strips and look out.鈥� Once I acquired a signal, it instructed me to run straight听toward it听and guided me left or right if I veered off course. As I moved within ten听meters of the signal,听the beacon stopped telling me to 鈥渞un鈥� right or left if I needed course correction and instead said 鈥渨alk鈥� straight, right, or left. Tom Mason, brand manager at Ortovox USA, says the use of the word 鈥渞un,鈥� even after you鈥檝e acquired a signal, is听intentional.

鈥淲e鈥檝e seen that people move quickly during a signal search, but once they acquire a signal, they slow down and start making too many microadjustments,鈥� Mason says. 鈥淏ut if you鈥檙e still 40 or 50 meters out, you don鈥檛 want to slow down. You still want to be moving quickly and making macroadjustments.鈥�

Ortovox says听the beacon will not bark commands if you鈥檝e acquired a signal and听are heading in the exact right direction. In my test, the voice commands were always being issued, because heading along the direct path听takes a few pointers. I tried to fool the Diract Voice by heading the wrong way and was immediately told to turn around. Once I got within six meters of the buried beacon, my device said to听鈥済o down to the snow surface鈥� and start my fine search. (Ortovox says the six-meter figure might change slightly听before the final version is released.) At this point, the arrow on the digital screen went away, the numbers got bigger to help with the fine search, and the beacon told me to 鈥渟earch the smallest value.鈥� If I started to move away from the signal, the device said, 鈥淵ou were closer.鈥�

The Diract Voice also听allows you to flag the position of different victims if you鈥檙e dealing with multiple burials. In between commands, it lets out beeps that become more frequent as you get closer to the signal. A digital display on the front screen鈥攁bout 1.5 inches by two inches鈥攕hows an arrow and numbers. The arrow points you in the general direction of the signal once it鈥檚 acquired, and the distance听counts down as you get closer to the transceiver you鈥檙e searching for.

In a press release explaining why the company decided to include voice commands in the Diract Voice, Ortovox quotes Sirgun Holzer, a German psychologist who specializes in neuropsychology. 鈥淭he voice navigation alone is a great help because you can keep your eyes focused on the situation and not on the device,鈥� Holzer says.听鈥淰isual information needs to be processed first and then translated into an action. When this is done for us by a voice and the instructions are direct, we save ourselves one step in the processing sequence. Thus, clear instructions mean we need less cognitive capacity, which is already limited in such a situation.鈥�

Speaking on the same subject,听Mason compared the Diract Voice to a medical device like a defibrillator鈥攎any of which provide audible instructions to aid the rescuer. He says that during the development phase, Ortovox product developers speed-tested the commands, landing on a rate of speech听that suggested urgency but didn鈥檛 add stress.

The Diract Voice uses a rechargeable battery that, according to Ortovox, lasts longer than the standard AA or AAA batteries in other beacons. (The brand won鈥檛 give an exact number; it鈥檚 important to regularly check the battery life on any transceiver you use.) It does say that the Diract Voice easily meets and surpasses the industry standard of 200 hours in transmit mode at 10听degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) and one hour in search mode at -10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit).

Ortovox claims this battery will not leak, which would resolve the issue of a corroded battery compartment. You can鈥檛 replace the听rechargeable battery like you can with a set of AAAs, but if you鈥檙e on a long backcountry trip and worried about the battery running out, the Diract Voice can be recharged with a power bank and USB-C cord.

After witnessing an avalanche several years ago in Colorado, my brain鈥檚 first response was to fog over with stress. I saw my guide disappear, with table-size chunks of snow chasing him down the hill. They听managed to outrun the avalanche, but before I knew everything was okay, I immediately worried I was going to mess up the听search process. I know the correct procedure to follow听but still get a tinge of fear every time I strap on a beacon and wonder if I鈥檒l be able to find someone quickly in the event听of a burial. Knowing that the Diract Voice can help guide me in a similar scenario gives me a little peace of mind. I鈥檒l be adding this device to my quiver, but听I鈥檒l still regularly practice with a normal beacon听or with the voice commands turned off, because they can鈥檛 and shouldn鈥檛听replace standard search procedures.

I suspect some veteran backcountry skiers and guides won鈥檛 want to use the Diract Voice, because they鈥檙e听accustomed to standard beacons and might be annoyed by a device chirping out commands. But for plenty of backcountry skiers, myself included, voice directions have the potential to help us conduct a more efficient search.

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You might already be familiar with the emergency beacon ICEdot. It鈥檚 a sensor that attaches to your helmet and can sense when you crash, thanks to a built-in accelerometer. Once it records the crash, the device then triggers a countdown on a smartphone app. If you don鈥檛 stop the countdown (say, because you鈥檙e unconscious), it prompts your phone to send a text with your GPS coordinates to your emergency contact.

ICEdot had one major flaw: it didn鈥檛 work out of cell range. A new device called solves that problem. Like ICEdot, PhiPAL uses an accelerometer and a countdown, but if you鈥檙e out of cell range, it can hook onto a satellite signal, ensuring that your emergency contact receives your location.

The base version of the product connects only to a cell tower, just like ICEdot, and will cost $150 when it hits retail. The Pro version, on the other hand, talks to a satellite and will cost $300. It will also require a $120 annual subscription for the satellite connection. That鈥檚 a high price tag but still cheaper than the $150 subscription cost of . And unlike PhiPAL, the Spot requires that you鈥檙e physically able to use its emergency button to send for help.

The technology is sound but has its own challenges. The device is not only expensive but also large and ungainly. ICEdot is roughly the diameter of a quarter and fits on the back of your helmet. PhiPAL is the size of a Clif Bar and goes on top of your lid. Manufacturers have already warned that helmet-mounted cameras can stop their helmets from effectively protecting you in a crash, and the same might be true for PhiPAL.

Bottom line: Automatic distress beacons are a potentially life-saving idea. But, to me, this one only warrants the high price tag and unwieldy design if the user plans to spend lots of time skiing, biking, or climbing alone in the backcountry.

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At the 2015 Interbike trade show, POC Sports debuted its , the first-ever mountain bike helmet with a built-in Recco听rescue reflector.听

Until this fall, the system听had only been used in snow gear鈥攑rimarily jackets, helmets, and ski boots鈥攚ith its main purpose being to help emergency responders find avalanche victims. POC鈥檚 new downhill helmet is the first product to broaden the technology鈥檚 use beyond snowsports. Paired with an听updated Recco detector,听it could change how search and rescue teams find people lost in the backcountry.听

The听technology听consists of two parts: a Chapstick-size听reflector built into gear听and a handheld radar detector that emergency teams use to pick up a signal from the reflector. 鈥淸The Recco听detector] goes out in the first response, with the dogs and the transceivers,鈥� says Dale Atkins, the former head of the American Avalanche Association and Recco鈥檚 training and education manager. Atkins considers Recco听another tool in rescuers arsenal, rather than a replacement for anything: it isn鈥檛 designed to be used instead of a beacon and a probe.听

That鈥檚 because, while the tech is sound, it has a few serious limitations. For one, it only works if the avalanche victim is wearing gear with a built-in Recco听reflector. While the device is common on most high-end snowsports outerwear, it鈥檚 by no means ubiquitous. The Recco听handheld detector also has a limited range of about 600 feet through air and 100 feet through snow. 鈥淭he handheld works really well in a confined area, like an avalanche path, but it鈥檚 not a big enough or powerful enough to search an area for missing hiker,鈥� says Recco听Vice President Johan Sauer.听

To fix that issue,听Recco's spent the last decade developing a new detector, , which is听designed to strap to the bottom of a helicopter for year-round use. The SAR 1 weighs around 300 pounds and can search an area 600 feet wide and a half-mile long in less than four minutes. The reflectors won鈥檛 change, although they鈥檒l start appearing in more summer gear, like the POC helmet. 鈥淚 see avalanches as a big problem for a small community,鈥� says Sauer. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a very tragic event鈥ut looking at the number of accidents for missing people, whether it鈥檚 climbers, hikers, or mushroom pickers, the numbers are鈥uch bigger. We can bring this technology to [more] people in need.鈥�

Last year, SAR 1 entered its first pilot program, operated by Air Zermatt in Switzerland, which runs the search and rescue program there. Sauer says there will be several more similar programs across Europe by summer 2016.听Recco听just听has to convince U.S. and European emergency responders to follow suit. 鈥淚t鈥檚 probably a year or two away from being adopted in North America,鈥� Atkins says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an expensive tool, so not every rescue squad or county sheriff will have one, but in Colorado we could have [about] three or four.鈥�

Of course, the detector is only half the equation. It鈥檚 useless if the听people you鈥檙e searching for aren鈥檛 wearing a reflector. That鈥檚 why Recco听and companies like POC, are working to standardize the system. They want it to be in as many pieces of outdoor gear as possible. In addition to the bike helmet, POC says it鈥檚 going to put the devices into two ski helmets, too,听and other companies have followed suit. Ortovox will build Recco听devices , while Peak Performance is incorporating them into its hiking gear.听

It ultimately comes down to the consumers, though, which is why Atkins, who worked in search and rescue in Colorado for 40 years, says backcountry travelers need to take charge of their own safety, regardless of the season. In January, the International Commission for Alpine Rescue sent out a , which said that everyone in the backcountry should always carry some way to be found. The brilliance of Recco听is that it鈥檚 a passive tool: users don鈥檛 have to remember to turn something on or even learn how to use it. It鈥檚 a good backup.听

鈥淢arketing safety equipment is a really a tough thing to do,鈥� Atkins says. 鈥淏ackcountry skiers and riders know they should have transceivers, but only half the people who get caught in avalanches have them. The big challenge is getting people to realize that the probability [of an accident] is low, but the consequences is high.鈥�

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If you鈥檙e skiing in the backcountry, you want reliable high-performance gear. Here鈥檚 my list of the 14 halo products I鈥檇 take with me when the lines get steep and the snow gets deep鈥攁ll recently tested during an 11-hour day of climbing and skiing down 14,180-foot Mount Shasta.听

AIARE Field Book ($30)听

This is the most important tool I bring into the backcountry. Knowledge of the snowpack and conditions is crucial for anyone venturing beyond resort boundaries. I use , as well as the training I got with it, as my baseline to help guide smart decisions. It鈥檚 where I jot down my plan for the day, and it鈥檚 my rescue lifeline.

DPS Tour1 Wailer 112RP2 Skis ($1,050)听

DPS made its already insanely lightweight skis for winter 2015鈥�16.听The company combined a balsa core with its proprietary carbon laminate in a cap construction to shed extra ounces while maintaining enough stiffness to make descents controlled and enjoyable. I noticed the light weight on the ups and the torsional rigidity on the downs. Available next winter.听

Dynafit TLT Radical FT Bindings ($600)

The classic tech binding, the is durable, lightweight, and sturdy鈥攖he perfect combination for long tours and aggressive descents. You can shave five ounces by opting for the lighter STs, but the extra rigidity鈥攖hanks to the baseplate鈥攎ore than makes up for the slight weight increase.听

Dynafit TLT 6 Boots ($750)

The is close to a slipper as a ski boot can get. I walked for miles under a heavy pack while climbing Shasta and didn鈥檛 develop so much as a single hot spot. The boots鈥� range of motion doesn鈥檛 hold me back on the up, and the plastic insert makes them plenty stiff for descents.

Black Diamond GlideLite Mohair Mix STS Skins ($165)听

鈥攎ade from 65 percent mohair and 35 percent nylon鈥攚eigh just 24 ounces and slide and grip as well as any skins I鈥檝e tried.

Ortovox 3+ Beacon ($369)听

I鈥檓 thankful that the only times I鈥檝e switched to search mode was while practicing companion rescues. The display is intuitive, and the three antennas proved very sensitive during those practice sessions.听

Mammut Nirvana Pro Pack ($200)听

This is plenty big enough to hold the essentials during daylong expeditions. It uses a combo Velcro-and-strap system for the A-frame ski carry鈥攐ne of the most intuitive designs I鈥檝e seen on a backcountry pack. The Nirvana Pro has the compulsory back zip, which allowed me to pack my calories, layers, and crampons in their own compartment without interfering with my shovel and probe.

Mammut Probe Plus 280 ($50)听

This packs down small to easily fit in a pack but extends to over nine feet when you need it.听

G3 Avitech Shovel ($65)听

The Avitech is simple, reliable, lightweight (just over 27 ounces), and breaks down to 18 inches long, making it easy to slide in my pack.听

Camp XLC Nanotech Crampons ($200)听

When the slope gets too steep for skis, I use these lightweight (just 21.1 ounces) with steel reinforcements up front. They give me plenty of grip on icy sections and are easy to throw in the pack as an insurance policy.听

Black Diamond Traverse Pole ($85)听and Carbon Whippet ($140)听

I prefer the to the carbon model even though it鈥檚 a bit heavier because it鈥檚 a good deal more durable and less expensive.听But I sprang for the carbon fiber听听to use on my longest days when I appreciate every ounce I can shave.听

Black Diamond Revolt Headlamp ($60)听

The 130-lumen runs on both rechargeable lithium ion batteries and AAAs. I can charge the headlamp via USB the night before and bring spares just in case.听

Giro Range Helmet ($240)听

I鈥檓 currently testing the Range for 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 2015 Winter Buyer鈥檚 Guide. But here鈥檚 a little spoiler: uses a cool new fit system that ratchets the exterior shell to fit your head, rather than an interior lining controlled with a dial. The fit was remarkably comfortable and prevented cold air from creeping in. But I still found that the ample venting kept my head from overheating during the ascent. Available in August.听

Hestra Fall Line Gloves ($145)听

My have proved plenty waterproof while fiddling with gear in the snow. Cowhide leather makes the exterior durable for climbing, and the lack of interior seams combined with neoprene wrist enclosures make them feel superplush despite the rugged face fabric.听

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Ortovox, one of the world鈥檚 leading manufacturers of avalanche safety and alpine sports equipment, issued a 听of all its S1+ avalanche beacons, which have been on sale since 2011.

The company discovered a critical flaw in one unit that was sent in for service on March 23. According , the issue could limit 鈥渢he ability to transmit a discoverable signal even as the unit appears to be powered on and functioning properly.鈥�

The owner of the beacon sent the device in after finding that it didn鈥檛 work properly during a search training exercise. When the Ortovox team examined the device, they discovered a flawed component in the circuitry that manages the beacon鈥檚 transmit and receive functions. According to Patrick Brown, the spokesperson for Ortovox, while all beacons are quality tested before shipping, this problem could arise due to 鈥渃hanges in temperature or discrepancies in the component geometry.鈥�

According to Ortovox, this is the first beacon with this issue. But the company determined the flaw could occur in other units and issued a voluntary recall. The recall applies to all beacons sold through March 2015.

Ortovox will continue selling the S1+ after the recall by finding a new supplier to produce the component that came into question. This particular part is only used in the S1+: the recall does not apply to other beacon models sold by Ortovox.

鈥淥nce you have a known issue, you have to bring it to people鈥檚 attention,鈥� says Ben Pritchett, program director for the . 鈥淚f your ski skins don鈥檛 stick, that鈥檚 a bummer, but that doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean there needs to be a recall. When you鈥檙e dealing with safety equipment, consumers expect a really high degree of reliability. I think Ortovox is doing absolutely the right thing by issuing the recall.鈥�

The S1+ debuted in August 2011 and, among other features, is distinguished from the earlier S1 model by the addition of Ortovox鈥檚 Smart Antenna Technology. Since its initial release, between 3,500 and 3,600 S1+ beacons have been sold in North America.

S1+ owners 听to send in their beacons for repair. Ortovox will do all repairs for free, pay for shipping, and provide loaner beacons while the S1+ beacons are being serviced.

听

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Once upon a time, planning for the worst in the wild meant packing a signal mirror and a bunch of flares. With the , you don't need any of those things.听

The Beartooth is essentially a cover that you place over your existing smartphone. Similar to the goTenna, it acts as an antenna to communicate with another Beartooth device. Basically, it听turns your phone into a specialized radio that's听self-sufficient from cell phone towers or Wi-Fi signals.* It also adds a whole new range of features, including voice, encrypted text, geolocation, and beaconing, along with SOS broadcast access for any device in range. The big battery pack doubles the current battery life of your phone.听

Satellite phones are still unparalleled in service, but they come with a hefty price tag. For the casual alpinist and seasonal festival-goer, Beartooth might be the better option. Bring it with you to Coachella where networks are slammed or for that weekend through-hike far from cell service.

$TBD,

*This sentence was modified to clarify how Beartooth Radio and goTenna work.

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The emergency we're most likely to encounter this winter has nothing to do with a superstorm, nuclear attack, or apocalyptic volcanic eruption. It's more likely to take place in your car. And when you slide off the road or your ride breaks down, the right gear can mean the difference between life and death.

We spoke with Joel Stevens and Mark Puhaly,听owners of听, to talk about the gear that belongs in your vehicle this winter. The men also听run two successful survival blogs, and just co-authored , which dedicates an entire chapter to emergency car kits.

Before you switch on听the ignition, you'll want to take a few practical measures. First, communicate your travel plans to friends and family, says Stevens. Then think about where you plan to drive before stocking the car. “I'm not going to carry four sleeping bags if I'm in the middle of south Texas from April to September,” says Puhaly. Start with these essentials:

Pack: In most automotive emergencies, you'll want to stay in the car and wait for rescue. But sometimes you can't afford to鈥攖hat's when you need a good pack. “If you leave your vehicle and go for help, you should pack some items with you,” says Stevens. Bring only the essentials (a light, extra layers, water, cellphone, and fuel), all of which we found fits in the compact .

Warm Blanket: Stevens prefers wool because of its superb warmth-to-weight ratio and wicking abilities.

Bivy Sack: Lightweight and packable, a bivy sack such as the ($100)鈥攚hich weighs only 15 ounces and packs down to 10 inches wide鈥攚ill protect you from extreme cold.

Duct Tape: The most versatile item on this list.

Clean Water: Stock your car with a few bottles of water or a gallon jug. A filtration system like the 鈥攚hich can purify four liters of water in minutes鈥攊s also a good option if you're traveling near a water source.

Poncho: A cheap plastic poncho will keep you dry in the rain and it can also be used as a makeshift shelter.

P-Cord: Parachute cord, a lightweight nylon rope, can be used for everything frosm erecting shelters to making an emergency splint.

Food: Puhaly and Stevens suggest packing enough food to last each person three to five days. Go for non-perishables like calorie-dense , which have a five-year shelf life. MREs, which last between three and five years, are a good option, too. Find a spot in your car where you can store the food and forget about it. “The more prep that goes into your kit ahead of time, [the better]. When you actually need that gear, you're going to be grateful that you took the extra time to think about it beforehand,” says Stevens.

Tinder: A fire can keep your warm and make you more visible to rescuers. We like , a lightweight, flammable cube that's easy to pack and store.

Stormproof Matches: The WetFire Tinder is .

Multi-Tool: A good multi-tool like the 听doesn't take up much space, but helps with everything from cutting p-cord to opening a can.

Compass and Maps: Nope, this gear isn't obsolete. You don't want to rely on your phone if you have to hike to find help.

Headlamp: We like the 160-lumen , which is waterproof, has multiple light modes, and is relatively inexpensive at $50.

First-Aid Kit: Customize a store-bought first–aid kit听with supplies that might come in handy in the car (think gauze, a cleaning agent, and pain killers).

Road Flares: A warning sign for both rescuers and oncoming traffic.

Tools: Stock a mini tool kit with pliers, an adjustable wrench, a flat-head screwdriver, motor oil, fuses, and jumper cables. Puhaly and Stevens also recommend car-safe spare gas like , emergency fuel that doesn't emit harmful fumes.听

Cellphone Charger: 听can store enough electricity from your 12-volt power socket to recharge your phone twice.

Beacon: A beacon like the , which transmits your location even when you're off the grid, is a great insurance policy.

Extra Layers: Instead of throwing it away, pack that old jacket or baselayer in the trunk.

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Once upon a time we went into the backcountry to unplug. Constant connectivity, while obviously a boon to society in many ways, is exhausting. Your attention is pulled in a hundred directions and every few minutes you鈥檙e jostled out of your groove by another beep or buzz. And so we retreat back to nature to get away from all that and rediscover our humanity.

But here鈥檚 the thing: the Grid is expanding. Our hiding places are shrinking away, and before the decade is out, there may be no refuge left. Yes, really.

Consider: This week, a team from MIT collaborated with NASA and demonstrated technology that can . Yeah, the freakin鈥� Moon. The one orbiting Earth 238,000 miles away. If science can do that, you can bet that streaming Game of Thrones in the middle of Yellowstone is child鈥檚 play. And companies are already hard at work to provide such a service.

For the last year, Google has been testing an idea known as . The concept is to essentially blanket the entire planet in Wi-Fi by putting a network of solar-powered, antennae-toting weather balloons into the stratosphere. Each balloon would float for roughly 100 days, and would be steered so that the grid of connectivity is essentially gapless around the world.听

On the one hand, it鈥檚 an extremely laudable goal, making the Internet (theoretically) accessible to everyone on the planet. The aid it would provide to previously unconnected locations in the arenas of education, medicine, and commerce is massive. On the other hand, what happens to our most sacred places once the web creeps into them? Yes, you鈥檙e enjoying the majesty of nature, but part of you feels like you should check your work email, just to make sure nothing is on fire. And since you have the ability to do that, isn鈥檛 it the responsible thing to do to just take a quick look?

Even if Google鈥檚 balloon project doesn鈥檛 float (sorry), this is the direction we鈥檙e headed. Earlier this year, when Ben Saunders and Tarka L鈥橦erpiniere completed Robert Scott鈥檚 ill-fated 1,800-mile , they were dragging computers, satellite antennae, and solar panels so they could blog and upload photos and video from their tent each of the 100-plus nights they spent out there. I guess you鈥檝e got to keep the sponsors (Intel and Land Rover) happy somehow. As satellite data speeds increase, though, you鈥檝e got to wonder how far we are from someone live-streaming HD video while summiting Everest or K2.听

Even us unsponsored Joe and Jane Schmoes out for a few days in the backcountry already have options. Last year Thuraya introduced the , which is basically a case for your iPhone that pops it onto a global satellite network with the press of a button.听

And earlier this year we met the , a portable Wi-Fi network that fits in the palm of your hand and allows you to connect a whole array of devices to satellite Internet. Now, both of these services are limited in the apps you can use with them, they鈥檙e prohibitively expensive for many, and they positively crawl at early 1990’s dial-up data speeds. But the point is they鈥檙e here already, they work, and they鈥檙e only going to get better.

Obviously, there鈥檚 some good that comes with all of this. Lost in the wild? Download a map. Not sure how to treat an injury? Get medical advice. Running a couple days late because of bad weather but otherwise fine? Let your family know so they don鈥檛 freak out. Someone needs to be medevac鈥檇? Press of a button. These are good and potentially life-saving features. 听

There鈥檚 a dark side, though. One of the best things about going way off the grid currently is that you just have to make that decision once, and then once you鈥檙e out there, you鈥檙e committed to it. You aren鈥檛 constantly wondering whether or not you should be checking your phone because, simply, you can鈥檛. It鈥檚 not an option, and so you let go of those nagging voices, and you鈥檙e able to fully relax and recharge.听

If, however, we lived in a world where even the most remote nooks and crannies were Internet-ready, then, 鈥淚 want to check my phone. Should I check my phone?鈥� is a decision you will have to make over and over again, even while you鈥檙e out camping in the middle of nowhere. The current lack of technology makes it easy for us to just be in the woods when we鈥檙e there, but once the capability is an option, not-checking becomes a matter of will power. And you鈥檒l be subject not just to your own habits, but to the expectations of others. There will be no more, 鈥淪orry boss, I鈥檒l be off the grid next week,鈥� because the entire planet is on the grid.

Last month I did a through-hike across Zion National Park with some friends. One guy used his iPhone as his only camera, which meant it was always on him and always within reach. Sure enough, almost every time we got to a ridge he would check to see if he had bars on this phone. Occasionally he did. So while most of us stood there, jaws agape, staring at the incredible red rock canyons, he would take the opportunity to fire off a quick work email or say hi to his girlfriend. Now, his work and his girlfriend both knew he was going to be off the grid for a week and had no expectation of him checking in, but he did it anyway. Why? Because he was tempted and because he could. And every time it happened we felt him disconnect from the group, from the nature around us, and from the present moment.

Now, that is what happens today when, at best, you鈥檙e grasping for a bar or two here and there. What happens when you have consistent, quality Internet in the wild? Could you resist uploading a photo until you get back? Could you resist the siren song of your email and social networks? Well, how strong is your will?

Just because we at 国产吃瓜黑料 prioritize getting out and away doesn鈥檛 make us luddites. We recognize the advantages that technology brings, and how beneficial it can be in an emergency. But our stance is that emergencies are what this should be reserved for. Bring your phone, but keep it in your pack, with the power off. Think of it as a lifeline that鈥檚 there if you need it. You will be tempted. We鈥檒l all be tempted. But remember why you鈥檙e out there in the first place.

In the near future, the only way to get off the grid will be to willfully pull the plug yourself. We hope you鈥檒l pull it. Deep breath. It鈥檒l all still be there when you get back.听

The post The Dangers of a Wired Wilderness appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

In early May, Kevin Boniface was riding his new motorcycle in the Colorado Front Range, along an open off-road area not far from the site of infamous . The ride was going great鈥攗ntil a friend, Tom, who was also riding that day, leaned too sharply, caught his handlebar, and went down.

When Boniface reached Tom, his friend was drooling and concussed, and possibly had broken ribs. 鈥淲e had the same conversation over and over,鈥� Boniface recalls. 鈥溾�楬ow did I get here?鈥� What happened?鈥欌�� They were 40 minutes from the nearest paved road, and had no cell-phone service. The injuries appeared quite serious.

Three years earlier, Boniface had invested in a SPOT tracker to have on hand during emergencies. Boniface had only ever used before the accident, a preset sending his wife his location at the click of a button. As Tom writhed in pain, Boniface decided now was the time to test his SPOT鈥檚 SOS beacon.

鈥�(My SPOT tracker) was really helpful because I probably could have ridden to go get help, but it saved a lot of time,鈥� Boniface says. About 35 minutes later, a sheriff was on site and Tom was in an ambulance.

Boniface didn’t realize at the time that he would be part of a company milestone: the rescue was the 3,000th that utilized ‘s GPS technology.听

, the sat phone company which owns Spot, launched their tracker in 2007, and usage of the devices has been climbing ever since. SPOT products can be programmed to send GPS coordinates via stationary low-earth satellites to emergency responders鈥� at . Most satellite phones , not counting service fees.

Search and rescue teams traditionally depend on mobile networks, sometimes radio networks, to locate lost adventurers. But according to Globalstar CEO Jay Monroe, 75 percent of the planet’s land surface is out of network; you鈥檇 be hard-pressed to find a cluster of cellphone towers in Aniakchak National Monument, for instance. Satellite phones and trackers transcend this problem. SPOT’s trackers, called SPOT Gen3, and SPOT Global Phones can access low-earth satellites from anywhere in the world.

鈥淲herever it is in whichever country, the capability of the unit is such that it really takes the search out of search and rescue,鈥� says Monroe. 鈥淵ou know exactly where the person is and all you have to do is go get 鈥榚m.鈥�

When someone presses an SOS beacon, a signal with his or her coordinates goes out to an international dispatch center manned by emergency response company . GEOS alerts the relevant protective body鈥攈ere, the sheriff鈥攂ut also the emergency contact of whoever owns the SPOT, to double-check the owner鈥檚 last known coordinates.

鈥淭he truth is, about one time a day, we get an emergency rescue and often times it鈥檚 life or death,鈥� says Monroe. 鈥淚f it wasn鈥檛 out there鈥攖here would be some number of people in my backyard of Colorado who wouldn鈥檛 be at this year鈥檚 Fourth of July barbeque.鈥�

In Boniface鈥檚 case, a county dispatch reporting error sent his wife in a panic to the hospital.

鈥淎fter the sheriff showed up, I figured I should probably make sure she knew I was okay, so I pressed the okay button,鈥� Boniface says. 鈥淪he and Tom鈥檚 wife saw each other in the emergency room and started putting stuff together.鈥�

Tom, had sustained four fractures to his collarbone, and broke seven ribs, but was expected to make a full recovery.

鈥淗e鈥檚 definitely gonna buy a SPOT,鈥� Boniface says.

The post How Satellite Trackers Save Lives appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.