Thanks. Is this the device you're talking about? Looking at the dimensions/weight of it, seems fairly comparable to the phone. Check-in feature is neat. 5 min "basic" tracking seems not that great for my use case...

Yup this is it but they have different models. The one I’m familiar with the size of a beeper that you can attach to an armband...

They’ve got one called spot trace and it can track every 2.5 min. How frequently do you want to be stalked? :)

Also forgot to mention that on top of the device cost you have to pay a subscription for the satellite service ...

It is pretty accurate and will work wherever you are which isn’t always the case with the phone as the spot messenger communicates directly with the satellites.

Thanks! Yes, makes sense that all of these will have some kind of subscription fees, either satellite comm or just mobile/LTE.

The SPOT subscription appears to be more costly than say the Samsung device mentioned earlier, and for 2.5min frequency I'd have to pay even more. Seems like 2.5 might be enough, but it's a little annoying imo in this day and age. Say if it's used while riding and there's a crash on a descend, 2.5mins could be a mile+ difference (i.e., it takes a reading, I crash 149 seconds later and destroy it or drown it so it can't read any more). SPOT seems also significantly bulkier. If I were to guess though, it's likely far more precise... I'll think about it, thanks for letting me know!

I had a look at the Samsung device and looks like it uses the cellular network.. so it's not the same as using the GPS satellites... that's not an issue if you're training in areas with good connection to the cellular network but more problematic in areas without such as out in the bush. Where I live, this also includes rural residential areas, etc. If it cannot connect to the cellular network or connect well enough (depending on the GPS chip and the ability for it to connect to the network) then it's as useful as running with a dead weight as it'll show you as being in the wrong location by however many feet from your actual location. If you're confident that the cell network is very good wherever you're going then I don't think it'll be an issue but SPOT has the coverage for pretty much all areas. Just a few things to consider. No sweat off my back on which device you choose - GPS is not very straightforward particularly as there are so many gadgets out there but if it's a life or death sorta situation it's worth knowing it's capabilities and limitations.

Also, I wouldn't worry too much about the 2.5min tracking interval as it takes a bit of time for devices to connect to the various satellites in the skies... high grade GPS can take several minutes in very challenging locations. What I'd be more concerned about is the location accuracy the device can give you and your wife.

++ on this one, or Spot if you only need 1 way communication

I am always biking or running with my phone. And it's just because I always listening to music during biking or running.

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