Video: Personal Locator Beacons vs. Satellite Messengers — Which One is Better?

In the outdoors, as in other aspects of our lives, it’s always important to have the right tool for the job. That is especially important when it comes to maintaining personal safety in the backcountry, where staying in communication can play a vital role. Two tools that help us do just that are personal locator beacons and satellite messengers, although while those two products may seem very similar, they have some very different technology and capabilities behind them. So which one should you carry with you into the field? There is a case to be made for both, depending on what you’re doing and int his video, our friends at REI help break it down by explaining what each device is capable of. The clip does a good job of sorting out some complex technology, making it much easier to understand.

Kraig Becker