Super Speedy Summary Review
The Bivystick will best suit people that need a tracking and mapping device with communication when you may not have cell phone signal when you are out on trail or in the wilderness. Unlike the competition from Garmin or SPOT this great little device does not have a monthly subscription plan so you aren’t stuck paying monthly when you may not use the unit regularly. It also allows you to recharge your phone or other USB devices on trail ( acting as a power pack too) and by pairing with your smartphone and a really well designed app it allows you to have the largest screen and easiest interface for checking weather, sending and receiving messages, tracking and SOS for when you are outdoors and wont have a cell phone signal.
All in all this trounces the weak offerings from SPOT and in a few features also beats the best Garmin has to offer as well. I was really impressed when I tested it.
Full In Depth Review
There are times when even in upstate New York or Connecticut I find myself on trails with no mobile phone signal at all. This means in an emergency I have no way of getting help. I’ve been looking for an affordable solution to my needs for a while, and earlier this year tested the SPOT tracker and found it was next to useless on trail for signal and reliability so I was hopeful that the Bivystick would perform better given that it uses the more reliable Iridium satellite system.
So Whats in the Box?
The box contains the Bivystick ( which will be reasonably well charged up but will need a top up) a karabiner for attaching to clothing or backpack and a USB charge cable as well.
What is the Iridium Network? Aren’t All GPS units the same?
Bivystick uses the Iridium® network which has 66 satellites round the world in a relatively low orbit. This means they are much closer to you than the ones used for GPS or on the Globalstar network making Iridium much more reliable with a much stronger signal even in dense forest or inside some buildings. I found the Iridium signal was superb (its the same one Garmin use for their trackers) and gave me reliable and frequent signal even when I took it to the High Peaks Wilderness in Upstate New York. More importantly in an emergency I constantly had signal for an SOS signal. By comparison earlier in the year I tested the SPOT Gen3 in less remote areas and found it was next to useless for signal even in relatively built up areas and worse still often loses signal in dense woodland as well.
Hooks up to Your Phone via Bluetooth
You need to think of the Bivystick as an extension of your smartphone. It pairs easily via bluetooth and then once you have downloaded the Bivystick app you are ready to use it. The advantages of having your smartphone as the interface are obvious. Firstly you get to use your large color screen from your phone rather than a small screen on the unit like the Garmin and secondly you can use the easy keyboard on the phone to send messages rather than the clumsy keyboard systems you find on the integrated units. The only disadvantage here is that if you have an issue with your smartphone breaking or running out of power you will lose some of the features of the Bivystick.
Let Your Worried Mom Know You Are OK
The Bivystick allows you to send and receive text messages even when you don’t have a cell phone signal. This is very useful when you are out of touch for a longer period of time and allows you to co ordinate with others if you are meeting people for support on trail or being picked up from a location at the end of your adventure. As well as live tracking people that are around you can get a message from you about your plans and when you expect to arrive in areas.
Tracking and Location Sharing
I use tracking and location sharing when I’m out on trails setting Fastest Known Time records. So of the most exciting records I’ve set have been multi day and left me out in the wilderness with very little contact or phone signal. The live tracking feature allows others to have a link that means they can check your exactly location from the Bivystick. The unit updates every 10 minutes too.
I like this feature because the recording facility of the tracking means I can use it as a secondary source of data as proof of my records, and even fall back on it as the main source of proof if my Garmin watch fails during a long distance Thru Hike or run.
Do I Need Suntan Lotion or an Emergency Shelter?
The Bivystick also allows you to get a detailed 3 or 7 day weather report for your location which is very useful when you are in remote locations like mountain tops with no signal and very changeable weather.
SOS Emergency
Like all good GPS units it comes with an SOS emergency button. What many people don’t realize is that your SOS emergency button is only as good as the GPS network your unit uses. The SOS facility is easy to activate ( but not so easy you would do it by accident) and because the unit uses the Iridium network you can be confident your call for help will be heard.
Access to downloadable offline maps
The unit also allows you to have access to offline maps via the app. Where possible and when you do have mobile phone signal you can also grab data for mapping, but where possible I suggest using the app to download a digital map for the area you know you are going to in advance just in case.
I’ts Like Having a Power Socket on Trail with You
This is something new. I nearly always have a charger pack with me to recharge my mobile phone and headtorch batteries when I’m out on trails for multiple days. This is the first time I’ve seen a GPS unit that has a USB port in it so that it can be used to charged up items from it as well as a standard smaller USB port with which to charge it up. Its good for about 2 phone charges and still have about 20% power remaining. The unit has a clever
The Bivystick should last about 400 hours of use when set to track once every 10 minutes.
Affordable monthly plan with no commitment or contract
This might be the single strongest feature of this unit when compared to its competitors. My frustration with Garmin and SPOT is the need to set up a monthly contract every time I want to use the unit, even if its only for a few days. With the Bivystick you can treat it like a ‘Pay as You Go’ phone and simply buy credits which never expire. This means I only use credits when I use the unit and if you aren’t using the unit on a very regular basis it will save you time and hassle. There is also the option to pay monthly for a fixed cost as well if you do use the stick almost all the time.
Waterproofyness
The unit as an IPX6 rating which will means it is not fully rated for full immersion in water, but will handle heavy splashing and heavy rain with no issues. I had it attached on the outside of my backpack in heavy rain and it had no issues.
Bivy App
The app is superb and puts SPOT to shame. Its easy to navigate and download, has loads of features and for many outdoorsy people has a ‘Strava’ feel that makes it feel familiar. Its available for Android and Apple users too. I’ve included a download link for both.
- 45,000+ adventures nationwide
- Search 16 different activity types including trails, waterways, and climbing
- Track your mileage, pace, and elevation on any adventure
- Share all your activities with friends and the Bivy community
- Explore with a full path map for every activity
Gripes
I’m actually hard pushed to think of any improvements or any issues I had with the unit. This is actually quite rare as I usually have a few things I grumble about when reviewing outdoor gear.
Closest Competitors
Garmin InReach Explorer is probably the closest competitor, runs on the same Iridium network but its slightly more expensive, needs a monthly subscription, won’t charge your phone or headtorch and is fiddly to send messages and navigate on the unit compared to using the Bivystick and a Smartphone.
The SPOT Gen 3 is much cheaper but runs on the nearly useless Globalstar network, cannot be recharged, has no battery power indicator and a user website straight out of 1997.
Verdict
The Bivystick will best suit people that need a tracking and mapping device with communication when you may not have cell phone signal when you are out on trail or in the wilderness. Unlike the competition from Garmin or SPOT this great little device does not have a monthly subscription plan so you aren’t stuck paying monthly when you may not use the unit regularly. It also allows you to recharge your phone or other USB devices on trail ( acting as a power pack too) and by pairing with your smartphone and a really well designed app it allows you to have the largest screen and easiest interface for checking weather, sending and receiving messages, tracking and SOS for when you are outdoors and wont have a cell phone signal.
Specs
| Physical dimensions | 15/8″ x 5 5/8″ x 1 1/8″ |
| Weight | 7.0 oz |
| Water rating | IPX6 Pending |
| Battery | Rechargeable internal lithium ion |
| Battery capacity | 5200mAh |
| Battery life | Up to 400 hours at 10-minute tracking or 1-2 complete smartphone charges; and up to 3 months when power off |
| Memory/History | None |
| High sensitivity receiver | Yes |
| Interface | USB |
| Waypoints/favorites/locations | Limited only by smartphone capacity |
| Routes | Limited only by smartphone capacity |
| Preload maps | Yes |
| Wireless compatible | Yes (Bluetooth®) |
| Trigger an interactive SOS with 24/7 search and rescue monitoring center | Yes |
| Send and receive text messages to SMS email | Yes |
| Send and receive messages with other Bivystick users, exchange locations | Yes |
| Track and share location with friends and family on web-based devices | Yes |
| Request weather forecast for current location | Yes |
| Unique, dedicated phone number | Yes |
| Charge your smart phone | Yes (1-2 times) |
| Compatible with popular, full featured, Bivy app | Yes |
The Garmin InReach devices allow one to use an app on their phone for map display and composing, receiving texts. So your comparison isn’t quite accurate omitting the Garmin Earthmate phone app availability.