Backpacker Andrew Skurka, named 2007 “Adventurer of the Year” by National Geographic Adventurer, reviews SPOT.

“My mother is not a backpacker or a hiker, and "outdoorsy" is definitely not among the Top 10 adjectives I would use to describe her. But, as a mom, she gets gravely worried and concerned when her hyper-outdoorsy son goes into the backcountry, usually alone, regardless of the season, and almost always with the intention of pushing his limits.

So it was slightly surprising, but not really, that I first heard about the SPOT Messenger from her. She had seen an ad in a magazine and, for the first time in my backpacking career, she made a gear recommendation to me. If I carried one, she thought, she might actually be able to sleep okay at night when I'm out on a trip.”

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