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Zoleo Satellite Communicator


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You can purchase a Zoleo from our friend Mike Spurgin at Taco Moto

New satellite communicator out from Zoleo.  I'll need a new tracker for my trip in September so I'm giving this some thought.

zoleo-satellite-communicator-with-featur

 

$199 plus three plans: $20, $35 and $50 per month.  It says you can suspend your plan when not in use but you'll still pay $4/month which is not bad at all.

For comparison, inReach Mini is $349.99 with plans ranging from $12 to $65/month.  SpotX is $249.99 (on sale now for $199.99) with plans $12 to $30 with flex plans too.

So it relies on use of an app with your phone so while you can use the SOS feature without your phone, you'll need your phone to message someone (or receive messages).  Both the inReach and SpotX have the ability to type and read messages without a phone; inReach somewhat more difficult than the SpotX ("KTM Blackberry").

Some things that appeal to me are the price and that it will actually fit in the special pocket Klim designed into my jacket for that purpose (the SpotX stuck out).

If I go with the Zoleo I will certainly provide some more info!

What do you think?

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Eric, perfect timing for me to read this. I have just notified spot to not renew my subscription this time as I was looking at the mini inreach. Personal locators are important and communication is key for us to look out for each other as well as keep in touch with loved ones no matter the adventure. Weekend getaway, weeklong venturing or an extended exploration like what you are planning is always good to have some sort of reliable device. Thank goodness I have not had to push “that” holy crap button yet.

I did not have the Spotx. I had the older version and desired to upgrade to something I could two-way communicate. The inreach mini was on the table. This may be another good option. I’ll dive into this product and read up on it. Thanks for sharing!

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Glad that helped!  I have a good friend who had the inReach and was super frustrated at their customer service being just m-f 9-5 and that's why he switched to SPOT when he had a problem and had to wait over the weekend then wait on hold for 45 min on Monday for them simply to reset his unit.  He switched to SPOT for the 24/7/365 support.  Zoleo has that too which is nice to hear.  Iridium satellite network too.

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Just read some info on the Soleo. I see No bread crumb or tracking feature like I’m used to. (Yet) But other devices I carry such as my phone with Rever app always on, or Trail Tech voyager Pro(forthcoming) is what I’ll use to make a breadcrumb. I don’t carry a garmin watch, but use an apple I watch for now. Curious if that is deal breaker for some folks. Most outdoor adventure people carry more than one device such as a Tile, cellphone or other.
Even better would be a buddy or a friend!

The main thing is having a somewhat trustworthy plb so folks can help you. Fingers crossed your conscious to press that button if alone.

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On 7/13/2020 at 11:27 AM, Jason R said:

I dont have good luck with Rever for track recording.  I get lots of straight lines between points.  I like the SPOT feature, it always plots well.  Yet, I am spending 20 a month for that.  

Locus Pro does well track recording on the android with no cell service.  

REVER always works well for me but it's something you need you phone constantly plugged in due to the power drain.  Like Arwi I have the Voyager Pro too so I may use that to track my trip.  Just got that mounted last night finally.

I actually bought an inReach and it's on its way now but my conversation with Mike Spurgeon on our last Montana trip had him offering me a Zoleo given he's a dealer so I may return the inReach after all.  Garmin was very kind in offering me a 35% discount but they're backlogged like 5-6 weeks so I couldn't take advantage of that deal and had to pay full price.

Funny, I was looking at Garmin's tracking site to get a feel for all its features.  They are pretty cool and I hear Zoleo will have their own shortly.  But when I noticed it's just the person's name at the end of "share.garmin(.com)" I started typing in names of people I know and found some funny things.  One guy raced Baja Rally and had it recorded which they don't want.  Another guy claims to be doing some trip "all dirt" but saw a lot of highway miles (lol).  Another guy pretending to be an adventure motorcyclist actually wrote a review of the inReach and has an Amazon affiliate link right next to the article (no conflict there) and turns out he used it precisely ONCE over two years ago.  

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This is a comparison of Zoleo to the inReach.  It's obviously $150 less up front.  He says the top tier monthly charges are the same but the mid tier on Zoleo is a much better deal as you get more texts.  It's also easier and less expensive to pause you Zoleo for a season than the inReach.

 

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