Bivystick

The Lowdown: Centered around an app, the Bivystick is totally reliant on your phone for everything from messaging to sharing social updates to initiating an SOS. It does have a 5200mAh battery that will charge your phone twice.

User Interface: A snazzy graphical interface feels more like a social network than anything else, with options for finding nearby adventures (we never followed a track, though) and a text-messaging option. We appreciated the hourly weather forecasts.

Satellite System: Iridium. During a test outing in Colorado’s Boulder Canyon, results were mixed. Some messages took five minutes to send, while others took up to 20.

Weather Reports: Yes

Battery Life: 400 hours (16.6 days) in 10-minute tracking mode

Subscription Cost: Starting at $18/month for 10 messages (all custom, no presets). No activation fee.

Rating: 2/5