Published May 20, 2021 12:08PM

(Photo: Courtesy)
Satellite communicators provide a crucial safety boost in the backcountry: the ability to send a distress signal or text with first-responders from almost anywhere in the world. The ZOLEO, one of the newer entrants to the category, is one of our favorite such devices thanks to its simplicity and affordability. Texts, check-ins, and weather reports were completed within minutes every time testers used it—no matter how deep in the wilderness they were—and ZOLEO’s companion smartphone app has the most user-friendly interface in the category. This device is already a good value, but now you can score it at REI for 25 percent off its $200 list price.