Bivy or Personal Locator Beacon, which one is right for you?

Well the simple answer is: “That depends on what kind of adventurer you are.”

The Bivy Stick and Bivy Stick MESH and our award-winning ResQLink line of PLB’s are designed for similar purposes, i.e., saving lives outdoors and providing enhanced confidence. However, they’re utilized much differently outdoors.

A Personal Locator Beacon (utilizing the Cospas-Sarsat Satellites) is designed to be a tool of last resort; a proven, life-saving emergency rescue and positioning device summoning search and rescue worldwide. It’s one job is to continuously share your position with those who are coming to your aid.

The Bivy Stick and Bivy Stick MESH (utilizing the Iridium Satellites) also have similar one-button SOS functionality. However, these are communication and outdoor connectivity devices as much as they are emergency tools. In tandem with the Bivy app, you are able to send messages, track and share your position, check real-time weather forecasts, and even utilize one-touch “check-in” functionality.

Given these differences, ResQLink PLB’s require no subscription, whereas the Bivy Products allow adventurers to choose a subscription plan to best fit their unique outdoor communication needs.

Once an emergency activation is initiated, a PLB leverages it’s battery capacity for the sole purpose of transmitting your position for a minimum of 24 hours while also firing the visible and infrared strobes. The Bivy products in contrast allow those in need of rescue to also exchange messages with rescue personnel for an additional layer of coordination.

So, when answering the question, “Bivy or Personal Locator Beacon,” are you the adventurer who plans ahead in case rescue becomes necessary, but would otherwise prefer not add outdoor communication to their itinerary? Then a PLB is all you need to stay safe out there. But if leveraging the power of a proven 2 way communication device adds to your remote outdoor experience, then Bivy has the features you prefer.”