Skip to main content

Turn Your Phone Into a Global Satellite Communicator with the Bivy Stick

Bivy Stick

International travel is all but impossible for Americans right now. That’s why more and more of us are instead road-tripping, camping, and exploring the great outdoors. While going off-grid is good for the soul, though, it can be dangerous. Cell phones are essential for emergency purposes, but they don’t always work. That’s why, if you’re planning to get far, far off the beaten path, you need a proper satellite messenger.

The all-new Stick from Bivy promises to turn any smartphone into a legit, go-anywhere satellite communication device. When paired with Bivy’s dedicated smartphone app, the Stick offers updated weather reports, two-way messaging to phone numbers and email addresses, single-location sharing, and real-time tracking. With “check-ins,” users can send predefined messages to family and friends upon reaching a specific location. All of these features are available anywhere on Earth with a view of the sky.

Related Videos

The Stick is designed to work best when paired with a smartphone. But, Bivy wisely integrated buttons for the most essential features into the design. Even without a phone, the dedicated check-in button allows users to quickly update loved ones, while a similar SOS button summons rescue services in an emergency. The entire package measures roughly 4.5 inches by 1.8 inches and weighs less than 100 grams — half of most traditional smartphones. It’s all wrapped in an IP67-rated case that’s weatherproof, ultra-durable, and designed to withstand the harshest conditions. It’s also compatible with standard GoPro mounts so it can be mounted on a bike, a vehicle windshield, or a backpack.

What really sets the Bivy Stick apart from its competitors, however, is a more flexible pricing structure. Similar products require activation fees and monthly charges that typically add up to more than USD $100 per year. Bivy instead opts for a credit-based system. The Basic package is just $17.99 for 20 credits, while the top-tier Unlimited package is just $49.99. Once purchased, credits are valid for 30 days. This means intermittent explorers only pay when they’re planning to actually get outside and use the system.

Two-way satellite messengers and personal locator beacons are nothing new, of course. They have, however, gotten considerably smaller, more portable, and more reliable over the years. Garmin’s inReach and inReach Mini — arguably the niche’s gold standard — are practically required kit for hardcore backcountry explorers. In recent years, other competitors like Spot have launched similar alternatives. Bivy’s own Bivystick Orange is another such alternative, although it never gained the mainstream adoption of its competition.

The Bivy Stick is available for pre-order directly through Bivy for USD $349. First deliveries are expected sometime in August.

For a similar alternative that’s available right now, check out the Somewear Global Hotspot.

Editors' Recommendations

Keep Your Cool This Summer With the Sony Reon Pocket Wearable Air-Conditioner
sony-t-shirt

If it seems like the summers just keep getting hotter, you’re not imagining things. Last year was the third-warmest on record, and the summer of 2019 was the hottest since we started recording such things more than 140 years ago. The right fabrics can, of course, help keep you cool. But, sometimes, that’s not enough. That’s why Sony is using its considerable ingenuity to throw technology at the problem with the new Reon pocket air conditioner.

The Reon Pocket is an ultra-portable “wearable air conditioner.” The sleek, all-white device is smaller than a deck of cards, so it’s designed to be almost invisible. The wearer slides it into a special pocket sewn near the top rear of a corresponding lightweight Sony undershirt. Through a bit of clever science, it promises to drop the wearer’s body surface temperature up to 23 degrees Fahrenheit in hot weather. In winter, it can act as a miniature heater by raising the surface temperature as much as 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

Read more
S.O.S.! The Best Personal Locator Beacons and Satellite Messengers
Spot X Bluetooth

These days, humankind has the information, technology, and transportation options to explore almost any corner of the globe. But, the false impression that we have an always-on connection to the internet, to social media, and to everyone in our contacts list can easily land the less prepared among us in trouble. For adventurous travelers -- everyone from hardcore polar expeditioners to weekend day-hikers -- packing a lightweight personal locator beacon or satellite messenger can mean the difference between life and death.

The essential function of a personal locator beacon is the ability to trigger an SOS rescue alert at the touch of a button. Most rely on the global GEOS emergency response team, which has made rescues in more than 140 countries. Many also offer worldwide, two-way satellite communication to share SMS texts and real-time location updates with friends and family from anywhere in the world. Here are the best personal locator beacons and satellite messengers.
Garmin inReach Mini

Read more
Amp Up Your Vanlife With the New Goal Zero Yeti 200X Power Bank
goal zero yeti 200x  1

For many, road-tripping and living the vanlife are about getting far, far away from it all. It’s pure escapism, where smartphones and social media have no place. More and more of us, however, are looking to escape while enjoying at least some of the conveniences of home. Most of those conveniences have one thing in common: The need for electricity. The latest release from Goal Zero promises to keep your gadgets and gear charged no matter where life takes you.

As the name implies, Goal Zero’s Yeti 200X delivers almost 200W of power through a heavy-duty rechargeable lithium-ion battery. For the electrically illiterate (including this author), that’s enough juice to charge a tablet more than eight times and most 15-inch laptops around four times. The best part is that it’s smaller than a two-slice toaster and weighs just five pounds. While it’s too bulky to take into the backcountry, it’s plenty portable for a long weekend of off-grid car camping.

Read more