The InReach is far superior. You can communicate with rescuers, but you can also communicate with anyone with a phone number or an email address. This is extr

The InReach is far superior. You can communicate with rescuers, but you can also communicate with anyone with a phone number or an email address. This is extremely useful if you have a minor emergency and just need a friend to pick you up at a road somewhere or you just need more food or water. On the other hand, you can also tell rescuers that you need a helicopter immediately and not wait for people to hike to where you are. The InReach also has tracking, so if you go missing and don't activate the beacon, they'll have a very good idea of where to look for you. I've also found it very useful for arranging pickups/meetings if I'm behind schedule or plans change. The device itself is about the same price as a PLB, but there is a service charge. The basic plan is $15/mo, but you can turn it on and off at any time, so if you only go on a couple of trips per year, the price isn't overwhelmingly more than a PLB.