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The parent comment explains what a PLB is an how to get to them. If you're experienced enough to judge the risks yourself, it's just advice. Noone requires you

by verall 6y ago

The parent comment explains what a PLB is an how to get to them. If you're experienced enough to judge the risks yourself, it's just advice. Noone requires you to take a PLB, water bottle, or buddy, but all would raise your chance of survival in an emergency.

ghaff 6y ago
The parent wrote "there is no reason to be going into wilderness in 2020 (or 2021)." The implication was that it was irresponsible to do otherwise. I agree with your comment generally though. If you are experienced enough to make choices you can do so. Including doing solo activities. (Though I might draw the line at things like not taking water which are bad practices in many circumstances.)
- aksss 6y ago
  I think a lot of it is that the safety nets let people be more careless, and proper skills aren’t considered prerequisites. I grew up with the ethos that you never want to be that guy who has to get rescued from the wilderness (and I still believe that). To me, having to get rescued is a mark of severe embarrassment - not only for your own failure in the outdoors but what you’ve now obligated others to risk in the rescue attempt. That means you better have skills, be hardy, and be prepared for shit and not assume you can just “eject” from your situation with an sos button. Things change when you get your own dependent family though, and the cheapness of a locator device like an inreach make them very cheap insurance for stupid mistakes if you still want to engage in lone multi-day wilderness excursions. I really don’t think it should change anything in risk calculation and preparedness though. If you have to use it, it still represents a complete fail for you as an outdoorsman. The downside is that their easy availability makes people more likely to engage SAR when they should just suck it up or not have gone out in the first place.
  - disabled 6y ago
    > I really don’t think it should change anything in risk calculation and preparedness though. If you have to use it, it still represents a complete fail for you as an outdoorsman. The downside is that their easy availability makes people more likely to engage SAR when they should just suck it up or not have gone out in the first place. Thank you! Exactly and agreed 100%. Even when out-and-about in public in the city, I can deploy it in a few seconds (either via the device itself or my Garmin watch), in addition to calling 911 for someone in distress, so the exact GPS coordinates of the incident are shared. This ensures that no delays occur with rescue on my end. I am big on preparing and I look needing SAR operations as a huge systemic failure. It is true that all it takes is one mistake to end up in such a situation. As I said, I have health conditions. Backpacking for days in the wilderness (no matter how prepared or "responsible" I may be) is not possible and is unsafe in my particular situation. I can go on day hikes though, generally, without issue with adequate preparation. For people criticizing the use of such technology: Have you called 911 before for an incident where there are not a lot of addresses/cross-streets/markings, such as at a national park? Do you realize that SAR resources are precious and extremely limited? Do you realize that SAR operations can be quite dangerous, even for the well trained and seasoned professional? I should point out that I also spend time on the water, and I take my Garmin inReach Mini with me, in the inReach Mini Dive Case. I have it clipped to my lifejacket with a carabiner clip, which I wear at all times during water activities. It should be pointed out that the Garmin inReach Mini is useless underwater, as electrical signals cannot be transmitted through water, which is something everyone should be aware of. The same goes likewise for any PLB. When on the water, the inReach Mini likewise works best with a smartphone (iPhone, in my case), which I keep in a dive case, also clipped to my jacket. Thankfully, I have never had to use my Garmin inReach Mini. I don't "hope" it never happens. I plan as much as possible, to avoid a SAR situation at all costs. I also look at it as a responsible thing to have, both for myself, and also in case someone nearby is in trouble.

by verall 6y ago

ghaff 6y ago

The parent wrote "there is no reason to be going into wilderness in 2020 (or 2021)." The implication was that it was irresponsible to do otherwise. I agree with your comment generally though. If you are experienced enough to make choices you can do so. Including doing solo activities. (Though I might draw the line at things like not taking water which are bad practices in many circumstances.)

aksss 6y ago
I think a lot of it is that the safety nets let people be more careless, and proper skills aren’t considered prerequisites. I grew up with the ethos that you never want to be that guy who has to get rescued from the wilderness (and I still believe that). To me, having to get rescued is a mark of severe embarrassment - not only for your own failure in the outdoors but what you’ve now obligated others to risk in the rescue attempt. That means you better have skills, be hardy, and be prepared for shit and not assume you can just “eject” from your situation with an sos button. Things change when you get your own dependent family though, and the cheapness of a locator device like an inreach make them very cheap insurance for stupid mistakes if you still want to engage in lone multi-day wilderness excursions. I really don’t think it should change anything in risk calculation and preparedness though. If you have to use it, it still represents a complete fail for you as an outdoorsman. The downside is that their easy availability makes people more likely to engage SAR when they should just suck it up or not have gone out in the first place.
- disabled 6y ago
  > I really don’t think it should change anything in risk calculation and preparedness though. If you have to use it, it still represents a complete fail for you as an outdoorsman. The downside is that their easy availability makes people more likely to engage SAR when they should just suck it up or not have gone out in the first place. Thank you! Exactly and agreed 100%. Even when out-and-about in public in the city, I can deploy it in a few seconds (either via the device itself or my Garmin watch), in addition to calling 911 for someone in distress, so the exact GPS coordinates of the incident are shared. This ensures that no delays occur with rescue on my end. I am big on preparing and I look needing SAR operations as a huge systemic failure. It is true that all it takes is one mistake to end up in such a situation. As I said, I have health conditions. Backpacking for days in the wilderness (no matter how prepared or "responsible" I may be) is not possible and is unsafe in my particular situation. I can go on day hikes though, generally, without issue with adequate preparation. For people criticizing the use of such technology: Have you called 911 before for an incident where there are not a lot of addresses/cross-streets/markings, such as at a national park? Do you realize that SAR resources are precious and extremely limited? Do you realize that SAR operations can be quite dangerous, even for the well trained and seasoned professional? I should point out that I also spend time on the water, and I take my Garmin inReach Mini with me, in the inReach Mini Dive Case. I have it clipped to my lifejacket with a carabiner clip, which I wear at all times during water activities. It should be pointed out that the Garmin inReach Mini is useless underwater, as electrical signals cannot be transmitted through water, which is something everyone should be aware of. The same goes likewise for any PLB. When on the water, the inReach Mini likewise works best with a smartphone (iPhone, in my case), which I keep in a dive case, also clipped to my jacket. Thankfully, I have never had to use my Garmin inReach Mini. I don't "hope" it never happens. I plan as much as possible, to avoid a SAR situation at all costs. I also look at it as a responsible thing to have, both for myself, and also in case someone nearby is in trouble.