If you go out on regular solo rides, having your cell phone somewhere on your person or stashed away in your bike can be a weight off your mind. That way, if anything goes wrong, you’re reasonably certain that you can call for help, or at the very least, send a text that you’ll be a little late for dinner.  

Depending on where you ride, though, you may inevitably find yourself in areas where there’s no reception for your particular phone provider. Hopefully nothing goes wrong while you’re in these areas, but it can be nerve-wracking to contemplate. What do you do?  

That’s where the Somewear Global Hotspot comes into play. Developed for anyone who likes to explore, whether hiking, cycling, motorcycling or otherwise, it’s a small satellite messaging device that makes it virtually impossible for you to get completely lost. If it’s charged up and turned on, you’re findable. Should you encounter trouble and require emergency services, you can send an SOS at the push of a button. 

The SOS button is tucked away under a cap that you have to remove before you can use it, so you can’t easily hit it by accident. It also features two-way text messaging, but you’ll need to pair it with your phone to enable that feature. It uses your phone’s contact list, so you’ll need to have whoever you want to message in your contacts.  

 

Now, it would be totally unreasonable to expect your contacts to also all have Somewear Global Hotspot devices, especially since they’re not exactly cheap. At $350 a pop, asking all your friends and family to get one might be a bit much. Luckily, you can communicate using your SGH while you’re out and simply send a message to anyone with a mobile number based in the U.S. or Canada, or an email address located anywhere. Anyone who gets an email from your SGH will get a link to the free web app, and they can message you back that way. 

Hooking the device up to your phone also gets you weather reports, which can be handy no matter what you’re doing outdoors and off the beaten path. The Tracking function lets you automatically drop pins at intervals you select to monitor where you’ve been on your journey.  

The device has an IPX7 waterproof rating, meaning it can be submerged in up to a meter of water (just over 3 feet) for up to 30 minutes and still work as it should. Battery life will last a claimed 1000+ messages on a single charge, or posting tracker location pins every 10 minutes for 11 days straight. It takes about an hour to fully charge, per the company.  

Now, you’ll still be able to use the SOS button in emergencies as long as the SGH is charged. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that two-way messaging will only work as long as your phone is also charged. If your phone dies while you’re mid-journey, you won’t be able to check in with friends and family until you charge your phone again. 

Naturally, you’ll have to activate a subscription service to use your SGH. Annual and monthly plans are available, and it’s totally fine to only have it activated for a month or two out of the year and not use it for the other 10 or 11 months. For anyone who likes to do long solo journeys, this seems like a great way to put your mind at ease, as well as the minds of your loved ones back home.  

Sources: SomewearWiredUltimate Motorcycling 

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