Bivystick Satellite Communication Device.

Update 12/13/2020 my replacement bivystick is having the same problems as before. Bivystick offered up this solution; I have a suggestion for you. Would you like to replace your orange device with our new version bivystick blue. It will cost you $50 for the exchange. Bivystick blue is a newer and much improved version of the bivystick. It is smaller and lighter and has the sos and the check in button on the device itself. It also has a better battery and a better antenna. Tech support has always been prompt, professional and I also get to keep my unused points. Super satisfied and can't wait to try out the new one. One thing to note, you do have to pay for shipping for returns.Update 8/19/2020 Bivystick sent out a replacement before my week and a half trip. It's working and charging good. Customer service through chat is prompt. Thank you bivystick. I was able to send out several successful messages on my trip. However I requested a weather report for the area I was in and did not receive anything back.Update 7/29/2020 After several hard resets my bivystick is only charging to 3 bars before it stops charging. I've only had this for a year with continual service, but leave it off most of the time and the battery drains so fast even when it is off 😭. I contacted customer service which is via chat, there is no way to contact customer service through the website besides chat and only during business hours. Not pleased with this product. They said I have to pay to return it and in the mean time I will be left without a bivystick. After they receive the one I own.Update 3/30/2020 FAST CUSTOMER SERVICE; my bivystick has not been charging fully only to two bars at a time. I contacted the bivystick company via email and was pleased with the response time, they got back to me within 6hrs on the same day I contacted them and told me to do a hard reset. To do this drain the battery till it is dead and once dead let it sit for two days. After two days see if it will charge fully. They said if it doesn't to send it in and they will send me a new one.Such an added comfort to have this while hiking my solo adventures. Used the messaging system for the first time 5/13/19 in Mt Hood National forrest in a canyon, the message would not go through (could take a while to send message). It eventually went through, but I'm not sure as to when this happened and my dad recieved the message that I was ok. Tried to track my hike that day as well but couldn't figure out how to do that yet. A bit more bulky and heavy than I thought it was going to be. Easy to set up. Every action uses one credit.

There’s simply no reason to buy this product with much better products on the market with more capabilities. The company itself is a scam, is order to use the Bivy stick you need to buy “credits” in order to get the credits you need to lock yourself into an auto renewal monthly or yearly plan and if you cancel the plan at any time you lose all credits you have saved up

I did not purchase through Amazon, I was an Indiegogo contributor. It has used twice so far to send and receive messages when I was out of cell service. The weather report function is very useful, also. All around it works great so far. There was an issue with getting it activated, and, I’m not kidding, within 2 minutes of sending an email for customer service, it was answered and the issue was resolved within 20 minutes. If that’s not great customer service, then I don’t know what is. I have not used the trip tracking function yet, (this is how I have convinced my wife to let me start going backpacking by myself again), and I will update my review directly after its first use. What I like the most is the credit plan is not misleading or just plain sinister like for example, the Spot communicator, (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, look it up. And don’t EVER buy one, you’re welcome). If you’ve been looking for a simple, no frills sat communicator so your loved ones don’t worry about you, then this is it.

This hasn’t hit the mark for me. I hike in mountainous terrain and have only been successful sending and receiving messages when I’m on top of a mountain. Sending and receiving anywhere else wouldn’t send, and after waiting 30 mins, I’d give up. I don’t feel like it will be a reliable safety communicator if needed. As a primarily solo hiker, I wish I’d gone a different route.Messages sent fine from open fields or on top of mountains, which is nice to give a quick update to family.Solid points for battery life, and it’s nice as a charger for my phone.

It could alittle more user friendly on the appI can’t seem to get it to see all my contacts for textingThe battery lights never get past 3 of 5 lightsWhen charging but it seems to be chargedAll in all needs to be more user friendly!!

I love the flexible plan you can get for this, how you can cancel anytime or keep it. It is a good size and very easy to use. It is nice that it can charge your phone in an emergency if you're phone is dead. It seems to be built very rugged. I have had th he Spot satellite communicator and the bivy stick is better all around.

Couldn’t figure out how to use it, and couldn’t find a phone number to get support.

This is great if you don't use it a whole lot cuz you can you run it off of your phone from anywhere I used it to go to Alaska plus you can cancel your plan any time