Remote locations often interfere with your cell phone signals and therefore, you might be unable to stay in touch with work friends and family. Worry not though, since you could invest in one of the best satellite phones for hiking.
Where to Look for Best Satellite Phone for Hiking?
The chief differentiators of a satellite phone are the cellular masts or satellites. Since these are at a different angle from the surface of the earth, the masts will enable to cover more surface area of land. Take a look at the topmost and best satellite phones for hiking and take a pick-
Iridium Extreme 9575
Iridium is easily a highly dependable pick among the best satellite phones for hiking. It offers superb global coverage across all sat phone choices. The voice quality is unmatched too. A compact pick at just 5.5 inches length and 2.4 inches width, the iridium sat phone comes with a battery life of 30 hours for standby and four hours for talk time. It has IP65 weather resistance too. On the downside—the pricey bit and shorter battery life could be deterring for first time buyers. The 9575 is the latest iridium launch and offer a highly comprehensive coverage across the category of satellite phone across the world. Extreme 9575 comes with a much-needed SOS button, placed on top of the setup, under the cover. The Iridium call plans come at at least $70 for a month for an hour though.
Globalstar GSP-1700
If you have a tight budget, this is your best bet. The reason is because you get this sat phone for free with affordable talk-based plans. A sleek product at 5.3 inches x 2.3 inches dimensions, the phone has standby life of 30 hours and talk time hours of four. It also has IP65 weather resistance and offer great coverage compared to the pricing on offer. The biggest downside for this sat phone is lack of coverage in most parts of Asia and Africa. The stellar features of the phone are its SPOT satellite messenger system and the SOS beacon. The speeds for data are fast and the phone comes with good call clarity too. For a price point as low as $500, the GSP-1700 is a simply excellent deal.
Inmarsat IsatPhone 2
Bank of this sat phone model since it offers around 90 percent around the globe. A compact buy at 6.7 inches x 3 inches, the 36 hours for battery standby and 8 hours for talk time is decent. The phone also comes with IP65 weather resistance. The large display and the buttons are additional plus points. This bulks up the phone, which some hikers might not prefer though, the voice clarity is not as good a\s the other model mentioned above.
Thuraya X5-TOUCH
The Thuraya X5-TOUCH satellite phone counts among the smallest and also the lightest of satellite phones in the market. The phone communicates using satellites to provide best voice quality as well as the fastest data speed (handheld) among mobile satellites. It runs on Android but has limited satellite coverage.
Thuraya XT Lite
The Thuraya XT Lite offer very long battery life and a lightweight but sturdy build. It comes with dual GSM function for better communication. Inbuilt with 12 languages, the phone caters to a versatile base. It comes with rechargeable battery with 6 hours talk time and 80 hours standby!
Summing Up
Some critics believe that satellite phones are not worth the buy. However, these are imperative picks when it comes to maintaining safety as you backpack somewhere isolated and up high. Moreover, in 2022, the affordability has also become a “possible” thing for something as complicated as sat phones. There are some apps and plans related to these apps that allow you to make your regular cell phone a satellite phone but again, these are not as dependable as an exclusive phone for the purpose. Moreover, why just buy? You might be able to rent a satellite phone among the best satellite phone for hikers at around 10 dollars daily for 1-30 day range. The rental comes down to 8 dollars when the rental tenure hikes up higher! Read more:- Top 5 Best Waterproof Phone Case for Snorkelling
