What are the best satellite phones for backpacking and hiking? In this article, I will give you an in-depth answer to this particular question. There are obviously different types of satellite phones, but there are also different types of providers. Every provider has their own advantages and disadvantages. Since these are usually pretty expensive as well, you should not only consider the actual device that you are buying but also the provider that you will be using.

 

Best satellite phone for backpacking and hiking

Finding the right satellite phone can be quite complicated. Quite often, people will pay way too much for what they need. Some hikers/backpackers just assume they absolutely need a satellite phone when a satellite communicator (which can be a lot cheaper) is in fact more than enough. Long story short, you have to do proper research. Therefore, it’s a good thing that you are reading this article!

 

IsatPhone 2.1 Satellite Phone

Let me start with a strong statement: The IsatPhone 2.1 Satellite Phone is currently the best satellite phone for extreme hikers on the market. Now, before you rush off to amazon and buy this product, there are a couple of things you might want to consider first.

The IsatPhone works on the Inmarsat network. If you don’t know the differences between the satellite phone networks, no worries, I will cover those later in this article. Long story short, Inmarsat is one of the best and most popular satellite phone networks out there and they provide worldwide coverage (with exception of extreme north/south poles – 70th north/south parallel).

Inmarsat will cost you around $360 annually if you don’t exceed the bundle, but there is also a mid-plan which allows you to talk up to 30 minutes for $65. For more information about satellite phone network bundles, you can take a look at this article.

So, why exactly is this the best option for extreme hikers? Well, for starters this phone is super tough, it’s shock resistant, water-resistant, dust resistant and it can function in extreme weather conditions (4 degrees Fahrenheit & 95% humidity). The only real downside is that this phone is quite large and heavy for bringing on long hiking trips.

On top of that, this phone has an amazing battery life. It will function up to 8 hours of actual talking and 160 hours on standby.

I have not known a single hiker that didn’t like this particular satellite phone. Also, when you take a look online it’s widely recommended by a lot of people, malfunctions and problems are very rare. Reliability is, in my opinion, one of the most important things in a satellite phone.

And of course it has all the functionality you need for hiking and backpacking in remote areas:

• Phone calls
• Voicemail
• SMS
• email
• GPS
• Emergency button (sends your location to a pre-arranged number)

I won’t go as far as claiming that this is a cheap phone, but it’s a lot more affordable than comparable satellite phones. When it comes to getting a lot of value for money, this one is right there at the top.

I would recommend this satellite phone to almost every hiker who really needs a satellite phone (and not just a personal locator beacon) and who won’t go to the orth or South Pole. Even if you won’t be using it for hiking or backpacking, this is still a great all round satellite phone.

If this phone doesn’t quite fit your budget, no worries, I will cover even more budget-friendly options as well (but they obviously won’t be as good as this one).

If you are interested in buying the IsatPhone 2.1 Satellite Phone or you just want to check out the latest price, feel free to take a look at amazon: IsatPhone 2.1 Satellite Phone.

Iridium 9575 Extreme Satellite Phone

The next option on this list is the Iridium 9575 Extreme Satellite Phone, also on of the best hiking satellite phones out there. It’s equally rugged/tough than the IsatPhone. Which means that it’s also resistant to water, dust, shock and can function in extreme weather.

The biggest difference is that this phone does not run on the Inmarsat network, but on the Iridium network. There are both advantages and disadvantages when it comes to using Iridium, but I will get into that later in this article. The biggest thing to remember is that Iridium has true global coverage – this includes the poles. So if you might travel to the poles in the future, you should probably prefer Iridium over Inmarsat or Globalstar.

One of the main reasons why this satellite phone is so awesome is that it’s a lot smaller and lighter than the IsatPhone! Within the hiking community the words “small” and especially “lightweight” are always well received.

The fact that this phone is super light and small is great. However, this does come at a price. First of all, the battery life is a lot less long. The Iridium 9575 Extreme has a battery life of 30 hours on standby and 4 hours of actual phone calls. This might suffice for most backpacking trips, but not for all. That being said, bringing spare batteries is always an option (you could simply bring a power bank as this device allows USB charging).

Another downside is that this satellite phone is quite a bit more expensive than the IsatPhone. However if money is no issue, I would recommend the Iridium Extreme over the IsatPhone.

The functionality is similar to the IsatPhone:

• Phone calls
• Voicemail
• SMS
• email
• GPS
• Emergency button (sends your location to a pre-arranged number)
• Mobile hotspot (only 2.4 kbps)

Long story short, if money isn’t an issue, buy the Iridium 9575 Extreme Satellite Phone. It’s superior to the IsatPhone because it’s a lot lighter and smaller. However, you will pay a lot more money for it and sacrifice battery life for it.

The lowest price for this device can usually be found on amazon: Iridium 9575 Extreme Satellite Phone.

 

Globalstar GSP-1600 Satellite Phone

One of the best budget-friendly satellite phones for backpacking is probably this one, the Globalstar GSP-1600. It’s a super basic but solid satellite phone that will also work in extreme temperatures (up to -4 degrees Fahrenheit).

The functionality is super basic, you can use it for phone calls and you can receive voice mails, but that’s about it. If you want to be able to share your location, you should go with another satellite phone (or even with a satellite messenger or a personal locator beacon).

All in all, this is a great device if you just need very basic functionality. It’s still a rugged phone with a decent battery life (19 hours standby and 3.75 hours of talking).

This phone runs on the Globalstar network. Globalstar has a limited coverage, so be sure to check if this fits your needs. Also, Globalstar is known to have pretty bad customer service. Therefore, I would recommend the previous satellite phones over this one – if your budget allows it.

To summarize: this a great satellite phone for hikers/backpackers on a budget. However, if you need extended functionality or you need worldwide coverage, this one is not for you.

If you want to learn more about this phone – or maybe you are considering buying it, you can always take a look on amazon: Globalstar GSP-1600.

 

Thuraya X5 Touch

The Thuraya X5 gives us an insight in what might be the next generation of satellite phones, a touchscreen satellite smarpthone. that runs android

The idea is really cool. However, you might be wondering whether this product is durable and rugged enough for your adventurous trips. Well, it’s not because it has a huge touchscreen that it is in fact not a rugged phone. The Thuraya x5 touch is a rugged satellite phone that won’t break easy.

That said, the phone isn’t perfect. For starters, they have a limited coverage. Sadly there is no coverage in the americas. Here is a clear coverage overview (taken from groundcontrol).

This means that this satellite phone will only be suitable for people who only plan to use it in Europe, Asia and Africa – and even there, the coverage is not 100%.

Also, there are some reports that the battery life is a bit dissapointing and the phone can heat up during calls. Let’s not forget that this is an expensive product, so we expect better. That said, it seems that if you limit the amount of apps you install and care about your background processes it’s a lot better. You can’t compare this satellite smartphone to a regular smartphone as it is for more limited.

All in all, it’s still a great satellite phone, but don’t expect it to work exactly the same as a regular smartphone.

For those of you interested in the product, amazon is the place to go: Thuraya X5

 

Garmin inReach Mini

Before I continue, I would like to mention that the Garmin inReach Mini is not technically a satellite phone, it’s actually a satellite messenger. Why did I absolutely want to include this? Well, I’m assuming the main reason for hikers or backpackers to bring a satellite phone is safety and maybe just to let friends/family know that you are safe. You don’t absolutely need an expensive and heavy satellite phone to do this, you could simply get away with a satellite messenger (also called satellite communicator).

So what’s the biggest difference? Well, you cannot make phone calls, but you can send text messages, use GPS, send your location, etc… The biggest benefit of bringing a satellite communicator over a satellite phone is that it’s generally a lot cheaper, lighter and smaller.

Unfortunately you still need to pay a monthly fee in order to use a satellite provider, the Garmin inReach Mini uses the Iridium network. The cost will vary depending on the type of subscription you want. For example, you could even pay extra to receive weather forecast information while you are in a remote area.

I would advise every backpacker to think about whether they really need a satellite phone, as I assume that some of you would only need a satellite communicator instead.

The Garmin inReach Mini is perfect for hikers because it’s lightweight, small and super durable/rugged.

The latest price can be found on amazon: Garmin inReach Mini.

 

ACR ResQLink 400

Last but not least, I will present to you the most basic option: a personal locator beacon. This device will not allow you to send messages to your family or anything of the sort, it will only allow you to send a distress signal in case you get in trouble.

If the only reason you carry a satellite phone is to stay safe and be able to get rescued in case of an emergency, you don’t really need a satellite phone at all, you could just bring a PLB (personal locator beacon).

So why would you bring a PLB instead of a satellite phone? You might already guess the answer, a PLB is a lot cheaper and in case of emergency it will be almost equally efficient. Not only is the product itself cheaper, a PLB works without any subscription (or at least the ACR ResQLink 400 does not have a subscription fee).

There are even more advantages of using a PLB instead of a satellite phone. It’s generally lighter and smaller than a satellite phone or even a satellite communicator. Also, the battery life is a lot longer (5 years / 24 hours operational).

If you don’t absolutely need the ability to call or to send text messages, but you are mainly interested in being able to send a distress signal, a PLB is the better option.

The ACR ResQLink 400 is widely known as one of the best and most reliable personal locator beacons. It’s both very light and very rugged, which makes it the perfect PLB for hikers and backpackers.

If you are interested in checking out the latest price, you can always take a look on amazon: ACR ResQLink 400.

 

Differences between satellite phone providers

As this article mainly focuses on satellite phones and not really on satellite phone providers, I will keep this pretty short. However, I feel like this information is really important if you are thinking about buying a satellite phone. Therefore, I felt obligated to add a section about this topic.

 

Inmarsat

Even though Inmarsat only has 3 satellites orbiting the earth, it is still one of the larger satellite phone providers. Inmarsat is known to have a stable connection once you actually have connection. However, since there are only 3 satellites, there is a higher chance that mountains will be blocking a direct line of sight. Which means that you sometimes might not have connection (learn more about where satellite phones work).

That said, Inmarsat will usually provide pretty good reception and most people are really happy with the service. In terms of cost, it’s usually cheaper than Iridium, but slightly more expensive than Globalstar.

One often mentioned fact is that Inmarsat does not provide coverage in the poles. In fact, Iridium is currently the only provider who provides coverage in the poles. This might be a very important detail for some of you.

 

Iridium

Iridium is probably the best-known satellite phone network that exists today. They have 66 satellites orbiting earth. Generally, it’s easier to get connection, but the connection tends to be slightly less stable than Inmarsat.

In the end, the differences in reception are generally pretty minor. The main difference is that Iridium does offer coverage in the poles. So if you are planning to go there, you know which provider to go with.

You might be wondering, if Iridium has 66 satellites and Inmarsat only has 3 does that mean that Iridium is a lot bigger/better. Not necessarily because Iridium uses smaller low earth orbit satellites whereas Inmarsat uses high earth orbit satellites. It’s a different approach, and both work!

 

Globalstar

The last satellite provider I will cover is Globalstar (note that there are more than 3 providers, these are just some of the most popular ones). Globalstar tends to be the cheapest option, but people tend to have the most complaints about this provider as well.

One thing that people keep mentioning – whether it are hikers, adventurers or just travelers – is that they have a really bad customer service. Also, more malfunctions/problems were reported by people who were using Globalstar.

Globalstar does offer a pretty limited coverage, so make sure to check the map.

All that said, it’s probably a good option for smaller excursions and if you care about your budget.

 

Conclusion

Satellite phones come in different forms and sizes. On top of that, you might not even need a satellite phone. Maybe you only need a satellite messenger or just a personal locator beacon. As I said at the beginning of this article, do your research properly!

Just to be clear the first 3 options on this article are satellite phones, the fourth option (garmin) is a satellite messenger (also called messenger communicator) and the last option (ACR ResQlink) is a personal locator beacon!

Very roughly summarized: A satellite phone is for calling, a messenger is messaging and a personal locator beacon is just for sharing your location in case of emergency.

The one you should get really depends on your personal needs and your budget. I tried to make a small selection of the best backpacking satellite phones out there, but you will have to make your own conclusion.

If you have any other satellite phone that you would recommend for hiking/backpacking trips, please let me know in the comments below! Also, if you have any experience with any of the recommended devices, feel free to share your review with us!