In this Bivystick Review, I will show you a simple and affordable emergency satellite messenger that can truly make your smartphone a global device.
Note: the Bivystick can do nothing unless it is synced with your smartphone.
Breakdown of what the BivyStick Offers
- 2-Way Satellite Communication
- Share Location
- No Contract or Annual Fees
- SOS
- Warranty
- Weather Forecasts
- Smartphone Charger
- Bivy App
- Credits for things such as messages and forecasts
Let’s take a closer look at this cutting edge device that can literally help save your life, and make you next outdoor adventure a lot more fun.
2-Way Satellite Communication
Take your phone anywhere and always have satellite coverage so you can message family or friends. It becomes a useful back country tool.
Send texts from anywhere in the world. It’s really easy to create a message using the Bivy App. You just select “Messages”, tap the “Create a Message” and select who you want to send it to. The app syncs all your contacts from your phone.
When typing your message, you can also choose to share your location with that text and your GPS coordinates will become part of the text with a URL that will let the recipient see your exact location on a Bivy map. You will be able to see the status of the message and if it was delivered.
The Bivystick comes with a unique dedicated cell phone number and you can also send and receive the locations of other Bivystick users.
Share Location
You can share your location with text messages or social media and your family and friends can see where you are at on detailed topo maps. You can track your path and leave waypoints so you can find your own way back home. You can download worldwide TOPO maps for offline use.
To track your location, you can select the “Track” button at the bottom of the map page. You will get one hour of tracking for 1 credit (See Credits below for more information). You will get an update every 10 minutes and anyone you gave your information to will be able to see your location and progress.
The waypoints, favorites, locations and routes are only limited by your smartphone.
No Contract or Annual Fees
There are no annual contracts or large activation fees. Activate it for the specific trips you take and only for as long as you will need it. See the Credits and Payment Plans below.
SOS
Bivy uses the Iridium Global Satellite Network which give you access to over 60 satellites. Iridium gives you voice and data connection over the entire globe, pole to pole. Each satellite is linked to 4 other satellites, creating a dynamic network that routes traffic among satellites. This ensures global coverage and communication.
Peace of mind for you and your family and friends. You can send an SOS message to get in contact with local emergency services. You can message the SAR teams and receive messages from them so you can know their status and you can also inform them of landmarks in your area or the exact nature of your injuries.
Whether you are on an adventure on foot or your vehicle broke down in the middle of nowhere, you can be confident that someone will get your messages and can respond to your situation.
- Send and receive text messages from anywhere in the world
- Tracking and location sharing at a 10 minute interval
- Weather forecast 3 day or 7 day detailed based off your location
- SOS service to call in professional help when needed
- 5200 mAh backup battery for your phone
This product was presentation was made with AAWP plugin.
Warranty
1 year warranty, 90 day returns. No questions asked.
Weather Forecasts
The Bivystick gives you access to local weather forecasts so you can be more prepared. Go to the Bivy App and choose “Weather” on the menu. You can select either a 3-day or 7-day forecast. You can close the app and Bivy will notify you when the weather report is ready to be viewed.
Smartphone Charger
The Bivystick can also charge your phone up to 2 times with a 5,200 mAh backup battery to give you more time in the outdoors.
The Bivystick weighs 7.09 ounces, is 5.6″ tall, 1.6″ wide, and 1.1″ thick and includes a battery backup, satellite indicator, outcharge port, power indicator, incharge port and a power on/off switch. The power incharge port gives you the ability to carry a portable charger on longer trips so you can recharge the Bivystick and your smartphone. See the Accessories page for a great portable charger that will work with the Bivystick.
The power will last up to 400 hours on the 10-minute tracking mode or 1 to 2 charges, and up to 3 months when the power is turned off.
Bivy App
The app is integrated with more than 40,000 trails, climbing routes and waterways. The Bivystick makes finding adventures easy. You can search 16 different activities.
It’s really easy to use. After you setup your account, click on the Bivy App and then select “Bivystick” on the home screen, then “Connect via Bluetooth.” You can see things like your battery power and the connection to satellites. Anytime you activate your Bivystick, it will remain active for 30 days. Each action uses a credit.
You can track your mileage, pace and elevation when on your outdoor adventure.
Credits and Payment Plan?
Bivy offers affordable monthly plans with no annual contracts. You can activate your Bivystick when you need it, rather than paying a monthly fee for the entire year.
How the credits work. Each of the following activities or actions takes 1 credit:
- Send or receive text
- Share your location
- Weather report
- 1 hr of tracking your path
You can buy credits:
- 20 credits = $8.99
- 50 credits = $19.99
- 100 credits = $34.99
See the image below for more detailed information.
My Final Thoughts
The Bivystick is innovative and pushing the Emergency Satellite Messenger market into new areas. It is a powerful device that makes your cell phone into a true smartphone with global satellite coverage. It has a simple yet durable construction that is easy to fit into your pack or anywhere on you.
My only concern that you need to be aware of and ensure that it works for your lifestyle and outdoor activities, is that it must be synced with your smartphone. This device is not a standalone device as the Garmin inReach Explorer is or the SPOT X.
This may be the right Emergency Satellite Messenger but only you can decide that.
Please Email Me with your questions or thoughts on the Bivystick Review or Leave a Comment Below.
You can also explore more Emergency Satellite Messengers models HERE or Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) HERE.
- Send and receive text messages from anywhere in the world
- Tracking and location sharing at a 10 minute interval
- Weather forecast 3 day or 7 day detailed based off your location
- SOS service to call in professional help when needed
- 5200 mAh backup battery for your phone
This product was presentation was made with AAWP plugin.
If you would like to see ALL the Satellite Messengers in another review, see my Emergency Radio Reviews.
Check out this Bivy Stick YouTube video below for more information.
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Bivystick
Pros
- Global Satellite Network
- 2-Way Messaging
- SOS Distress Call
- Weather Forecasts
- Flexible Service Plans
Cons
- Must be Synced with Smartphone
- Size & Weight
- Initial Purchase Price
I honestly had not heard of the BivyStick before reading this review. It really does look like an innovative and extremely useful tool, especially when you are out hiking or backpacking. The only thing that is a little strange to me is the fact that you have to pay for a certain number of credits. Do you think that the amount of money you need to spend for credits justifies the purchase, or is it better to go with something that you buy once and can use over and over without money coming out of your wallet?
Hi Steve. You bring up a great question.
It really comes down to how you use your Emergency Satellite Messenger and how often you use it. For me, I tend to use mine less for messaging and more for tracking but 1 credit per hour of tracking can add up on long hikes or backpacking trips. If you like to text a lot then you should consider the plan that has unlimited messaging for $59.99 per month. That seems like a lot but if you only go out hiking once or twice per year than it may be cheaper than some of the plans for other devices.
You would have to add up the cost, depending on how you think you would use it, but if you’re not careful then you could end up with a larger bill then you were planning on.
Rick
Wow, I must confess that i am mesmerized by this because the device comes with a whole lot of cool features that one can make use of. I like the fact that the one year warranty comes with a no question asked but i doubt if there’ll be a need for that though because the device is great. I definitely have to go with this on my next hiking expenditure.
Hi John. I was wondering about why the Bivystick was getting so much interest from people until I really took a close look at it. You can see that it has a lot of things that most of us would really use. I only recommend that people who get this make sure they also have a portable charger for the Bivystick and their smartphone as to many times, my batteries have run low, faster then I thought it should have. I’m speaking of my phone.
Rick
Hello there, thanks for sharing this amazing post. I must admit I’m impressed with what I have seen here about this device. So many people go hiking or mountain climbing without having a good means of communication with others and this keeps both their family and friends very anxious when they are out. From what I have read about this device, I’ll gladly recommend it to my friends who go hiking.
Hey Dane. These really are a necessity, even if you hike with a group. I have been with many groups on hikes and have come close to having a serious emergency.
Thank you for stopping by and commenting on the Bivystick.
Rick
I really do not know why I have to sync this with my phone but its a pretty good thing that at least it works and I must confess that I am happy that it really does. I believe that the Bivystick is a good device and seeing that one can easily send a message using the device app is excellent. Thank you for sharing this. Cheers
There are several Emergency Satellite Messengers that require your smartphone be synced to your device. Personally, I find this a minor drawback. These devices that you need to sync can be great, depending on how you use it and what type of adventures you go on. If you don’t want to sync your device then you can always look at one of these other Emergency Satellite Messengers.
https://hikingemergencybeacon.com/garmin-inreach-explorer-review/
https://hikingemergencybeacon.com/spot-x-review/
Rick
This is an excellent review, this Bivystick has all the features needed for staying safe where ever you are, the technology these days is truly amazing and the piece of mind you get from knowing that you’re safe and for your loved ones to not have to worry about you makes the $34.99 for 100 credits such a small price to pay, safely should always be the priority, thank you for sharing this post.
Hi Russ, thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts on the Bivystick. Many of us don’t give enough thought to being out in the middle of the wilderness and knowing if you could communicate with someone if you wanted to or needed to. It truly is a nice luxury to have and in some cases its the difference between life and death or serious injury.
Rick
Awesome review, Bivystick is really cool. It was such an added comfort to have this while hiking my solo adventures. Used the messaging system for the first time in Mt Hood National forest in a canyon, It went through, my dad recieved the message that I was ok. It was very easy to set up. Do you have an idea or tutorial on how I can track my hike? The other day, I tried to do it, but couldn’t figure out how to.
Regards!
Hi Jordan. I’m glad to hear you like the Bivystick and that it was easy to set up. You can find a video below that gives some quick instructions on how to track your hike on the Bivystick.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=bk6WAlg-EWM
Let me know if you need any additional help or have any other questions.
Rick