The Bivy Stick (part number 4601) is a 100 g (3.35 oz) Iridium messenger shaped like a thick marker: 4.47 x 1.85 x 0.83 inches, IPX7 rated, charged over USB-C. The device itself only has SOS, check-in and tracking controls. Texting, weather and maps live in the Bivy app, which includes offline topo maps and thousands of mapped hiking, climbing and paddling routes. SOS calls go to Global Rescue. The MSRP is $199.95, and ACR rates the battery at up to 120 hours of standard use.
The pricing is set up differently from most competitors. Plans start at $14.99 a month on an annual term, and unused message credits roll over to the next month, which helps people whose usage changes with the seasons. Each unit also gets a dedicated phone number. The downsides: you depend on your phone for messaging, and owner reviews at REI are mixed, with some complaints about failures inside the first year. The standard 1/4-20 thread fits GoPro-style bike and kayak mounts.
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