[nate_meurer]

Emergency beacons are overkill for hiking and camping. But they're mandatory for backcountry skiing IMO, where there's a significant risk of an accident that makes you invisible from the surface, e.g., by avalanche, or falling into a tree well:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_well

[jms703]

The number of stories I’ve read about people getting rescued tells me that the beacons are not overkill.

Activating you beacon while buried under snow seems very difficult if not impossoble.

[nate_meurer]

I don't think you understand how beacons work. Avalanche beacons have a maximum range of around 60 meters. And you don't activate a beacon after an accident, you turn it on at the start of your run, or preferably at the start of the day. They only help us if we have a general idea of where someone might be buried, and even if we have a strong signal, we're still usually using our poles to actually find the person.

If we're talking about hiking and trekking, then we're talking about PLB's with satellite com. PLBs cost hundreds of dollars, and they must be registered with the SARSAT database. I personally don't know anyone who uses one for hiking or mountaineering. Do you?

[carabiner]

I use a Mammut Barryvox avy beacon and a Garmin Inreach. Each for a different purpose, of course. They both cost hundreds of dollars.

[nate_meurer]

I looked at those Garmins a while back. How do you feel about the size and weight?

[carabiner]

Inreach Mini is totally worth the weight, not just for SOS but texting people (2-way) or getting weather reports. I've used it just for meeting up with people who also had Inreaches in places with spotty reception (many climbing areas). On a big climbs you can send check in messages to people at home.

[nate_meurer]

Ah, I was looking at the full size ones. How's the Mini's battery life?

[magneticnorth]

Another solo hiker & backpacker here; I have a Garmin inreach and they're fairly common among solo backpackers that I know.

[rhexs]

I hike solo and carry one. Was about 200, registering online takes five minutes.