How ZOLEO Keeps My Family Safe in the Backcountry
I’m hiking behind my young son on an easy stretch of the Grassi Lakes Trail when I see the toe of his hiking boot catch on a root. He goes down hard, hitting his cheek on another tangled section of roots that crisscross the path.
It’s moments like these that remind me why I always carry my ZOLEO, a satellite communicator built by a Canadian company. It works independently of a smartphone to keep you safe in the outdoors. Smartphones present a single point of failure: all safety functions of a smartphone—messaging, location sharing and emergency help—depend entirely on cellular signals, fragile hardware and short battery life.
In contrast, ZOLEO offers a dedicated SOS button, easy check-ins, and continuous location tracking. These features are critical for reliable communication during emergencies or when loved ones monitor your progress remotely.
Smartphones are designed for everyday environments, not harsh conditions. They’re fragile if dropped, and vulnerable to water, dust or extreme temperatures. ZOLEO, however, is purpose-built for the backcountry, with military-grade shock resistance, extreme operating temperature tolerance and up to 200 hours (eight days) of battery life.
Luckily, after his tumble, my son only needs a cuddle and a kiss on the cheek to feel better, but I take a quick moment to check my phone: I have no service. What I did have was global two-way messaging that keeps us connected wherever we venture.
ZOLEO operates on the trusted Iridium satellite network, known for its global, pole-to-pole coverage. It provides proven reliability and hands-free, worry-free satellite connectivity with no manual positioning to connect with the satellite required. Manually positioning your phone to connect with satellite during an emergency (i.e., broken leg, etc.) is the last thing you want to worry about.
To try the SOS feature, I scheduled a test in the ZOLEO app. When I received confirmation, I pressed and held the button on the device for three seconds. It flashed red, confirming it was active. (There’s always the option to cancel within a short window if you pressed it by mistake.) I texted to request cancellation, pressed the cancellation button and saw a green flash.
Only ZOLEO provides instant access to 24/7, non-emergency advice from medically-trained professionals. In a real emergency, I could describe our situation, note whether we have shelter or water and send an SOS that goes directly to the people responsible for coordinating a rescue, a key difference from a smartphone’s SOS, which routes through a general 911 operator.
With my peace of mind—and my son’s mood—restored, we continued our hike, feeling secure in the knowledge that the ZOLEO has our backs.
This article was sponsored by ZOLEO
At ZOLEO, we’re dedicated to revolutionizing the way people communicate and stay safe, no matter where they are in the world. As a joint venture between Beam Communications Pty. Ltd. and Roadpost Inc., we combine our expertise to offer affordable global messaging connectivity and a reliable safety system that you can always depend on—from the moment you venture beyond cellular coverage to your return.
