PLB Deal

[Hikin_Jim]

There's a site that has the ACR Aquafix 406 with internal GPS for $477.74. They list one price, but sent me a link with a lower price when I wrote to them. By comparison, REI has the ACR Terrafix 406 with internal GPS for about $595.38 (LA County sales tax included) out the door if you do store pick up; it's more if you choose direct shipping to your home or office. If my math is right, that's a minimum savings of $117.91. The Aquafix is the same as the Terrafix except that the Aquafix is blue and the Terrafix is green.

I'm not sure if I should post the link, although it's probably OK to do so, but just in case, I won't. However, if you were to PM me, and ask me what the best deal I've seen on the internet for an ACR PLB is ...

HJ

P.S. I ordered the unit at about 1:45 PM today. I requested standard UPS Ground shipping. I got an email from UPS at about 2:45 PM today, telling me that the item was in their system and that the delivery date would be this Friday. Not too bad of a turn around.

[magikwalt]

Wow. That is a nice deal. Maybe a little recession will have a small silver lining in it.

[Rob]

P.S. I ordered the unit at about 1:45 PM today.

Spoken like a married man. Does it come with an ankle bracelet? If you get cold feet and try to run away before the wedding, RMRU will track you down! It would be fun reading that mission report on rmru.org.

[Hikin_Jim]

They'll never take me alive.

[zippetydude]

Okay, now tell my you had to pay shipping on that, right? Mine was $494 with shipping included, so it's gonna bug me that I didn't wait til the next day and catch your deal.

In any case, I'm a wimp, and was surprised that 12 ounces is so heavy. Seriously. 12 ounces feels real light when it says Becks or St. Pauli Girl on the side, but this little puppy seems heavy somehow. I even went and got a beer out and held them both to compare the weight. I'm considering gluing a beer label on the side of the PLB to lighten it some.

In any case, I'll have much more fun and far fewer dark imaginings on my solo runs from now on.

My family pressured (read: paid half!) me into getting one.

I'm glad to see you're getting one too, Jim. Anyone else?

z

[Rob]

HJ and z, we look forward to reading your user reports.

[Hikin_Jim]

Okay, now tell my you had to pay shipping on that, right? Mine was $494 with shipping included, so it's gonna bug me that I didn't wait til the next day and catch your deal.

My family pressured (read: paid half!) me into getting one.

$477.74 included all taxes and shipping. If it's any consolation, I had to pay all of mine.

In any case, I'm a wimp, and was surprised that 12 ounces is so heavy. Seriously. 12 ounces feels real light when it says Becks or St. Pauli Girl on the side, but this little puppy seems heavy somehow. I even went and got a beer out and held them both to compare the weight. I'm considering gluing a beer label on the side of the PLB to lighten it some.

Well, drink the beer first , then put the label on the PLB. I'm sure things will generally work out better that way.

In any case, I'll have much more fun and far fewer dark imaginings on my solo runs from now on.

Wow. If I drank a case of Becks or St. Pauli, I'd have a lot of dark imaginings.

I'm glad to see you're getting one too, Jim. Anyone else?

z

Oddly, no one has asked me about where I found that $477.47 price. I guess even at that price it's still pretty expensive.

HJ and z, we look forward to reading your user reports.

I'll post what I can. Unlike a new pair of boots or something, I can't actually use the PLB for its intended purpose. I will definitely post how secure the "holster" is, how well the clip works, and my general impressions on its operation. Too bad it doesn't have a GPS display window so I could at least test that. It does have an internal circuitry test, and I will let you all know how that goes.

[zippetydude]

So far, so good. It takes about 2 minutes to register online, and then you're good to go. Of course, from here forward, I hope I have no further updates on how well it works!

z

[Hikin_Jim]

I'll echo Zip on the registration thing: It's pretty much a snap. They'll be putting some kind of decal into the mail to me that I'm supposed to put on the back of the PLB. I guess the decal will remind me of when I'm supposed to renew my registration? (every 2 years). Interestingly, ACR (the manufacturer) puts an instruction card which slides conveniently over the spot where the decal would show through. Great minds at work, no doubt.

As Zip observed, the thing is a little heavy. Zip had a suggestion: The PLB weighs about the same as a beer. Since no one minds carrying a beer, just peel the label off the beer and wrap it around the PLB, and voila! problem solved. I was a little skeptical at first, but I tried it with multiple beer labels (I didn't want to use just any label, you understand). I'm still not sure I've found the "right" label, but after about the fifth beer, I definitely didn't mind the weight. That danged Zip sure is smart.

I'm determined to find the exact right label that will highlight my new PLB. I consider it an art form. Accordingly, I've gone to Trader Joe's multiple times now getting beer from ever more exotic locales. Oddly, Michiko seems to be skeptical about my true motivations. I guess some people just don't appreciate great art. She also suggested that my dad's old ca. 1960 down sleeping bag doesn't look good on our living room couch. See what I mean?

I listed Ellen as my emergency contact and posted the summit hut as her address. Does anyone know the phone number at the hut? I'll need that to finish my registration ...

Wow, with all these smart moves I'm making, I feel safer already.

[Rob]

Michiko ... suggested that my dad's old ca. 1960 down sleeping bag doesn't look good on our living room couch.

I know what you mean. Last week my wifetold me where I could put my hiking & camping gear. In her view, stacking it on the family room floor in front of the TV was not a tasteful display for guests.

Wow, with all these smart moves I'm making, I feel safer already.

Pre-nuptial fog is replaced soon by amnesia. Honestly, I don't remember my engagement.