Most trouble out of range is made smaller by what you did at home. Run through this before a hike, a drive into the back country, or a stay somewhere remote.
Tell someone
- Your route, where you will sleep, and when you expect to be back.
- What to do, and whom to call, if they have not heard from you by then.
Save what you need offline
- Maps: download the area in your map app, a little wider than your route.
- Where the signal is: save the area in LastBar, so you know where it ends and where the nearest signal is, with no connection.
- Water, shelter and help: LastBar keeps those of a saved area too, from OpenStreetMap.
Know how to call for help
- The emergency number of the country. From a mobile phone, 112 and 911 work almost everywhere, on any network in reach. See does 112 work on any network?
- Whether your phone has satellite SOS where you are going. See where it works.
- Where no network reaches at all, carry a satellite messenger or a personal locator beacon.
Power
- A charged phone and a power bank.
- A charging cable that fits your car.
And the rest
- Weather and warnings for the area.
- Water, food and a layer more than you think you need.
- A paper map for when the phone dies.
